Montgomery County sentinel., 1885-11-20
Another Horrible Crime-Lynching Of
the Perpetrator.

Near Kempsvile, Princess Anne county,
Va, Miss Alice Powell, a girl Is years old,
left school last Friday afternoon for home
as usual. Not reaching her fathers house
at the proper time search party was or
ganized. About II o'clock the body of the
unfortunate girl was found in thicket near
the roadside. She had evidently been as
saulted and then killed by blows with
hatchet. Her head was nearly severed from
her body, and the ground bore evidence of
Il terrible struggle. A negro named Noah
Cherry, who had been employed by the
girls father, was suspected, and his arrest
Immediately followed The coroner held
an inquest and the jury returned verdict
against Cherry.
When the body was picked up The head
almost dropped off, so deep was the wound
in the neck. Blood besmeared the bushes
for some distance, and the body had been
dragged head downward to the spot where
found Noah Cherry, the colored youth
arrested on suspicion, claims TO be only fif-
teen years of age, but his appearance indi-
Gates that he is at least eighteen lie bears
a very unenviable reputation. The wounds
on the child show that either an AK or
hatchet was the weapon used, and that il was
welded by left.handed person. Cherry
is left handed. 1t is reported in Norfolk
that positive evidence of his guilt was found
at his residence in blood smcared pants,
A dispatch from Norfolk, dated the 10Th
instant, gives the following graphic account
OF the confession of the brutal murderer
and his summary execution:
Alter the exciting scene at the funeral of
OF Miss Alice Powell, near Kempsyile, last
evening, the crowd started for Princess
Anne Court House, having determined to
take the law in their own hands and wrcak
vengeance on the murderer. They reached
the vicinity Of the Court House about 10
O'Clock at night, and halted on the North
Landing road. The crowd by this time
numbered about two hundred persons. A
leader was selected and fifteen men To do
the principal work Of capturing the mur-
derer and performing the execution. When
the Jail was reached it was II o'clock.
The jailer, Mr.. Murden, and his wife oc-
cupy a portion of the Jail building. They
were asleep, but were soon awakened by
loud knocking and opened the door. AS
soon as the door was opened the crowd
rushed in and took possession. The keys
OF Noah Cherry's cell were demanded, but
the jailer refused to give them up. The re-
tusal was OF no moment; the crowd was
supplied with sledge hammers and crow
bars, and had no difficulty in finding the
cell in which the prisoner was confined, he
being the only occupant of the building
The lock was broken by single blow, and
the shivering wretch, Cherry, wearing only
his shirt, pantaoons and pair Of socks,
was hurriedly taken from the Jail and car
ried down the road about quarter OF mile
~ the Hickory Bridge schoo. house, the
place selected for his execution.
On the way Cherry made dash to escape
from his captors, but a pistolshot in the arm
brought him TO halt. He was piled with
questions as TO his motive for the murder,
and denied everything, but on being told
That his wet Clothes had been found with
three books rolled up in them he confessed
the Truth, and said that revenge was his mo.
tive. He said that the deed was committed
with an axe, being one of those which had
BEEN seen by the searching party on the
premises of his grandmother. lie described
now he waited In the road for Alice, who
was ON the opposite side of the road, com.
ing towards him, singing "Sweet Bye.and.
Bye" She evidently tried 10 avoid him. he
said, and when he attacked her she made no
outcry and did not scream, but that when
he dragged her into the path she said, "Oh
Lord have mercy on my soul" That he
carried her into the pine thicket, where he
Killed her with the axe, and that afterwards,
hearing some one coming down the road,
he took hold OF her feet and dragged her
further into the thicket When asked why
he did not wreak his revenge on Mr. Pow.
ell, he replied that the latter was too strong
Tor him. He also confessed other crimes
which lie had committed, one Of which was
the robbery Of Mr.. Gornter's store, about
hall \ mile from where the murder was
committed lie was then told 10 get down
on his knees and pray, which he did in a
rambling sort Of way.
Afler short time had elapsed "A moose
made from a clothes line taken from ward
nearby, was placed around his neck, his
hands and feet were tied, the rope was
thrown over the branch OF high tree which
stood alongside the road. The branch pro.
Jected over the road, and he was swung up
with a shout. As the body dangled from
the tree il was riddled with bullets from a
hundred pistols, after which the party LEFT
the grounds.
This morning the body was cut down by
the Jailor TO hold an inquest. The lynch.
ing Is approved by the people generally
OF Princess Anne, both white and black
Cherry was a bad character and came of
bad stock. His father and grandfather were
both hung in North Carolina for murder.