Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1886-02-26
The negro Barn. Lynched at

Martinsburg.-Last Thursday night
the negro Joseph Burns, confined in the
Martinsburg jail.for committing an out
rageous assault on Miss Mollie Fellers
near that place few weeks ago, was
taken from jail by mob Of masked men
and hanged TO an oak tree about TWO
miles from town.
at ten O'Clock Thursday night Sheriff
Lamon received intelligence that an at
tempt would be made to lynch Burns
that night. The sheriff thought the ru-
mors groundless, but FASTENED to the
jail and ordered Tailor Dumrofd to take
the prisoner from the Jail and conceal
him in an Out-of. the-way place. Burns
was removed from the Jail and hid in the
cellar of the jailer's house, which adjoins
the Jail. John Mahoney and W. S. Wild
were placed in the room with Burns as
guards. The sheriff then took his de-
parture, and the jailer remained at the
Jail to await further developments. At
ten minutes before IL o'clock there
marched into Martinsburg $50 men,
most of whom wore masks, and behind
them rode 70 mounted men, all masked.
Those on foot surrounded the Jail on the
outskirts and those mounted rode up to
the Jail door. The leader dismounted
and entered the Jail gate and raped on
the door. The jailer opened the door
aud inquired what was wanted. owe
want Joe Burns" was the stern re-
spouse. The jailer Informed the visitor
that Burns had been taken over into
Morgan county about three hours ago.
"All right; we will search this Jail for
him anyhow" replied the man in mask,
and stepping TO the jail door he called'
GA dozen men come in here and search
this building" Twelve men quickly
| dismounted, entered the Jail and went
through every part of it without finding
a trace of Burns. The leader then di-
rected the search to the jailer's house,
had it searched without success, and had
| given orders for his men to retire, when
| a voice from the outside cried out, "Look
| down the cellar" A tall man sprang
down the cellar steps, with light in
one hand and pistol in the other. See
ing man sitting in the corner he lev
eled his pistol, when the man sang out,
"I'm the guard - 1.-The guards need
| fear no harm; we are after Burns
CHANGING about the room the intruder
caught sight of Burns crouching in a
corner, and at once gave yell, which
brought the balance OF the searching
party down the steps. Burns was in
stantly grabbed and marched up out OF
the cellar, and as quickly gotten out up
on the road, when willing hands lifted
him upon a horse. A signal was then
given, anG the procession moved up
King street and struck out toward the
Winchester pike. AS they left the Jail
several shots were fired. After march
| ing about TWO miles and a-half halt
was called, and the leader looked about
the fields until his eye rested on big
oak tree, whose branches hung about
the right distance from the ground TO
suit his purpose. "Take that tree" he
shouted. "No. mol" cried out chorus
of voices. "Let's burn the wretch
alive" A: these words Burns, who
had borne himself with the utmost COOL
ness, broke down and wept bitterly.
The poor wretch begged for mercy al
most eloquently, and expressed desire
to make statement. The leader COM
manded obedience, and Burns, crying
like child, made confession of his
crime. He said the devil prompted him
to the brutal deed, aud concluded by
saying: "Gemmen, dis is ofiul rough.
but knows it serbs me right" Burns
was then given five minutes in which
to pray. He. clasped his trembling
hands and tried to pray, but he did not
know what to say further than go Lord !!
O Lord :" One of the men in the crowd
then made prayer, all the hats being
lifted while it was being uttered. When
time was up the rope was thrown over
thick bOugh of the old oak, and in an
instant half dozen strong men gave it
long pull, and Burns swung around
in the air. He was almost Instantly
strangled, and in few minutes was
dead. After some of the men had fired
their pistols at the body the mob rode
away, making night hideous with demo-
niacal shouts and yells. An inquest
was held next morning, the verdict
being "That Joseph Burns, colored,
came to his death by strangulation,
caused by hanging at the hands of mask
ed men, whose names are unknown to
the jury" This is the second lynching
that has taken place in Berkeley county.
The other one occurred between twelve
and fifteen years ago. A colored man
named Tolliver outraged and murdered
white woman. IC WAS stated that
Judge Faulkner would make search
ing effort to find out the leaders of the
mob. The very day the lynchlng oc-
Cured had been set apart to draw jnrors
to try Burns.
The Rag Tags.-The enterprisihg