The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-02-13

The Matter to be Fully Investigated by
Especial Grand Jury.
Dangling by rope an inch in diam
eter from the limb OF an oak tree on
the bank Of Roanoke river yesterday
morning, swung the body OF William
Lavender, frozen stiff and stark.
The feet were six feet above the
ground, and the rope, which encircled
his neck with q regular hangman's knot
under his left ear, was over horizontal
limb and then wrapped around the
trunk of the tree. A few negroes passed
shortly before o'clock, going to work.
They stopped minute and gazed in
horror at the awful spectacle and passed
on as fast as their feet could carry
them. at o'clock dozen or more
persons had gathered, and from that
time on until 1890 O'Clock, when tho
body was removed, there was o con-
tinual stream of people going and com.
ing.
1t was piercing and bitter cold, and
the weird, strange scene on the banks
of the river, with wind and snow, held
a crowd together when ali other attraG.
tiOns would have failed.
One negro. wearing q pair of spec
tacles and looking very sanctimonlous,
came down the bank and gazed at the
the body.
calling themselves citizens to do such q
thing as that"
Hs repeated the words again, when
someone informed him that all tho rope
had not been used up yet, and if he
valued his neck ho had better keen
quiet. The negro moved off. Several
others came around, but few said any
thing more about the deed.
Coroner Gray was notified of the
lynching and at once had the following
jury sumo oned: M. l.. Garner, w. j.
Ferguson, r. ii. Gray, A. B. Cook, A. b.
Houser and ID. NJ. Armstrong. Before
the jury arrived curious persons had be-
gun cutting away bits of rope.
This piece of enterprise soon became
disastrous to the wretch's position, for
he came down with heavy thud and
lay stiff, at full length, upon the
ground.
The jury viewed the body when the
coroner came, after which it was placed
In wagon and taken to the establish
ment of Oakley s. Woolwine.
A photographer came in with his in
strument and secured likeness of the
man as he lay on the board with the
big hangman's knot encircling his neck
Coroner Gray said when he again
called the jury together that tho object
was to find out the immediate cause Of
death, and if possible, who were respon-
sible
Policeman Tally was the first witness
and in answer to the question, estate
what you know about this man and who
&c is" replied:
Is the Same man we took out o {
the station house last night and his
name is Will Lavender I saw him
alive last night about 1890 o'clock. We
had taken HIM to my house to take care
of him. party of mon. whom 1 do
not know, forced their way into the house
and took the man out. We did all we
could to protect him, but there were too
many for us. We could not have sus-
tanned ourselves with weapons. 1 did
not know single man who was in the
over their faces. They did not say what
they were going to do with Lavender,
but said that they wanted him.
Chief Jones stated that Sergeant
Griffin and Officer Austin would make
the same statement and as they we're
not present their testimony was omitted.
Drs. Norman and Lawrence made an
examination of the dead negro and gave
their opinion that he came to his death
from strangulation. They could not saw
positively what was the Immediate cause
OF his death without an autopsy. But the
jury decided not to have an
autopsy and after few minutes
consultation rendered a verdict that
VIII Lavender came to his death by
having rope tied about his neck and
hpinp hnnG RI
dead, by persons unknown to the Jurors.
The body was turned over to the CITY
authorities to be buried in the aims
house graveyard.
Opinions in regard to the lynching
we're freely expressed all around town
yesterday. 1t was the general feeling
that good thing had been done. JUS
tice had been moted out in just deserts,
and the dignity OF the people main.
tanned.
Judge Robertson is very indignant
about the lynching He says little but
looks determined. Ho feels that the
dignity OF the law must be maintained
He advised Mr.. Smith, the common
weaith's attorney, to make full inves-
tigation OF the matter. In the Hust-
ings Court yesterday the Judge ordered
that special grand jury be- summoned
for next Thursday. While the Judge
did not state for what purpose the grand
jury was summoned, it is surmised on
good authority that it is for the purpose
of Investigating the lynching Tho
jury is composed of tho following: Sam
uel Kinnear, ~. j. Thorn ason, r. l..
Lane, A. j. Hayslip, Thomas Engleby,
E. ". Donnelly. r. FL. Cottrell, G. a.
Turner and RobeEt Johns.
Lavender's has been an eventful life.
He has been sentenced to the chain
gang in this city more than a dozen