Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-05-27
STARTLING LYNCHED
FOR THE MURDER or HIS MOTHER
lN-LAW AND HER GRANDSON.
u,storv Of tho Brutal Crime--A Whole
Neighborhood IN Terror OF
the Murderer.
rspec.., telegram 10 tn. Dispatch,

Especial telegram 20 the Dfspatchf
RAr.rrau. N. c., May 26.-Iast Septern-
Der. in four miles Of Selma. Johnston
county. there was committed particular
iy atrocious murder, the victims oelng
Mrs. Cenia Brown, widow; aged sihty,
and q six-year-old boy named bs,tcp; ner
grandson. One morning while the Supe-
rior Court was in session at Smithfieia the
bodies OF these persons were found lying
In a branch in q hnndred yards OF Mrs.
browns bonse. in which she and the little
bow had lived alone. The skulls OF both
had been crushed By heavy blows OF an
axe. The woman had some property ana
her son-in-law, John T.. Starring, was
quickly suspected Of the murder. He was
an interruptions scouudrel. OF whom the
quiet people in that neighborhood were
IN terror.
When the coroner was procuring evil
dence he found IL difficult 10 induce peo-
ple 70 testify as 10 the fact that Starring
has made threats against the life CT his
mother in-law. At last an old man came
forward and said Startling had made sncn
threats in his presence. and that ne was
not afraid 10 so testify, though his neigh,
bors, who also knew Of the threats. feared
20 do so. The grand jury found at Sep
tember term true bill and Starring went
20 Jail. In February the trial came on Al
the evidence was complete save as 70 the
matter Of threats. but when the old man
above referred 10 went upon the stand bis
fears asserted themselves and nothing was
obtained from him.
NOT GUILTY.
The Jury, after quite long retirement,
returned a verdict of not guilty. Inc
iury. like oil who heard the case, believed
that Starting was the murderer, ana tne
sole reason for his acquittal was lack OF
evidence, this lack being due TO Tear that
the man would assassinate them or burn
their houses. IL was also felt that tDere
would be incendiarism and so II proved.
The houses of two witnesses have been
burned.
NEW WITNESS.
Last week man who had been in Georgia
ever since the day after the murder of Mrs.
Brown and her grandson returned TO john
stop county and expressed surprise that
Starting had not been convicted OF the
murder az on the very night IT was com
mitted he had seen Startling near Mrs.
Browns house with an axe IN his hand.
Whatever doubts as to Starlings gun
there NAV have been were dispelled by this
evidence. The popular fear of Starting
took shape at last, and Sunday morning
there came vengeance.
THE MURDER AVENGED.
At that hour party of masked men went
TO bis house and took him out. That was
the last seen of him alive. Yesterday his
body was found in piece OF woods near
bis house. There were bullet-wounds N
the head, one just in the centre of the fore
head, and around the neck rope, was
tightly drawn. THIS was not fastened TO
limb of tree, but was merely fastened to
the body of tree. and it was clear that the
murderer had been strangled and shot.
His appearance was most horrible. There
il no manner of clue TO the lynchers. though
no doubt they were neighbors VINO feared
that they would be hls victims. Starring
was torty-fve years Of age aud had very
large family.