Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-12-01
MASON SWUNG OFF.
LYNCHING IN CAMPBELL.
The Murderer or ysang Robert Hammsrsisy
Hanged by n Msb--tn,essigatisa ia Pro-

The Murderer or yeans Robert Hsmmsrsisy
Hanged by a Msb-tn,essigasisa Ia Pro-
sress-
Especial telegram 70 the Dispatch.l
LYNcHBuRG, Va, November Co.,
Although the excitement incident to
the recent unproyoked murder OF Ro-
bert Hammersly, the young Campbell
county farmer, by the negro Henry Ma
son, was thought to have subsided, and
notwithstanding that no further appre-
hension was felt by the sheriff as to the
safety Of the prisoner, it was whispered
around that an attempt would be made
Sunday night TO take Mason from Jail
at Rustburg and hang him; and 1t was
made.
About l:30 O'Clock many persons re-
siding in the vicinity Of Rustburg heard
the tramp Of horses feet in the road
leading to the village, and those who
troubled themselves to look out of thSir
windows beheld a significant sight in
about forty-fye mounted men, some
with blackened faces and others with
their identity otherwise disguised.
About half a mile from the village the
horsemen dismounted and secured their
horses to fence, and forming in regu-
lar order. moved forward in the direc-
tion of Rustburg. They approached the
village up the road leading from Pigeon
run, and to reach the Jail were not
obliged TO pass through the thickly-
populated part Of town. The party
halted in front of the Jail, which is To-
Gated on the main road. The prison is
surrounded by a high wooden fence
but with three or four swings of an axe
and the clever use Of an iron bar several
plankS were priced off. and the leader
stepped inside the jail-yard. followed
by select number Of his men. by this
time the jailer was aroused. He knew
what the noise meant, and was not sur
prised when a gruif voice at the front
door demanded the keys to the jail and
to Mason's cell. The jailer promptly
declined to deliver them up and warned
the men outside that any attempt TO
break into the Jail would be vigorously
resisted. In order to intimidate the mob
he told them the Jail was guarded and
that violence would be met by violence.
VERY well" replied the leader. If
anybody gets hurt it's your lookout.
We are determined to have Mason, and
if you fire upon Us we shall not hesl-
tate 10 hang every man in that build
ing. We are not here 10 hurt any in
nocent person. We only want Mason. -
Some further parley took place between
Jailer Callahan and the attacking
party: but the officer persistlng IN
his refusal to admit the mob, the
signal was sounded and an at
tack was commenced on the jail
from the rear. The ground floor Of the
building was occupied by the jailer's
family, and an attack was made at the
window of the apartment occupied BY
the lailer's daughter, Mamie Callahan.
brave young miss about fifteen years
of age. The window-sash, glass. and
all were smashed 70 flinders, aud the
little girl was aroused from her slum-
bers. She at once OWNED the object
of the attack. But" said she SUBJ
sequently in speaking Of the affair,
." could see no use in running.
So Just lay still in bed, judging that
that was the safest place about the
premises. As soon as the men had ef-
fected an entrance and found the room
occupied by me, the one who seemed TO
be the leader, lifted his hat very polite
ly and apologizing for their intrusion,
said 'Don't be in the least alarmed,
little girl. we wouldn't injure
hair Of your heal for the
world. We only want Mason.
After that was not afraid Inside
the only obstruction encountered by the
attacking party was the door al the
foot Of the stairs leading up to the pri-
soners quarters. An attempt was first
made TO break this in with ali axe, but,
falling in that, the men wrenched the
lock off. They experienced no difficult
ty in finding Mason's cell, the door Of
which was quickly battered open. Mason
had Just been awakened by the noise
made by the mob in eitecting an en-
trance to the jaI. lie was chained to
the floor, was coatless and in his stock
ing feet. The staple to which the chain
was secured was wrenched loose. A
rope with hangman's knot was thrown
over the negro's head and he was shut
fed out Of the jail in hurry. As the
party reached the window, in leay-
ing the jail, two men grasped
Mason and pitched him out head
foremost. He was caught by two
others on the outside and hurried
off down the road about half a mile,
where he was hanged to the limb Of a
tree on the roadside. The negro was
strangled to death, and afterwards his
body was riddled with pistol-balls and
buckshot. After being assured Of the
negro's death the mob quietly dispersed.
Mason's dead body was found swinging
from the tree early this morning. The
face bore CHASTITY appearance.
A corOner's jury was summoned, and
a number of persons were called to tes-
tify. Callahan, the jailer, stated tina;
he recognized two OF the lynchers
whose names he gave the Common.
wealth's attorney. \ prominent citi
zen of the county was called before tbs
jury, it is stated, under suspicion that
be had hand in the lynching, bat ht
proved an abb. Two young Lynch
! burgers, who arrived at Rustburg to-
day from the lower part Of the county
while the coroner's jury was sitting
were summoned before the jury under
suspicion of having been Of the lynch
ing party, but upon their statement
that they had only been hunting in th'
county, they were permitted to depart
: Although there were two other mur
I, derers confined in the Jail, one o