The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1891-05-29
MURDER MOST FOUL!
Geen Wells Murders John
q. n. Fly,
Aud in Turn is Hanged By Mob.

~ H. TlYI
Aud in Turn is Hanged by a Mob.
Saturday morning between 10 aNd
IL O'Clock while MIR. j. b. ii. Ely was
ploughing on his farm about miles
from this place on the Concord road,
!, negro, Green Wells, came into the
field, aud in the midst of an appar-
emily friendly conversation, and as
Mr. FlY stopped to uncover hill OF
corn the negro shot him from behind
with a pistol, and as he turned and
up shot him again in the
bowels, aud as he fell shot him the
third time through the leg. Even in
this condition the wounded man rose
up and chased his murderer short
distance; but seeing that it would be
,mpossible to OveFtake him, returned,
Inhitched his mule and rode to the |
house, where his wife took him from |
the mule in an exhausted condition
Mr.. EIy fingered in severe pain until
Monday mOfhing when he died at
O'Clock. The whole neighborhood
we're out in arms for the negro but he
succeeded in making his escape from
those parts. A reward of 500 was
Immediately offered, and descrip-
ton of the negro, together with the
offer of this reward, was telegraphed
Inv CITY Marshal LipscOmb in all di-
rections; one being sent To Iron City,
where the fugitive was caught.
Tuesday morning Just be-
fore train time Sheriff Har-
Ian received a telegram from y
81. Wade at Iron City in Lawrence
county stating that he had the negro;
and with Amos Timmona and ia
rimmons, the dead mans brother-in-
law, left i'm Immediately to take him III
charge. An effort was made to Keep
the Information secret,N but the
friends of the dead man were on the
alert and knew'as much assthe ofhcers
\ large crowd gathered at the depot
tuesday evening to give the oi1cers
4reception and mete out swift ven
geance to the negro, but they were aus
aDDointed. When the Sheriff got to
to Lawrence burg with hisprisoner, he
learned that a mob had gathered at
PoIk's Station to take the ne
yro from the train and lynch
him. He also received a telegram
from Judge Patterson, who is
now holding court here, advising
him to stop with his prisoner at that
place. Acting upon this information
| the Sheriff got off with HE prisoner
and hiring a wagon and team started
through the country for Pulaski.
| When the train pulled into Folks
| Station the mob rushed into the cars
prepared and determined to execute
| their purpose. But the negro was
not there. Mr.. Jack Timmons, who
had lust left the Sheriff and his pris-
overwhelmingly thesmob why he ala
not want him lynched. He said that
| the negro had made a full confession
that implicated another negro by the
name of Alex Head, who Wells
| (the prisoper) says urged, pursuaded,
and bribed him to do the horrible,
| cold FLOODED murder. He urged the
mob to rest on their arms until the
negro made q full statement before
the Grand Jury and until the other
negro could be captured, and the mat
ter sifted to the bottom and all i'm
plicated brought to justice The
mob agreed not to lynch him but
we're determined to have him brought
to Columbia and lodged in jail. A
number OF them boarded the train,
which passed there about the same
time, for Lawrenceburg to see that
the negro was brought here. They
averto9k the Sheriff late at night
| about 10 miles from Lawrenceburg
on his way to Pulaski. When the
Sheriff learned their purpose and
that it was not to lynch, he returned
with them to Lawrenceburg, and
Wednesday morning brought hin
safe to iaii. A large crowd gathe &c
I at the depot and in town and excite
ment ran high. Everybody expected
a rush for the negro as they brought
him through town, but the mobberi
t stood to their agreement and landec
him in Jail.
} Mr.. lack Timmons mounted {
wagon at the iail and eXhOrted the
I, crowd not to injure the negro, but Il
LET the court investigate the cause
2 Tn negro, Alex Head, whom tn
q murderer charged with having instl
GATED him to commit the crime, wa
Rroupht in from the country ant
8 lodged in iailiwhile the crowd was as
r sembled there Head, of course, de
MED the statement, and later IN tn
day the murderer confessed tina
Head was in no way Implicated; IL
t confessed that he stole Heads re
U voIver to commit the murder with
and his money to buy the cartridge
used. Upon this subsequent and con
Trajectory statement, Head was ex
Y onorated by the Headers OF the mo
) from any completely with the crime
and one great cause for delay ha
q been removed. The negro state
II further that he was harbored on tn
e night after the killing by negr
r, named Henry Harlan in cellar Q
y the old Harlan homestead; that o
$ sunday morning the negro Harla
q gave him lunch and 81 in silver an
q started him off; that he came to %
:, Iumhia, expecting to visit his mott
} eris house, but changed his mine
7, crossed the bridge and left for lro
e CITY where he was captured.
at After the mob found that no furtl
~ err facts could be gained by waitin
!. they began 10 grow impatient Ior o.
ID the Circuit Court had adjourned Il
1. the day and that the Judge and A
tornev General were at the Eve
farm sale, at Spring Hill, tweIN
miles away.
le Hon. E. w. Carmack, who was he
IN on n visit, addressed the excited PEI
20 ME and advised them to let the la
lake its course, saying that while tt
crime. which they had as embed
q. avenge, was extremely atrOc10us al
the guilt of the prisoner undouDte
In thew could safely trust to the cour
ne for Justice.
- His appeal make fine impressiC
unon the cooler heads, but the Syoul
ID and hot-blooded could not be co
he IroIIed. Under the leadership OF oil
r of these impetuous spirits, who Il
Y tue way with Winchester rlne
one hand and rope in the other, tn
d advanced to the Jail and attempted
ry force the door.
40 MT. A: Fly, father of the de-
"a man, again besought them
wait. He told them that the Jud
10 and Attorney General were on th'
'se wav from Spring Hill; that tn
hit would come here in short time a
10 could afford to delay until they We
:. heard from
Then again the crowd desisted.
y. Iistle after 3 O'Clock the Judge arriv
'ct aud was interviewed by the most
be terested leaders. He told them IL
10 ,-,onld hnva the na0ro hrotinhk G