The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-12-29
ANOTHER VERSION.
The Times Graphic Account Of the
BarnweIi Tragedy.

The Times Graphic Account Of the
Barnwell Tragedy.
The Chicago Times has the following ac-
count from Columbia, S. c., OF the lynch
ing OF eight negroes at BaFnweli:
This morning 800 armed men. with their
faces masked. surrounded the Jail just be-
fore daylight. when the inmates were
sleeping soundiy. They moved with cau-
ton, and as an organized body. The jailer
was seized and oyerpowered, his keys taken
from him, the cell doors unlocked and be-
fore the frightened negroes within are
awakened from their sleep their cells are
filed with strange figures, they are seized
and carried ont into the night, their cries
for mercy, prayers aud curses are alike
UNDECIDED BY their silent executioners.
The body of men is put in motion and
proceeds q quarter of mile and haits in
the outskirts of town. The unfortunate
wretches are secured. several hundred
shots are fred and eight bodies lie on the
earth with blood running from hundred
wounds, literally torn to pieces.
such was the seemed Of thr terrible tragedy
enacted in the tosno Of Yarngeli this morn
ing q most horrible retribution for not
extraordinary offense, as the records will
prove. Four years ago five men were
Ivnched In YoFkVille for the brutal murder
of a little boy who caught them stealing,
but they belonged to ga organized gang
whose members were sworn 10 kill
whoever caught them stealing, and
thev we're believed to have COM
mitted several murders previously
Their conviction was uncertain and people
took the law in their own hands. But the
Wholesale lynching OF this morning is with
oat parallel In the acofds OF crimes tn this
state, and there was less ground for the
act than probably any lynching before. Is
IS doubtful il the county can show q ike
record. The eight negroes were charged
with committing and being accessory TO
crimes described below:
On the afternoon OF October % John C.
HeEerman was shot and instantly killed in
q restaurant in the town OF Barnwefl by
Ripley johnson. Heiterman was one Of
the principal merchants OF ahe town and
johnson was a coiored man employed at
that time ia running q gsu. There had
been some tFoabs between the white
man and the negro the day before, AMI
although there were conflicting ac-
counts as 20 the difficulty, il is
psobable that HeiFermGn threatened The
negro Tor be had been summoned 10 ap-
pear before the t0wn council the morning
fasl0wing. anu bad been pat uader bonds
Tire killing took place in co8oFed restaar-
Art, where HstiermAn bad beloved johns
ton. Five negroes. accused OF being acces-
soTies. who were In the restaurant al the
time, Fed 10 the swamp. bat we're shortly
Afterwards captured and jailed. large
reward Was etfersd fer Ripley Johnston,
ard ka vas captured Two weeks later.
of TIE two murders fer which the men
weFe lynehed this morning the worst wAs
committed on last Saturday night, when
Robert Martin. young man Of great PROM
inenes ard TIE only child Of aged parents.
was ambusbesi and shot 10 death while
riding 10 his fathers house.
1t vas discovered that Martin vas shot
IS sAytv OF negroes Who worked o. his
fathers pace ard whom he kept pretty
close 10 their work and allowed little Il
eense II vas also believed tie negroes IN
tie bosses near By knew al about il and
that uas why they wgaad nos 70 20 The
zssistMnee0f The murdered Euan-
A. ocioek this morning the iaEsor was
called 0n ~ sonns men. who informed hins
tEAf they wanted 20 lock up the murder
eFs ct James r. Brown. killed last week BY
negroes. He opensd TIE hezvY gate and
w&s Immediately overpowered AID flfsF
men entered he All and soox ont the foi.
Iowing prisoners Ripley Johnston and
Mlphsel Adams. principal and acees.
sorry 70 ths murder oi J. c. He0srrnAn