Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1891-10-21

A dreadful affair occurred at Clifton Forge
Allegheny County, last Saturday. AS we'll a
we can learn from the various accounts, whiel
are somewhat contradictory as to the detail
the facts. briefly stated. are about as follows
About noon on Saturday six armed negroe
from Low Moor entered the town, avowing /
was their purpose to take the place. The,
were boisterous in their boastings and misbe
having generally, when the officers OF thu
place attempted to arrest them, but they drew
their weapons and defed them. AS the OIL
GERS were unable to arrest them without as
sistance, they retired when the negroes leit
going down the road towards Iron Gate In
the meantime the officers summoned posse
and went in pursuit. At Iron Gate they came
in sight of them, and commanded them tt
halt. Before they approached very near eact
other both parties fired. In fhe shooting thai
then followed, Philip Bowling, white man
and brakeman, was shot in the body and in
stantly killed. He is from Buckingham and {
man of family. Frederick Wilkinson, a white
man, also In the employ of the @. o. Ry..wai
shot in the groin and seriously wounded. HI
is from Bedford. One of the negroes was shot
and killed and another wounded. After des-
perate resistance four of the negroes were cap
tured. among them their leader. Charles Mil
and put in the lookup. Great Indignation and
intense excitement prevailed. About 10
O'Clock that night a large body of men, many
masked, assembled and went to the prison
broke it open, and took out two of the negroes
who were handcuffed together, and dragged
them to place about mile distant known as
Slaughter Hollow-an appropriate name-and
hung them and riddled their bodies with bull
lets. Men were left to guard the prison
whilst this was being done. They then re-
turned and took the negro who had been shot
and wounded, put him in cart and drove
him to the same place where he was also hang
ed and riddled with bullets. negro boy in
the number about l6 years of age. we learn
was released uniujured and told to go home.
1t is presum ed that he did not stand upon the
order of his going. but went at once. One OF
the party Of offending negroes made his escape
and efforts are still being made to capture,
him. After the lynching the town became
quiet, Not negro was to be seen, but the Cit
liens were all armed ready for any emergency
as they could not tell what would happen:
On Sunday the excitement was very great,as
1t was rumored that the negroes from the sew
eral mi mes in that section-Glen Wilton. Iron
Gate, Lowmoor and Longdale-were contem-
plating an attack on the town. In the mean
time the citizens were armed ana ready 10 IT,
pei them. Pickets were stationed on all the
roads. AS a further matter of precaution. Gov.
Mckinney was telegraphed to for troops. He
authorized them to call them, whsreupon
they telegraphed to Charlottesville and Lynch
burg. The Monticello Guards from Charlottes-
Vile passed here Monday morning and arriv-
ed at Clifton Forge at 1856 O'Clock. but finding
thsrewas no use for them they returned in
few hours. The CAL to Lynchburg was coun-
fernandez.
On Monday all was quiet, and the citizens
resumed their several occupations as usual.
The names of those who were hanged are
Chas. Miller, VIM. Martin. and Robert Burton,
and the one who was shot and killed on the
railroad at Iron Cote is Robert Scott. The
bodies of Miller and Martin were claimed by
tn cir friends and taken 10 Lowmoor for bur
ial. Burton's body was buried at Clifton Forge
by the citizens.
Wilkinson. the white man who was wound
ed, it is thought will RECEIVERS
The bodies of the hanged were taken down
at 10 clock Sunday, when an inquest was
held, and the jury consisting of Messrs, Davis
Hide, Lewis Gillian, Giverdon. Tribbett, and
Farrar, rendered a verdict that they were
hanged by parties unknown to the jury.