The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-05-02
THE WEST VIRGINIA LYNCHING.
Details of the Hanging of the Hill Brothers
by an Unmasked Mob.

CHARLESTON, W. Va, May Last night
news reached here that Scott Hill, Brown Hill
and Charles Spurlock, who fatally shot A. j.
Woods, and instantly killed his son Alvin, a
young man eighteen years old near st. Adams,
this county, last Monday night, had been caught.
The Hill brothers were hanged on an elm tree on
hill one mile west of st. Adams by a mob of
five hundred men who were unmasked. The
mob captured the Hill boys from the guard at
the hotel, took them to the place named, fast
ened onehalf inch cotton cord around their
necks, threw the other end over convenient
limbs and sent for Rev. Stump, who questioned
the desperadoes as to their crimes. Scott Hill
confessed that he and Jack Dobson, on last Sat
urday night, visited the home of eX-SherlH
Adkins of Boone county and demanded
his money They were refused, and Hill
then shot him and left him for dead The two
robbers went to Spurlocks residence, on main
Mud river, Monday Dodson was left behind.
The two Hills and Spurlock visited the Woods
residence, where they expected to secure s., 500.
They blacked their faces, entered the house and
demanded the money, but were refused. One OF
the robbers was knocked down by old man
Woods, who was shot three times by one of the
robbers comrades; one bullet entered Woods
back and the other two struck him in the face
and neck. The robbers were then shot at sew
eral times by Miss Wood, who had been at
tracted to her fathers room. The villains could
not stand fire, and fled. They saw young Woods
going across a field, and believed he was after
help. Scott Hill said he shot at young Woods
while he was fifty yards away When found,
few hours later young Woods was
dead, with a bullet through his heart and
a wound on an arm. After the confession Rev.
Stump was asked to pray. When the religious
services were over stout men took hold of the
ropes and pulled the bodies of the two Hills
three feet clear from the ground, fastened the
ropes, and returned to the village, leaving the
bodies dangling in the crisp night air as warn
ing to evil doers The bodies were left hanging
two or three hours and then cut down and taken
to the village, where they were placed in an un-
dertakers establishment and viewed by hun
dreds of people The mob was orderly; not
loud word was spoken and there was no drunk
enness
Spurlock was rescued from the mob and
brought to this city this morning, where he is in
Jail Much excitement prevails here and in ST.
Albans, and it is feared that mob will make an
effort to take him out tonight and hang him.
The officer who brought him here,
together with the prisoner, walked twelve miles
to reach the jail. Spurlock's confession is sub
stantally the same as Scott Hills statement,
but he adds that he did part of the shooting.
The band comprises over one hundred members,
who are sworn to protect each other. He says
he and the Hills have been operating for two
years, and have killed four men and wounded
several. He has wife and children, and his
home was the meeting place of the band.
Old man Woods cannot recover. The robbers
we're identified by Miss Woods Spurock has
lived a number of years; near Woods, and knew
he had money in the house.