Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-12-31
WILL LEAVE BARNwELL.
The Blacks Determined to Quit the
Scene of Saturdays Lynchings.

COLUMBIA. S. c., Dec. 3O.-The coroner's
inquest into the deaths of the eight negroes
who were lynched at Barnwell was held
Saturday night at the scene of the tragedy.
1t was terrible sight which the coroner
and jury looked upon. On the left side
were the bodies of Ripley johnson and
Mitchell Adams. charged with the murder
of Hefferman. On the opposite side were
the six bodies OF the negroes charged with
implication in the murder of young Robert
Martin. They were tied to young oak
trees on the road side, all except young
Mitchell Adams, who was tied to the
post which marked the corporate limits
of Barnwell. Johnson was tied to little
tree close to Adams. The others across
the road were tied two to the same tree.
with their backs to the saplings. the rope
passed around the tree and around the
body Of the men in some instances nearly
all the way from head to foot. When
shot, however, the weight of their bodies
had swung down on the ropes, and now
they occupied all sorts of positions. One
hand swung forward over the ropes which
encircled the waist, the heads hanging
down and the tongues protruding. An
other had dropped straight down, the legs
bending under the weight. In one or two
instances bullets had entered the head and
blood disfigured the distorted features.
The frightfnl character of the wounds is
shown by the testimony of the physicians
who examined each body. In brief it is as
follows: Henry Furz, ten balls in
one ball in his skull, age about
so years; Harrison johnson. four balls in
his body, age about So years; Rafe Nor
rail-, six balls in head and body, age about
60 years; Judge Jones, eight balls in body,
about % years old: Robert Phoenix, four
balls in body, about % years old; Ripley
johnson, eight balls in body, about 30
years old; Mitchell Adams, nine balls,
about 65 years old. On this testimony the
jury returns verdict that the eight men
came to their death from gun shot wounds
Inflicted by some party or parties unknown.
In order to allow the doctors to make the
examination and probe the wounds, the
bodies were cut down from the trees and
laid on the ground. The clothes were cut
from the bodies to enable them to get to
the wounds and the sight was not inn
proved by their changed position. The men
lay around in whatever position the sur
geon had left them-on side, back or face,
as the case might be. Three lay on the
roadside, the others here and there among
the little oaks on the side of the road,
large parts of their bodies exposed and
them in grotesque way.
After the coroner's inquest the negroes
were notified that they might remove the
bodies if they desired The families of
Ripley johnson and Mitchell Adams re-
moved their bodies to their homes, but the
other six remained up TO midnight.
Treated as murderers and outcasts there
were none to mourn them, to cross their
hands or close their eyes. Neither the
whites nor the negroes waited TO remove
the bodies. A prominent negro of the
town said: "We never put them there.
Let those remove them who are response.
BILE for their being there"
Said the mayor of Barnwell: "The
bodies are outside the limits of the town
and they were prisoners of the county.
We don't care to place ourselves in the
light of assuming responsibility in the
matter The town of Barnwell has had
nothing to do with the affair. We have,
however, notified the negroes that they
could go ahead and bury the bodies and
we would pay the expense Acting with
the sheriff we have employed a man to
make the collins for them and it will be
done soon AS possible"
A leading colored citizen was asked
what his people thought of the lynching.
1--WE think it is a great outrage" he said.
What course do you all propose to take
in the matter? Is it true that there is any
laea OF violence or vengeance entertainer
among your"
Not the slightest" said he, 'It would
do no good and nobody is thinking of it..
But we have decided to call meeting Of
ali the colored people in Barnwell county"
What for?''
"To move away from here. We want
everyone of us to get out of the county and
leave it forever. We will be willing to go
even to a worse place, if that were possible,
IA Va NJ
template no violence or revenge, but we
mean to leave Barnwell county"
This was assented to by all those pres
ent.