Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1892-05-05
JUDGE LYNCH'S COURT.
Two Short Sessions Held and Two
Villains Hanged
For Outrages Upon Two Young Ladies
Near GOOdlettsyille.

A most diabolical crime was commit
ted at the tollgate on the Long Hollow
turnpike, half mile from Goodletts
vile, last Thursday morning. Two ne
groes outraged young lady and at
tempted to outrage another.
There lives at the tollgate Mrs. Lee
Bruce, whose husband died three weeks
ago. She has three daughters, aged 10
Ia and II years respectively. Thesc
girls are very popular, both with the
young and older people of the district
Constable Lassiter, of that district
was in Nashville Thursday morning
and from him the following informa-
ton was received
The youngest daughter is sick with
pneumonia, and some of the neighbors
were sitting up with her. At 10 O'Clock
Wednesday night two negroes ap-
preached the house, and after lettering
around the premises for an hour or
more, they broke out q window pane
and demanded what money there was
in the house, enforcing their demands
by pointing cooked revolvers at the
windows. One of the young ladies
took up cigar box containing about
eight dollars and approached the win
dow before which one of the negroes
was standing. He jumped to one side
to keep from being recognized, picked
up board and putting the end in the
window ordered the young lady to put
the money on it, She did SO and then
they left.
They remained away some time, but
returned in stealthy manner. The
first the ladies knew of their return was
when they heard them trying to open
the door, which they soon burst in and
both rushed into the room. One blew
out the light and both seized the young
ladies and dragged them into the kitch-
EN-, where they were kept for some time.
Mr.. Lassiter said he did not know
whether the brutes accomplished their
purpose or not.
Another account says that the two
negroes outraged the Oldest girl and at
tempted to outrage the younger one,
but they were frightened away by the
screams of the ladies in the house.
A general alarm was given and the
entire community rose up in arms.
Sheriff Hill headed posse of citizens
who arrested Henry Grizzard, Eph Griz-
zard, John Grizzard, Mack Harper, Lee
Groomes and VIM. Hatch. Henry Griz-
zard confessed the crime and implicat-
ed Mack Harper
A mob composed of the best citizens
at once took the negroes away from the
Sheriff and rope secured and placed
around Grizzard's neck. He was taken
to within few hundred yards of where
the crime was committed and strung
up to tree.
Mack Harper stoutly maintained his
innocence, and claimed that Grizzard
had implicated him to shield some one
else. The mob thought perhaps there
was something in this and refrained
from further action, and he with Eph
and John Grizzard, were taken to Nash
vile and put in jail.
On Friday night, about I clock,
mob of two or three hundred men ap-
peared at the Jail in Nashville and de-
mnaded of the sheriff that he surren
der Eph Grizzard to them. 1t seemed
to be settled in the opinion of the mob
that Eph Grizzard and not Mack Har-
per was the guilty one. The mob made
an attack on the Jail, but it failed to
make an entrance, and retired after
two or three of their number had been
shot by the guard in the Jail.
Shortly after noon on Saturday an
other mob congregated in the vicinity
of the Jail and sent committee to de-
mand the prisoner. Of course the de-
mand was refused. The mob seized the
jailor, took the keys from him, and it
was but few moments until Eph Griz-
zard was hanging from the Cumber-
land River bridge. Hardly had the
breath left his body before men began
shooting it full of holes. What re-
mained of Eph Grizzard was then cut
down and taken to Goodlettsville and
burned.
1t is said that Governor Buchanan
attempted by promises of swift and GER
tain administration of justice, to re-
strain the mob, but without avail.