The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-12-26
LYNCHERO REPULSED.
A Deadly Volley Poured Into a
Birmingham Ala Mob.
The Jail Entrance Blocked With
Killed and Mortally Wounded.

A dispatch from Birmingham, Ala, says:
A terrible tragedy was enacted in this city
during the night, caused by an effort on the
part of 200J men to reach the county jail for
the purpose of lynching R. T. Hawes,
charged with numbering his wife and daugh-
ter.
bloody fight can be briefly recounted. The
body of an unknown young girl was found
iq q suburban lake, called Lake View. There
were no marks of violence, and it was decided
THAT the girl had ben chloroformed and
thrown in the lake. In the, evening
several parties identified the body as
that of daughter of a railroad en-
gineer named "Dick" HaweS, who
lived in the suburbs OF the city with a wife
end seven children. Officers went to the
house, but found it closet, and were unable
70 find any trace OF the mother OF the dead
girl or any of her family. That same night
Miss. and the next day, he was arrested for
murder. The search for the rest of
.noon sSs 'Ay the body S AeP' Of Mrs. R' AI Hawes @
was found in the bottom Of tho lake. Tue
back OF the woman's head had been laid
open by terrible blow with an AK. There
was frightful gaping wound from which
the brains OF tile woman had flowed out with
her life lloo1. Securely fastened around
the woman's neck was 4 piece of railroad
iron which would weigh fifty pounds. Au-
lother piece was id around her waist, and q
third piece arounll her ankles.
EarIy in the evening the Sheriff was told
THAT mob was forming, and he accordingly
prepared for it, He swore in 800 special OFF,
GERS and distributed them about the Jail. He
had Securel a supply Of rifles previously,
and issued them, with six rounds of cart
ridges each, to the specials.
Il The mob debated long and talked excitedly
X before the attack was male. A peremptory
II demand was made on Sheriff Smith for the
/ surrender Of his prisoner and was ignored.
H Atew law-abiding citizens urged the mob to
H allow the law to take its own course in deal
\ ing with the murderer but their requests
were unheeded. Colonel Throckmorton,
| postmaster, jumped on barrel standing on
| the curb and addressed the mob. He coun-
seled peace and advised the men to dlsperse.
When the Jail was reached there were not
less than 100, in the uncomfortable mob It
| lacked a leader. however, and each man
| seemed impressed by his own desire for re-
venge.
The outer door OF the Jail, facing the new
Court House, was open, and on the narrow
platform and stone steps leading to the
door were gathered O dozen deter
mined men under the lead OF Chief
| Piciard and Sheriff Smith, all armed with
| Winchester ri les and with many rounds OF
cartridges All were disciplined to the last
degree. and all the instructions were issued
to shoot directly into the crowd the moment
they appeared. Shoot directly into the
| crowd" were the instructions issued by
| Sheriff Smith.
| At eleven O'Clock the shouts Of the ap-
preaching crowd could be plainly heard. The
shouts grew closer and louder still, and the
officers on the insi lie fingered their guns. and
began making preparations for the assault.
A mass Of men appeared in the entrance TO 10
the alley, and in Il loud voice Sheriff smith
ordered ths m out at the peril OF their
lives 1t was very dark and impos-
sble to distinguish the exact place
the men at the entrance to the alley were TO-
cated Some were evidently on the opposite
side of the street. Again the mass OF men
appeared in the entrance to the alley.
the Sheriff. One-two-three," but neither
the Sheriff nor bis men fired.
~ will fire at fve," again announced Tile
Sheriff, who was very much exclted.
The officers could see the forms OF the men
creeping up the alleyway toward the jail
Again the sharp voice Of tho Sheriff called
out Zone. "Two," ETC., and when five had
been reeched he called out ''Fire? A perfect
fusillnd. followed, and when the smoke
cleared away the alley leading to the jail
door was blocked with dead and wounded
men. The crowd scattered in every
direction, anil no further attempt was made
to reach the Jail. Three man were killed
instantly, seven mortally wounded, OF whom
six have since died, and about thirty
others moro or less severely wounded.
Among the killed were the following prom
| NJ ThrOcl, orion. AGE
thirty, postmaster, and popu ar citizen. lie
leaves a wife and one child. When be was
shot he was endoa yoTing to persuade the MOB
to dsperse. J. R Mccoy fell dead at the hrst
volev A. B. Tarrant was shot in the back.
After the first voley he lay down t,n
on the ,,1 ground to ho,i AVOID bovever ,ne
flying bullets. A pau, nov no~efra, esrar
q few minutes suffering the young man
died. A. D. Bryant was shot through the
heart while doing his best to restrain the
crowd from going nearer the ,lail: He died
instantly. c. C. Tate. mechanic, was shot
through the hip, thigh and loln. He was wa!
about forty-five wears old, and had tam!'y,
and Lawrence Fitzhugh, aged thirty civil
engineer. oa,,o, o,d
at the hospital and undertaking rooms
heartrendirg scenes were witnessed
Strong msn in the agonies of death
groaned aloud, while skilful physicians
did all that could bs done to relieve
their suferings Men who hal just been
aroused from sleep by the noise Of the terri
bic affair crowded around, the operating
chairs, searching or friends Or relatives
Nearly all the physicians in the city We're
mmmoncd to attend the wounded.
The mob dispersed after the fatal assault
and preparations for more strongly guarding
the Jail were made. ,,r.
In response to the Governors sa ordsrs anSas
tbe control of the Sheriff. In addition 60
ibe military, 1Ol armed policemen formed
a Gordon, through which it would be almost
impossible to pass. ;o,,,oa ro,
che arrest of Sheriff Smith charging, HIM
with murder and he will remain in Jail un
ill bailed The feeling against him is 50 III.
tense he probably will not procure ball lor
few days. Warrants are out for sixteen o.
the mob.