The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1890-01-02
ruOLESALE MURDER.
,vr PRISONERS BUTcHERED
.oo,oner's Investigation of the Barn
we'll Massacre.

h., negroes were lynched at lBarnwell,
having been taken from the Jail
,hsv were confined on the charge OF
y. N the OIL skirts Of the town, tied to
[ I and shot to death.
{r, whites believed the victims were con-
,.,ors and were responsible for series OF
[,.oations which began October 30.
:. coroners inquest into the death of
| s,t negroes who were lyncheda at Barn.
| Saturday, was held at the scene of the
-. a terrible sight which the jurymen
H. mon. On the LEFT side Of the road
|. the bodies Of Ripley Johnson and
| he'll Adams, charged with the murder
|u,sernan. on the opposite side were the
II. Of the six negroes charged with inn
I..ton in the murder Of young Robert
5rin.
4. v,.ims we're tiel to young oak tree
,.s roa side, oil except Mitchell Adams,
| VA, tied to the post which marked the
| -o,,ion limits of Barnwcll. Johnston
| bed to a little tree close by Adams. The
I,pacros, the road were tied two TO the
,t-ee. with their backs to the saplings,
nre passed around the tree and around
| h.ies Of the men, in some instances
IN All the way from head TO foot.
n shot. however, the weight of their
= had swung down on the ropes, and
ccupied al sorts of grotcsIuc and re.
{n.po.t.1ns. one had swung forward
me rope, which cncircled the waist, the
hanging down aud the tongue protrud.
Another had dropped straight down,
-, bending under the weight. In one
go instances bullets had entered the
and blood disfgured the distorted fca.
In all sorts of positions they hung
|rlble sight. not soon to be forgotten by
i've who lookclon II.
frshtful character of the wounds is
sn by the testimony Of the physicians
examined each body. In bricfit it is as
bvs Henry Fursc, 10 balls in his body,
bout q years; Peter Bell, one bali in
J ofneck at base Of skull. age about 90
n Harrison Johnson, four balls in his
age about - years; Rafe Morrill,, six
! 10 the heal and body. either of which
have been fatal, age about 60 years;
Ia Jones, eight balls, one in his brain,
?, years old; Robert Phoenix, four
Din boly, about - years old; Ripley
bson eight balls in body, one in the face,
y 30 years old, Mitchell Adams, five
one through brain, about 81 years old.
jury ret Irnel verdict that the eight
, came TO their death from gun>shot
IDS inflicted by some party or parties
tOwn. In order TO allow the doctor TO
the examin ition and probe the
bis, the bodies were cut down from the
and laid on the ground. The clothes
cut from the bodies to enable him to
b the wounds, and the sigh, was not
Oyel by their changed position. The
men lay around in whatever position
nBton had left them-on side, back OF
as he case might be. Three lay on the
de- 9th RS here and there among the
Iopks On the side of the road, large parts
r bodies exposed and their cut and
Clothing hanging about them in gro.
way.
|er the inquest the negroes were notified !
Fhey might remove the bodies if they !
d. The families of Ripley Johnson |
Mitchell Adams removed their bodies to !
hom $ but the other six remained up !
in.ght Treated as murdcrers and out.
there were none to mourn them. To |
Their hands, or close their eyes. Neither
fhtes nor the negroes wanted TO re-.
/ TIE bodies. prominent negro of th,
said I'VE never put them there. Let
remove them who are responsible Tor
lbgng there