The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-03-23
LYNCHED BY A MOB.
Three Bushwhackers Shot to
Death at Memphis, Tenn.
The Victims Ambushed and Killed
Four Deputy Sherifs.

a dispatch from Memphis Tenn, says:
A masked mob OF seventy-five men took
three co.ored prisoners from the Jail at three
A. NJ, marched them to an open lot about
mile and a half from the heart of the city
and shot them to death. The bodies, riddled
by bullets and partly covered with brush,
were discovered at daybreak.
The names OF the colorei men are Calvin
Mcdowell William Stuart and Theodore
Moss. The crime for which they were
killed was the ambushing and shooting down
of four delAuy sheritfS in notorious local.
ity known as The Curve while they wers
hooking for colored man for whose arrest
they had a warrant.
The mob appeared suddenly on Front
street, near the jail. Watchman ODonnell
was in the jail Office having chat with q
friend named Seat when a ring was heard
at the outer gate.
UDonnell walked to the door OF the jail
and asked, "Who's there"
Hugh Williams, of White Haven" came
the reply. 81 have prisoner"
"Ali right said O'Donnell. This is the
place, and I am always ready to receive
them"
BE unlocked the gate, and two or three
men pushed in. ODonnell did not notice
them closely at that moment, but when he
turned TO inquire which was the prisoner he
saw that he had been trapped. The men
were masked.
"What does this meang queried the
Waterman as be reached for his pistol.
..No you don'tr' exclaimed the masked
men as Jhey seized his arms and forced him
against the wall.
Three men who seized ODonnell spoke
loudly, and then fully seventy-two men, all
wearing blnck masks, rushed through the
taH hn QSfnnnd6H watch.
man.
There was a consultation, q wait OF min
ute, and soon a rope was produced, with
which the watchman's hands were bound.
Two men were then put over ODonneu as
guard, and two others went into the jail
Office.
Jailor Williams meanwhile was asleep up
stairs, totally unconscious OF what was go
ing on below.
Soon came the cry, "All right, boys; here
they are" and after making sure that
flod past him into the jail and in minute
were in the cell room of the colored depart
ment.
There were twenty-seven colored men
there, all under arrest for completely in the
affair, AMI it was no easy matter for the men
to distinguish the ones they wanted. They
went from cell to CELL the thoroughly
alarmed inmates coming to the cell doors
and unwittingly aiding them in the search.
Alice Mitchell, who murdered her girl
friend. heard the noise, and from her cell on
the upper tier looked down at the mob. Not
a word was spoken as the men went along
the rows Of cells.
Then there was little scuff1e, a hand was
clapped over q mouth and Moss, the mail
carrier, was in the possession OF the mob and
bound.
Mcdowell was next found, and then Stuart
and the party was ready to start. Ths cap
tives being ready they were dragged out OF
the iail in bury. Turning into Auction
street they went toward the Mississippi
River, stopping, however, as they reached
the tracks Of the Chesapeake and Ohio Rail
road.
A few words in an undertone were taken
ss an order and the men started north along
the tracks. The prisoners securely bound
xuburns of the city were reached and in an
ooen field near Wolf River the victims for
the first time were allowed to speak.
AS the gags were removed Moss said: ut
YOU are going to kill US turn our faces to the
west"
scarcely had he uttered the words when
q bali went through his cheek. This was
the signal for the work. A volley was
poured in upon them.
Mcdowell 1eU lace oo"uWdrus ouS 1aoSs
aud Stuart fell over each other, and when
the bodies were found next morning they lay
close together. They presented horrible
sight. McDowelps jaw was entirely shot
aWay and back of his right ear there was
n hole large enough to admit mans fist
His right hand, to-, had been half blown
away as if in self-defence he had grabbed the
muzzle of shotgun. Stuart was shot in
the mouth and twice in the back OF the head.
BIS boiy was riddlei with bucSshot. Moss
had one ear shot off and several bullet holes
Ia his forehead.
The mob, after it had completed its terri
Ne work. came toward the town. At the
FIRST crossing it scattered.