Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-09-17
LONGVIEW'S SCARE,
Masked Men Call Upon the
Jailer for Three Prisoners
IN ON BURGLARY CHARGES.
The Mob, 1t is Thought, Only Wished to
Secure q Conference.-The Mob not
Observation-Disclosures and
Jail Guarded.
Special TO the Gazette.


LoNGvIEw, GREGG COUNTY, TEX, Sept.
! 1.-THE GAZETTE reporter has not deemed
| 1t necessary to report the doingS of our
| city for the last fcrty-cight hours, because
| much unfairness might be done our citi-
| zenS, but as an attempted lynching bee has
| been accredited to our place. it will be best
| to publish the whole transaction. A no.
| tee appeared in this paper Sunday that
| burglars had entered several residences in
| this place Friday night. and at Mr. Le.oy
| 1rlce's, who is division superintendent of
| the Texas and Pacific. the burglar grappled
| with Mrs Trice and severely cut her hand,
| but ESCAPED without the lady being able to
| fully identify him. Several arrests We're
| made. among whom We're Lucian Evans.
! Joe Boyle, painters, and G. c. West, car
| penter, and half brother-in-law of Evans
| These parties all lived in house diagon-
ally across the street corner from the
.r'ce mansion. All of them protest their
utter innocence.
On Saturday it was whispered on the
streets that lynching would occur that
night, but every effort of your reporter
availed naught in that line-not even the
sheriff believed an attack would be made
upon the jail. In this, however, he was
mistaken. for at l2:l5 on Sunday several
men appeared at the jail with handkerchiefs
over their faces aud tried to induce the
iailer to deliver them the keys to the jail
The jaiier assured them that he didn't have
the keys. but that n equity sheriff had
them. After some parleying they went
away, but returned III about an hour and a
half and told the jailer they must have the
prisoners. They tried to fool the jailer by
saying they had prisoner to place in Jail
and that they were deputy United States
marshals and were going to take the pris-
OnerS away for safe keeping. All these
schemes failed and owing to the delicate
condition of Mrs. Reynolds, the jailer's
wife. no other attemps were made.
1t is clear to all that these citizens did
not intend any violence TO the prisoners
other than to try to get confession from
some of them, and they certainly would not
have lynched or used any violence, for it is
said some of our very best citizens were il
the scheme.
THE GAZETTE reporter visited the prison
erS in jail. They all said they had no state
ment TO make other than they We're as limo
cent of the charge as nursing babes. When
questioned about how they felt when the
party sought them Saturday night, they
said they thought their hour had come, and
that innocent blood would be spilled.
The jail looked like it would take long
time for the mobbers to get in, ae it is
iron and steel with door after door in y
most complicated style, offering natural
barrier TO such attacks. a full swing with
q sledge hamper could not easily be had,
and with i few armed and determined men
no mob, unless they had cannon. could dis
lodge few men properly placed III this
Jail.
The presence of armed men about the
jail and marching with the prisoners. TO and
from the courthouse put peculiar look to
our place. Never before has our city been
guarded by soldiers. This, however. is
only precautiOn, as there really is no dan
ger from mob violence in this case, Lor has
there been.
The activity and strength of our sheriff
and prompt assistance of the governor is to
be commended, also the extreme tirmness
of Jailer Reynolds.
County Attorney Ragland, assisted by
others. have been taking evidence all day TO
see if Il case could be made out against the
accused, and late this evening had papers
served on c. G. West. Lucian Evans and
Joe Boyle 20 answer tomorrow before Jus
tice Coke for 4 preliminary hearing. when
all the facts will be ELECTED. 1t is thought
one of the party will turn states evidence
tomorrow.