The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1890-05-15
THEY LYNCHEp HIM ANYHOW.
The Indignation oftho People at the Law
Delay Prompts Them to q BIeody Deed


Tho correspondent of the Green
vile News gives the following account
of the lynching of the negro Willie
Leaphart, at Lexington, S. c., on the
9Th inst: "Willie Leaphart, convicted
of criminally assaulting 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. It's
members make no effort to conceal
their identity and openly acknowl-S,
edge and discuss the matter on the
streets. The bogus detective, Foster,
was III the cell with Leaphart when
the mob entered. He was shot in
the arm and had marrow escape
from death. By desperate fighting
he freed himself from Leaphart's
grasp and got in another cell. Tho
mob forced themselves in the cell
corridor and poured volley after vol
ley in the cell with little effect, Leap
hart keeping i'll corner at the en-
trance Three lamps were brought
and he shivercd them to pieces with
stick. Five men successively at
tempted to enter the cell and were
cracked over their heads. After several
hundred shots had been fired a
bullet struck Lcaphart in tho head,
hurting him to the floor. He was
then dragged out and sixteen balls
from Il Winchester were fired into
hlm. The intention was to hang him
III Grnham's yard, but the mob had
to Kill linn to get him out of the cell.
Ihe lynching was caused by rumor
to the effect that Graham and Depu-
ty United States Marshal Miller had
obtained further respite and had
given the papers to Sheriff Drafts
yesterday and that Lcnphart 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 coolly discussed here.
The situation is marked by a total
absence Of excitement The lynch.
crS seem perfectly willing to take the
consequences of their act
THOSE AFFIDAvITs.
Governor Richardson has made
public the ntlidavits on which Leap
heart = respite was based. One is
from W. j. Miller, United States
Deputy Marshal, alleging that after
the tl1nl and conviction of Willie
Lcnph"mt, Charlie Cannon, brother
of the young lady, stated t. depon-
cnt III the presence of other witnesses
that he did not believe Willie Leap
I.nrt assaulted his sister, and that
he believed that she had been per-
fHuadAld fhnf "a hX hX1e certpin peEaons 70 state
| crime i'll order to convict him."
Ihnrn u1rn 1nt
Miss Cannon to her mother, stating
that Leaphart did not hurt her in any
manner except when he caught her
by the throat.
n Startling Statement.
COLUMBIA, $. c., May 7.-Thrrc is
now very strong reason tObclicyo that
the atlionyits and letters which 80
cured the respite of Lcaphurt wcro
forgcrlrs. In regard to the affidavit
with Charlie Cnnnons signature at-
tnchcd and alleging to have been
sworn before j. p. Bodic, notary pub
lie, April 2Sth, Bodic has written u
letter for publication in which no
says: "Ilo made no such affidavit
before ne. | did not even SOC Mr.
Cannon on that day" This affidavit
was to the effect that Ruth Cannon
declared that Lcaphnrt had not at
tempted to assault her and only in
tended rObbing the house.
Capt. ). Is. Wingard, the attorney
who nsSlStcdIn the prosecution Of the
case ON behalf OF Miss Cannon, ar
rived here to-day and Haid that he
visited Miss Cannon this morning,
who stated upon, her word of honor
that she did not writo line TO her
mother and that all the letters pub
lishcd, alleged to be to her mother
and cOrrObOrating the alleged state
mcnt to her brother, wore forgcrics
and that she would make affidavit to
that effect Mt Lexington to-day. Cap
tam Wihgard said the atfidavits wero
par" fabrcatiOns, Matched by Lawyer
Graham and Deputy Marshal Mil.
lcr and if they had been made known
ntfldnVlts III rcbuttal from unim-
pcachablc pooplo could have been
presented.
n orc startling Statements.
COLr~BIA, S. c., May 8.-Matters
III the Lexington tragedy have taken
II new turn. Fresh developments oc-
cur almost hourly and more arc ex-
pcctelAttOrmcy- -GcMcralEarl wentto
Lexington last night, ard as n result
this morning warrants were sworn
out for the arrest Of +. G. Caughman,
Pcarco Taylor and A. Marks as being
concerned i'll the lynching of Willie
Leaphart The parties have not yet
b, ell arrested as they were not in the
village. Caughman swOre out u war
rant for the arrest of Attorney Gra-
ham, charging him with forgery and
Bubornation ofpcrjury. Graham was
arrested here to day and his attorney,
John BauSkctt, sued out u writ of
hnbcas corpus before tho Supreme
Court this evening. Bail WIS grant
cd IN the sum Of $1,000. Miller has
made an affidavit in which ho denies
having maze the original affidavit
whcrcupom the respite was granted.
He stated to the Attoln: Y General
that he was drunk ut tho timo and
that Graham wrote aad he (Miller)
signed it unawares.
Governor Richardson, however,
states that Miller brought the affida-
viz to him and affirmed it's genuine
ness. The Governor said that Miller
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