News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-12-02
THE NOTED LYNCHERS.
THIRTY-ONE MEN TO BE TRIED FOR
TIE CULBREATH MURDER.

THIRTY-ONE MEN TO BE TRIED FOF
TIE CULBREATH MURDER.
| One of the Accused Men n state senator
One BrOther-in-Law, and Another {
Son of the Victim, and Another n Ply
sician.
At the next term of court for Edge
field, S. c., the Edgetield lynchers ar,
to be tried. Thirty-one men. the ma
jority of whom are representatives o
the best families in the county, are in
dicted for the murder of o. T. Cul
breath on Sept. 81, 1885. Half of tht
men charged with the crime are married
and have over hundred children be
tween them. Some of them are white
haired and have grandchildren, and
some are still in their teens. One is the
State Senator from that county; an
other is prominent physician, mem
Der of one of the oldest families in the
State another is the brother of Mrs
Culbreath, who married a sister of the
murdered man, and still another is
young Culbreath, his son.
Culbreath belonged tosa good family,
was well off, and up to three years ago,
when he began ill-treating his wife,
had the respect of the community. He
left his wife about two years ago, re-
ceiving from her, it is said, So, 900 for
doing so. He remained in the neigh
borhood and watched her vigilantly.
Reports regarding her lack of virtue
were circulated about the neighbor-
hood and Culbreath was said to have
been the originator of them. Mrs. Gull
breath lived upon the plantation with
her children, the eldest being boy of
sixteen. AS man was reeded to man.
age the place ard look after the stock,
Mrs. Culbreath obtained the services of
a cousin, W. II. Hammond. to super1n
tend the farm. Hammond, who was a
handsome young man of twenty-one or
twenty-five, lived about mile from the
Culbreath place, and would go there
every morning, remain on the plantation
during the day, and re urn to his home
at night. Culbreath became very ieal-
Gus, and watched his wife's house con-
tinuously. He circulated reports that
Mrs. Culbreath was impure, and that
Hammond was more to her than an
overSeer Hammond was told that Gull
breath had threatened his life, but paid
no attention to it.
On the evening of Sept. 10, just be-
fore going to his home, Hammond was
walking in the yard of Mrs Culbreath's S
place with one Of the young children
when those in the house heard the re-
port of gun. On going out they found
the young man dead, with his head
almost shot OF. Near by were found
the footprints of man, who had evil
IDENTIFY been walking up and down wait
ing for an opportunity to do the shoot
ing. There was no reason for suspect
ing any one of the crime except Cul-
breath, and he was suspected because
of the reported threats he had made
against Hammond. The following
dence and taken to Edgefeld Court
House. He was allowed to spend the
day in the office of his attorneys, Gary
& Evans. lie denied all knowledge of
the killing, and seemed confident of be-
ing able to prove his innocence 1t
was arranged that the following day his
should go to an adjoining
where court was in session, and
apply for bail.
At eight o'clock on the evening of the
Goth band of thirty-fve mounted men
dashed into the town and surrounded
the office of Gary & Evans. Several of
them dismounted and rushed in, break
ing down the door. Culbreath had
been locked in the rear office by his
lawyers, VINO met the mob in the anti
room. i hey protested with the in
truders and threatened them with the
Two of the party placed
pistols at their heads and ordered them
to remain quiet. The others broke in
to the room where Culbreath was and
began cursing and shooting at him.
One of Culbreath's arms was broken
and he received several flesh wounds
from the first voIley. He cried out
that he was killed and begged that they
would shoot no more. e declared
his innocence of Hammond's murder
and S; i | he could prove it. The mob
did not heed his declarations, but
dragged him into the street and, mount
ing their horses, starting on a gallOp
out of town dragging the wounded man
over the rough road behind them, and
shooting at him from time to time.
Culbreath had been gallant Confed-
crate soldier and some of his old army
friends were in the mob. He called
them by name and begged them to have
mercy on him. His pleadings were un-
needed, and after going a mile and a
half he tainted from loss of blood and
the terrible pain he was endsring. His
thinking him dead, fired a
final volley at him and left him by the
road side.
Culbreath soon revived and started to
crawl back to town. He was met on
the way by some friends and taken
back. He lived until morning in terri
BILE agony. Before dying he declared
his innocence and gave the names of
some of his murderers. Thirty-five
were arrested and true bills for murder
were found against thirty-one. These
were released on $62, 900 bail. Their
trial has been cont nued for two terms
of court, but the State will do all in its
power to bring the case to trial at the
coming term Senator Butler, General
Gary, and other distinguished lawyers
have been engaged for the defense.
Governor Sheppard, when Lieutenant
Governor, was also retained, but cannot
now act Attorney General Miles,
Solicitor Durham and others will repre-
sent the State.