The Portland daily press., 1889-12-31
BRUTALLY KILLED BY MASKED MEN
There Were About One Hundred Of
the Lynchers at Barnwell.
Citizens Now Fear That the Flames
Will Sweep Away Their Homes.
A Negro Exodus the Probable Result
of the Outrage.

AUGUSTA, Ga, December 30.-The lynch
ing of the eight prisoners in Barnwell, S. c.,
the county seat of Barnwell county, which
is a rather thickly settled town of 1900 in
habitants, 40 miles below here. still attracts
the attention of the people, but the work of
the lynchers is generally rebuked by the
people of that town and South Carolina.
The leading cause of the lynching is the
murder Of Mr.. J. J. Heffernan Of Barnwell
who-was shot and killed two months ago by
Ripley johnson, one of the lynchei negroes
At TIE time of the homicide threats of lynch
ing johnson were made. but the people de
cided to leave the murderer to the mercy of
the law; but when court met few wee as
after the killing and continued Johnson's s
case until the next term of court there was
much disappointment again. What agitated
the indignant residents of the county more
against the negroes and which led to the
lynching was the shooting of four other
white men by negroes since Hefernan's
murder.
The last murder was committed week
ago last Saturday, when Robert Martin, of
Martins Station, was foully assassinated in
the woods while on his way home, by Peter
Bell, negro, 60 years old. and Harrison
johnson. Judge Jones, Ralph Murrell,
Il
arrested as being implicated in Martins
murder, and these six, with Ripley Johnson,
Htfernan's murderer, and his accomplice,
Mitchell Adams, were the eight that were
lynched by the infuriated mob.
The crowd that took the prisoners out of
Jail numbered about one hundred and they
were all masked. Who were in the crowd
and where they came from has not yet been
found out. The lynchers were well organ
lied and carried their plans out without a
single bunder.. After getting the negroes
from Jailer Nerling they carried them
through the principal streets without any of
the citizens being aroused from their slum-
Ders and made aware of what was going on.
The negroes were taken to the woods half
mile from the Jail. where they were tightly
tied with ropes to oak trees and shot to
death. The eight men received altogether
forty six shots, and their bodies were riddled
with bullets from head to foot.
Johs0n and Adams we're removed from
the woods by their families, after the Coro-
ner's inquest, which failed to disclosed any
of the lynchers. The verdict of the jury
was that the eight men came to their death
by gunsnot wounds inflicted by narties un
known. The other six negroes were left in
the woods by their friends, who refused to
care for the remains. which were afterWard
sent to the Potter's Field.
Barnwell was guarded last night by Is citi-
zens, who patrolled the streets all night. The
town is now absolutely quiet and there is
no danger of any further trouble. The peo-
for a week to come. They do not apprehend
any invasion or outbreak of the negroes, but
are little alarmed for fear the incendiary's
torch may be put to then houses.
Negroes will hold meeting shortly at
Barnwell for the purpose of comforting up
on the advisabilty of leaving that county.
That there will be a negro exodus from
South Carolina now there is little doubt