The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-07-05
PLUCKY LAWYER WILSON.
He Reasoned with the Lynchers While
They Snapped Pistols About His

he Reasoned with the DYnCherS While
They Snapped Pistols About His
Head.
From the Louisville Courier-Journdl
One incident in connection with the
lynching of James Deavin and Charles Ten
nyson at COrydon, Ind, at l o'clock last
Thursday morning, is particularly note
worthy, and has since been the talk of the
county. 1t was the nerve displayed by
Deputy Prosecutor Thomas j. Wilson of
Harrison county, who had the courage to
do what no one else would do.
Jerry l.. Suddarth of Leavenworth is the
prosecutor for the district of Harrison and
Crawford counties, and Mr. Wilson is his
deputy for Harrison county. He is Young
man to occupy such place. but his brains,
courage, and legal knowledge have already
marked him as one of those upon whom
honors are likely to fall in the future. Moth
ing has raised him more in the estimation
of the people of his county than his action
before the mob. Mr. Wilson, or, as he is
familiarly called. "Tom, " suspected trouble,
and, when he noticed countrymen riding
into town in pairs about midnight he knew
what was coming and stayed up to do what
he could.
He first went to Town Marshall Willis G.
Heth and told him he thought the mob was
gathering, and asked him to go with him
to help guard the Jail. Marshal Heth did so
at once. The advance guards of the regula-
tors had posted themselves about town in
pairs, when the thunder of the horses hoofs
of the main body was heard on the bridge
few hundred yards from the jail. In an
other minute the mob had surrounded the
Jail and 200 pistols were being brandished
in the air. About fifty of the lynching
party wore masks Of various colors, while
the larger body wore none, bat were other
wise disguised. The masked men imme-
diately surrounded the Jail doors, while
the others undertook the job of keeping the
town people back at a safe distance, SO that
none of the lynching squad could be recog-
nized.
''Stand hack; get bsckl' commanded the
leaders to the people; "get away from here ~
and the citizens of the town, with a few
exceptions, got"
Several of the mob had forced their way
into the hall of the residence connected with
the jail and had Sheriff Shuck covered with
revolvers, and were demanding the keys,
which the sheriff refused to give up. At
this moment Deputy Prosecutor Wilson
pushed his way through the crowd and
mounted riding block in front of the
house.
Listen to mel" he shouted. "What do
you want herep
1--WE demand Of the sheriff of Harrison
county the keys to the jail"
well, you can't got Them said Wilson.
''If we don't get them tonight, we will
burn the town and come back some other
night and take them" cried the leader, to
which sentiment the mob gave expressed
approval.
answered Wilson, in whose face dozen
pistols were cleaning. "You would not
disgrace yourselves and the county by such
an act."
"We've got enough of that talk" several
yelled; ''get down and go away from here,
or we'll shoot you, too"
you'll not do any such thing. You must
listen to me. OH l don't care for your
pistols: I'm going to make you hear me.
Don't put such blot on the fair name Of
this county. To lynch these men either
proves that there is a mob spirit in the COM
munity or that the courts do not do their
duty. The courts always have dore their
duty, and they will do 1t with these men,
Deavin and Tennyson. Let the law take
its course"
Dry up! Get down from there, or you
will get the next bullet from this pistol"
was the reply from one of the mob as he
fired his revolver in the air.
II don't care for your threats" returned
the plucky young prosecutor. "You must
listento reason, and I'm going to talk, L
don't care how much you shoot"
At this dozen more pistols were thrust
under Mr.. Wilson's nose, and there was an
oninous clicking of the old-fashioned ham
mers. Marshal Heth and Mr.. Cyrus B.
Lewis, who had made their way to where
Mr.. Wilson was facing the mob, single
handed and unarmed, heard the clicking,
accompanied by the cries of Hang him,
too, if he don't stop talkingm They ex-
pected every moment to see Wilson shot
and they stole up behind him, and, grabbing
him tightly, pulled him down from the
block and away, their progress being accel-
Grated by the hurrying of the mob. At
that moment the hammering of the large
sledges on the doors began, and then Deavin
and Tennyson were in the hands of the reg
ulators before anything could be done.
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