Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-11-08
LYNCH LAW AT LEESBURG.
A Negro Prisoner Taken From the Jail
and Hanged to a Derrick.

He WAS CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTING TO OUTRAGE
WHITE SCHOOL GIRL AND CONFESSED HIS
GUILT-THE JAIL ENTERED BY sTRATEGY-THE
PRISONER STRUNG UP WITHOUT TINE To PRAY
Reports of lynching at Leesburg, Va, hav-
ing reached this city STAR reporter investi-
gated the matter and learned the following
facts: Wednesday evening about dusk as Miss
Leith, school girl about seventeen years old.
was returning from the Hamilton academy
near Leesburg. Va, she feloniously
saulted by colored boy named Owen Ander-
son. Her screams alarmed him and finding
that he could not accomplish his purpose he
fed and returned to Hamilton. The girl,
thoroughly terrified, ran all the way home
screaming. When she arrived she told her
story and said she believed that Owen Ander-
son was the man who assaulted her, although
HE WAS DISGUISED.
Accordingly Anderson was arrested and taken
before John Melton, justice of the peace
The girl was brought in, but she could not iden-
tify him. his disguise on the night before being
SO complete. As there was not evidence on which
to hold him he was set free. but the citizens
arrested him again and demanded that he be
detained until the matter looked into
further. That afternoon a search party was
organized and determined to look around for
evidence. The ground about the place where
the assault occurred was first searched. About
hundred yards away an old guano sack was
found, evidently used as a disguise.
HE coSFEssEs.
He was confronted with the bag and asked to
explain how it was that it was found near the
spot where the assault occurred, when he was
seen to have it the day before. The terrified
boy suffered and s!ammered. and after being
eross-examined he completely broke down and
confessed that he WAS guilty, but begged for
mercy. The angry crowd were going to lynch
him, but after a hasty consultation they de-
clded to let the law take its course He was
then bound and taken before Can't. Frank
Meyers, another justice of the peace, and given
hearing. after which he was committed TO the
Leesburg jail to await the action of the grand
jury. The men then repaired to the home Of
their leader and there discussed the crime
Their deliberations resulted in the determine
tion to lynch the negro.
TAKEN PROM THE JAIL BIZ STRATEGY.
The jail where the prisoner was lodged is a
large, strong structure, and the jailor. Mr.
Charles F. Laycock. determined officer
Strategy had TO be used So one of their num
Der was bound hand and foot and taken to the
Jail as a prisoner. The jailOr thinking an arrest
had been made opened the large iron doors and
the crowd filed IN, carrying the bound man.
As soon as they were well inside the jailor was
ecAZcu anu Ills TAKEN from MIN. AWAY IN
one corner Of cell No. they found the man
they sought Quickly securing him the crowd
returned 10 the street.
HANGED TO DERRICK.
The clock on the old church tower was lust
Ginning the hour of as the strange procession
marched toward the depot. Here a huge der
rick used to load marble from the Virginia
quarries on the cars stood out in bold relief
against the sky. A rope was secured and fast
-
end thrown over the boom of the derrick
without giving him time TO pray he was hauled
up and left dangling. while the party with
drew. The sheriff was notified and the body
was cut down about daylight this morning.
Miss Lelth Is n prepossessIng girl of seven
Teen and belongs TO one Of the best families in
that section of the country.
Another Account of the Lynching.
special dispatch to The EVENING STAR
from Leesburg this afternoon SAYS: About 1
O'Clock the town was entered by about 100
armed men, who quietly pieaeted the corners,
and then two OF their number with wha, ap-
peared to be a prisoner between them. an
preached the Jail and demanded admit,ance
With their prisoner The TAILOR opened the out
side door, admitted them, and thew walked in
the inner department OF cells They there d.
manded the keys Of the jailor, who refused
TO deliver them In the meantime
- e NAs.ocf Va tuc party nad entered the
jan and took possession and the KEYS were
forced from the jailor and the cells entered
The boy who had attempted the rape and who
Is eighteen years old was then taken out. the
Keys returned to the jailor and the party
mounted horses, which had been brought and
proceeded TO The old freight station lot and
hung the prisoner to a large derrick
erected for the purpose of handling blocks Of
marble. After hanging him they shot him
many times in the body and mounted their
horses and rode of rapidly. The sor,-~r snd
town authorities were quickly % HeSrsund,
and measures were at once takS-.. lnses'igate
the affair. The jury Of 49,, me- meets az
S o'clock ,., this afternoon "a in the hands 81
Aessrs. Birkby I STAG