The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-02-12


great crowd, which had followed.
Hooked into the court room, and threats
OF lynching were freely made The
crowd became considerably excited but
Tor want of leader did nothing except
walk about and shy they were ready to
put the rope around his neck.
THREATS OF LYNCHINa.
A prominent professional man was
among the crowd. He did not believe
in lynching when the law could be
trusted, but he was of the opinion that
justice in Roanoke could hardly be
trusted. 1t had failed in too many in
stances to apprehend and punish crime
Mayor Evans was appraised Of the fact
OF Lavender's arrest and went to the
station-hOuse. He had long private
conversation with Chief Jones and a
warrant was sworn out by the chief
Mayor Evans issued the document and
1T was served on Lavender in his cell.
1t soon become reported that Laven.
der would be sent to Lynchburg on the
. O'Clock train. crowd collected, and
a plan was m ado to lvnch the villain.
"A messenger was sent to the brick-yard
and several men came over, but it soon
became evident that Lavender could
could not be taken to Lynchburg The
crowd remained together, and then it
was surmised that the prisoner would
be taken west on the 6 o'clock train.
The crowd was organized and sent
to Skaters crossing near the West End
Furnace. Arrangements were made to
stop the train at that point.
a large number of men were ready to
take part and Lavender would certainly
have pulled hemp had he been taken
away. But he was held at tho station
house.
Chief Jones informed TIMES re-
porter that it had been decided not to
take the man away. He said it showed
up badly for the city and the authori-
ties to hustle man off every time he
was arrested on suspicion. He then
consulted with the chief of the fire de-
partment and made arrangements to
call out the department in case of an
attack on the station-house.
THE PRISONER REMOVED.
1t was but few minutes after
o'clock when Chief Jones and Sergeant
Griffin began hustling about the station
house. The doors leading into cells
were closed and TIMES reporter heard
enough to be convinced that an escape
was being planned
The prisoner was let down by a rope
from window on tho side of the build
ing next TO Roanoke street. Below were
Officers Austin and Tally. AS soon as
the prisoner slid Ndown to the ground
Austin encirced his wrist with pair
OF nippers. Tally seized the other arm
and hustled the prisoner across Camp
bell street into the narrow alley behind
the Methodist Church.
A TINES reporter followed and up the
narrow alley between Campbell and
Church streets the party hurried.
They don't want any ono to go
along" said Officer Tally.
But tho reporter promised to keep
still and was allowed to follow. He was
virtually made one of the party.
I'VE are followed said Austin, and
turned out in Church street. But when
the party reached the pavement he
turned back in run. A crowd was
coming up that way on run. Back
into the main alley the party ran, and
coming to place where the fence was
broken down, rushed into a small out
house. Into this narrow enclosure the
party rushed and just in time
Pretty soon crowds began walking
and moving about, and the officers, re-
porter and prisoner held their breath.
Back again the owd tramped, and after
waiting about Is minutes tho party
rushed through the muddy alley to Park
street
Here the moon was shining bright
but the coast was clear. Park street
was followed to Eighth avenue. and
then making turn to the left cluster
of pines was cleared and the party took
refuge under stable she'd, in the rear
OF q vacant house, on Tenth avenue.
LAVENDER CoNFEssEs.
Tally won't back to report to the chief
and sergeant, and Austin caused the
nrISnnar Qit 81;
reporter did likewise and here, after
several denia s in which no was caught
he made statement.
AT first he denied ever being near the
river and said he was at the Grocer Fur
mace on Monday evening looking for
work.
He was then told that there was posi-
tive proof that he was at the river on
Monday evening, and that he had better
tell the straight story. it would be
better for him. SILL he hesitated and
began telling about something.
The impression u.s. said the repor.
ter that you only pushed the girl over
in play and did not mean 10 do anything
serious or commit an outrage. The
girl ran home and told that you
tried to kill her. and people believed
right away that you attempted an as
sault Now tell us just how it was and
it will be better for you
Again he hesita.cd, but finally said:
I'm going to tell you the truth, just
how 1T was. l was over to the river
that evening fishing under the bridge.
saw two men just above me. / fished
till nearly dark, and left my pole with
the hook and line on it under the
bridge. went up on the bridge and
got up on top OF it. / saw nothing of
the girls. l went on up toward the
brick ward and hannened RI Iool,