The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1890-05-14
THEY LYNcHED HIM ANYHOW
The Indignation of the People at the Law
Delay Prompts Them to ! Bloody DEED.

| The Indignation of the People at the Law
Delay Prompts Them to Bloody DEED.
The correspondent of the Green.
vile News gives the following account
of the lynching of the negro Willie
Leaphart, at Lexington, S. c., on the
5th inst: willie Leaphart, convicted
of criminaly assarlting Miss Rosa
Cannon, was lynched here this morn
ing. The lynching party numbered
about one hundred. Some were from
the country and some from town. Its
members make no effort to conceal
their identity and openly acnowl-
edge and discuss the matter on the
streets. The bogus detective, Foster,
was in the cell with Leaphart when
the mob entered. He was shot in
the arm and had q narrow escape
from death. By desperate fighting
he freed himself from Leaphart's
grasp and got in another cell The
mob forced themselves in the cell
corridor and poured Yolley after vol
ley in the cell with little effect, Leap
hart keeping in corner at the en-
trance Three lamps were brought
and he shivered them to pieces with
stick. Five men successfully at
tempted to enter the cell and were
cracked over their heads. After several
hundred shots had been fired a
bullet struck Leaphart in the head,
hurting him to the floor. He was
then dragged out and sixteen balls
from Winchester were fired into
him. The intention was to hang him
in Graham's yard, but the mob had
to kill him to get him out of the cell.
The lynching was caused by rumor
to the effect that Graham and Depu-
ty United States Marshal Miller had
obtained a further respite and had
given the papers to Sheriff Drafts
yesterday and that Leaphart was to
be transferred to Columbia. Gra-
ham and Miller left here this after
noon for Columbia on foot to ask the
protection Of the Governor. The
matter is very coollt discussed here.
The situation is marked by a total
absence Of excitement. The lynch
ers seem perfectly willing to take the
Of their act"
THOSE AFFIDAvITs.
Governor Richardson has made
public the afidavits on which Leap
hearts respite was based. One is
from ". ]. Miller, United States
Deputy Marshal, alleging that after
the trial and conviction Of Willie
Leapheart, Charlie Cannon, brother
of the young lady, stated t. depon-
ent in the presence of other witnesses
that he did not believe Willie Leap
hart assaulted his sister, and that
he believed that she had been per-
suaded by certain persons to state
that the negro had committed the
crime in order to convict him"
There are also two letters from
Miss Cannon to her mother, stating
that Leaphal't did not hurt her in any
except when he caught her
by the throat.
4 Startling Statement.
COLUMBIA, S. c., May There is
now very strong reason tobelieve that
the atidavits and letters which Sc
cured the respite of Leaphart were
forge1ies. In regard to the affidavit
with Charlie Cannons signature at
tached and alleging to have been
sworn before J. P. Bodie, notary pub
lie, April 2Sth, Bodie has written a
letter for publication in which he
says: 'He made no such affidavit
before me. I did not even see Mr..
Cannon on that day" This affidavit
was to the effect that Ruth Cannon
declared that Leaphart had not at
tempted to assault her and only in
tended robbing the house.
Capt. J. B. Wingard, the attorney
who assisted in the prosecution OF the
case on behalf OF Miss Cannon, ar
rived here to-day and said that he
visited Miss Cannon this morning,
who stated upon her word of honor
that she did not write line to her
mother and that all the letters pub
hshed, alleged to be to her mother
and corroborating the alleged state
ment to her brother, were forgel1es
and that she would make affidavit to
that effect at Lexington to-day. Cap
tain Wingard said the afidavits were
pure fabrications, hatched by Lawyer
Graham and DEPUTY Marshal Mil
ler and if they had been made known
afidavits in rebuttal from unim-
peachable people could have been
presented.
More Startling Statements.
COLUMBIA, S. c., May S.-Matters
in the Lexington tragedy have taken
a new turn. Fresh developments oc-
cur almost hourly and more are ex-
pected. .Attoruey-GaaeralEarle wentto
Lexington last night, and as result
this morning warrants We're sworn
out for the arrest OF F. c. Caughman,
Pearce Taylor and A. Marks as being
concerned in the lynching Of Willie
Leaphart. The parties have not yet
been arrested as they were not in the
village. Caughman swore out a war
rant for the arrest Of Attorney Gra-
ham, charging him with forgery and
subornation ofperiuly. Graham was
arrested here to-day and his attorney,
John Bauskett, sued out writ OF
habeus corpus before the Supreme
Court this evening Bail was grant
ed in the sum Of $1,000 Miller has
made III affidavit III which he denies
having made the original aft i.sv4t
whereupon the respite WIS grained:
He stated to the Attorney General
that he was drunk at the time and
that Graham wrote aSd nc (AIiller)
signed it unawares.
Governor Richardson, however,