The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1884-01-10

But it was Lynch Law-The -Four Ring
leaders Fall Victims to Popular Indigna-
tion-Threo of Them Hanged and the
Fourth Shot to Death.
YAzoo CITY. MISS, Dec. 20.
The preliminary trial of the perpetrators
of the bloody tragedy Monday night was
set for to-day-B. Prewitt, Williams,
Thornton & Williams, and w. A. Henry
for the prosecution; f. DienNing for the
defense. A motion by the defense for con-
tinuance for thirty days resulted in the
postponement until Tuesday.
This postponement intensified the excite
ment that prevailed, and it became evident
to every one familiar with the facts in the
case that the delay had not added to the
length of days the four miserable wretches
had to live. Notwithstanding the fact that
the citizens at their meeting had resolved
to allow the law to take its course. the
facts in the case were so plain that 1T was
considered that the trial could be nothing
more than mere formality. Though the
surface excitement had subsided somewhat
since Monday, the deep-seated determine
tion of the people to infict punishment on
the perpetrators of the fiendish act re-
mained.
The cOroner's jury, after four days in
vestigation, found that the two Poseys and
Nichols came to their death by murder;
that the instruments used were guns and
pistols, in the hands of Bob Swayze, Mica
jah Parker, Richard Gubbs, w. II. Foote,
Henry Schuler and Octavius Thomas, prin-
cipals. Emanuel Stevens, Lewis Carter,
Mitchell Brooks, Jr., Jim Grubb, Ras Kel-
Iy, accessories, and other parties to the
jury unknown, were implicated; all ne
groes.
The announcement of this verdict seemed
to arouse the feeling that had apparently
subsided, and fan the smouldering embers
into flames. These flames were augmented
by the talk of friends and relatives of the
victims of Mondays bloody work into a
perfect fury by the time it was given out
that there had been a postponement of the
preliminary trial.
About this time report was circulated
| that Fritz Holder, who was shot Monday,
| had died. This report was changed later
! to a statement that he was dying. This
| added fuel to the flames. The cry for ven
geance went out from many throats. The
| report of the pOstpOnemenJ together with
| the news that another name had been or
would soon be added to the death list went
out into the country, and this evening men
| from the country began coming into town
! with cool, quiet determination written on
| their faces, and the same was observed OF
| many tOwnsmen.
About seven O'Clock the crowd began to
form on Main street, and to the number of
! about two hundred they marched through
| the middle of the streets to the jail, where
they entered through the gates. The keys
were demanded of the jailer, and were
promptly handed over, and he was ordered
| to retire to his home, which he did.
The crowd then entered and proceeded to
| the cell of W. II. Foote. The door was
| forced open, and one of the crowd en-
tered he was struck by FOote with an and
| iron from the fireplace wrapped in a towel,
| and knocked down. At this moment firing
commenced and FOote was instantly killed,
being riddled by moro than dozen bullets.
| Robert Swayzee, another of the murderers,
was taken from his cell, rope placed
| around his neck, and he was thrown over
the fence and hung. They then proceeded
! to the cell in which Richard Gibbs was in
| CaTcerated, ut could not open the do rs
! with the keys. Gibbs appeared at the graf
| ing of his cell, and, on being perceived,
was riddled with shot, and q rope passed
into his cell, U6iich was placed around him
! by his cell mate. He was tden dragged out
| and hung from the outside of the building.
! The crow then proceeded upstairs to Mica
| iah Parker's cell. He was taken out,
/ rope placed around his neck, and in the
| balcony of the middle corridor OF the jail
| he was hung, the body hanging over the
| balcony. After this the crowd quietly dis
| Persed. During the afternoon all places of
| business and bar rooms were closed.
That the world may know just why this
| great tragedy was enacted here tonight n
| condensed statement of the fiendish work
done by the crowd of negroes, OF which the
/ four killed to-day were the ringleaders Is
| given.
The affair occurred last Monday night al
| about ten o'clock. Three men in the prime
| and vigor of young manhood were shot down
like dogs, and two others, also in the prime
| of lite, were seriously, one of them proba-
| bly, mOrtally, wounded, all by negroes
| Those killed were John r. and Carnot PO.
| sey, brothers, and Jasper Nichols, the two
| former being merchants and the latter
| steamboatman. The Poseys were sons OF
| the late General Posey of Confederate
| fame, a gallant and brave officer who fell
on the battlefield at the head OF his com
| mand.
Nichols was not so we'll known in town
| but leaves a most excellent reputation az
| young man of sterling worth, of industri-
| Gus and sober habits. He leaves q father
| and other near relatives.
The wounded are Fritz Holder and Henry
| Elicit; the former is County Treasurer, the
| latter n general merchant. The shot struck
| Mr.. Holder on one of the lower ribs and
| came out at his back, but whether it ranged
round or penetrated the cavity is not
| known now. Mr.. Elicit is shot in several
| places in the side and in the arm. 1t is re-
| ported tonight that Holder will probably
| die. W. II. FOote, Deputy Internal heve-
nue. Collector for this district, who is n mu-
latto, was also wounded in the head, being
| beaten thereon with a stick.
The killing occurred in this way: While
| Mr.. John POsey were passing a butcher
shop on Jefferson street, kept by man
named Lynch, some negroes, among them
John James, well known in this city who
y
and robbed another, and was a fugi-
tive from justice, threw some fire.
| crackers in front of Posey. POsey
| demonstrated and told him to be care
full. He was then grossly insulted and
threatened with personal violence by
| James. Posey then went away in search
of some of his friends, and the negroes,
who had secreted arms in Lynch's butcher
shop, obtained them, and, on the appear
ance of PoseY and his friends, opened fire on
them in the dark, riddling John and Carnot
| Posey and a young man named Nichols
with buckshot, instantly killing them and
| seriously wounding Fritz Holder and Henry
| Elicit.
Several arrests were made as follows:
| A. Lynch (white), owner Of the but, her
| shop, as acr essory before the fact; w. b.
| Foote, Micajah Parker, Bob Swayze, }. K.
Richardson, Wash Hall, Octavus Thomas.
Henry Schuler and Jim Gibbs, all colored.
| Other arrests will be made. John James,
the cause of the tragedy, who was desper-
ate, daring mulattO, was killed while defy.
ing arrest.