The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-12-29
4 CRUEL TRAGEDY.
Eight Negroes Taken From
Jail Shot to Death.
EXPLANATION or The CRIME,
Statement OF Prominent Citizens OF
South Carolina who Denlore
the Occurrence

CHARLESTON. S. c., Dec. "a mob OF
several hundred men reached the jail At
Barnwel Courthouse at o'clock this
morning. cverpowered the jaiier and took
out eight negroes charged with murder.
These men were Ripley johnson and Mitch
Ell Adams, charged with the murder OF a
man named Hoffman and six others
charged with the murder OF young Martin.
The prisoners were taken out OF town and
shot to death. The iaslor was tied and
forced to accompany the lynehers. The
whole thing was conducted in very skill
ful manner. The citizens of the
town did not know anything
about II. A great many negroes are coll
lected at the scene OF the lynching and
more trouble is anticipated The governor
has been appealed To for troops to preserve
the peace.
The following statement. signed by Rob
ert Aldrieh, Nike Brown. George Ii. Bates,
William McNab, James A. jenkins. some
of the most prominent and influential csti-
zens OF Barnwell, has been sent TO the Nssns
asaz Coayiey in explanation of the horrible
bnfchery OF the defenseless negroes at that
placed last night:
on The Ssh OF October last John II. Heller.
man, pzomineE. young merchant and public
spirited citizen, was shot down and killed IN
Barnweli py negroes. Public indignation ran
very high. Threats of lynehing were freely
made, but were diverted by cooler counsel AT
the last term of court the grand jury found true
bills against the murderers and accessories, but
the eases were continued. White people were
disappointed, ana ths negroes. il is thought,
were eubolaened by tits disposition OF she mat
ter. On the 18th Of December James Browns
a prominent leader and leading citizen OF
Fishpond township, was shot 70 death
on his own premises BY negroes, without the
slightest justification or excuse. The murderer
has not been arrested. On the lSth of Deem
Der, while going from his store at Martins sta
ton 10 his house, 8 mile away, Robert Martin.
young man Of high standing, was followed by
negroes and shot in the hearing Of negroes
whose houses were al around the SPOT where ne
was shot. and who admit tnst they heard the
shot aud cries and none of whom went to his
relief, and none OF them went 10 his body, a.
though il lay in the road for several hours after
Daylight and In plain view Of them all Il was
satisfactorily established that his murder was
the result of a conspiracy 10 remove him IN
order that their license upon the plantation OF
bis father might be greater The murderer,
that is the negro VINO nred tne
shot and his accessories. nine in num-
Der, after being clearly identified by
the oroner's ejury, were arrested and lodged
in Jail These several brutal murders of prom
inent white men by negroes caused great Iudig-
nation aud resentment among the people that
can be better imagined than described, but can
NOT be imagined by anyoae not present IN our
midst Last night large body Of armed men,
In disguise a. about q. m, called AZ the jail,
oveTpowered The iailer. took ont the six muir
derers Of Martin and the two Of Heferman, took
them 10 the limits OF the corporation and shot
them to death. This explanation OF the causes
which led 70 the lynching does not. In sha opin-
ion OF iaw-abiding citizens, liz any way justify
the strocious murder Of the eight defenseless
human beings.
The greatest indignation is expressed at
the brutality. All is quiet in Barnwell late
this evening. although trouble has been an
tiCipatea and May yes come.