The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-05-07
Who. With Others. Commit a Brutal
Outrage Upon Two Helpless
Young Women.
The Sheriff. His Deputies. Police and
the Governor Of the State Man.
age to PrOlOng the
Wretch's Life.
4 Nashville Mop.

sheriff and his deputies and the city pc
lice been on the alert at a late hour las'
night Eph Grizzard and perhaps two
other negroes would have swung from
the bridge across the Cumberland river
in the heart of the city. The citizens OF
Goodletsville do not seem disposed tC
permit the brutal outrage perpetrated
by the two negro scOundrels, urged on
by others, on two helpless young women
neal that little village Thursday night.
To be contented with the hanging of only
one Of the brutes. At 10 o'clock last
night it was noticed that an unusually
large number of men from the country
we're in the city. On inquiry it was
learned that the citizens of Goodletsville
had decided that Eph Grizzard was the
one who. with Henry Grizzard (the lat
ter already hanged) had committed the
assault on the Bruce girls. Jalier VIII
son dispatched Constable Allen for
Sheriff Hill, who arrived about l2:l3 a.
N. Just before l o'clock Sheriff Hill re-
turned after having taken a reconnoi-
tering trip outside. He estimated the
crowd at about 300.
As the clock struck one, two signiti-
AM whistles were heard: at Loo a loud
yell was heard coming from up the
street: Here they come" said someone
inside the Jail. He was right. Two or
three hundred men were seen coming
down the street. The chief clerk imme-
diately detailed all his available men to
come to the Jail. AS soon as the head
Of the mob reached the Jail gate an i'm
perative ring of the bell sounded, but
admittance was refused. A dozen men
were on the fence, but those who had
already gotten over broke the lock of
the gate. The leader. a middlc-aged
man. wearing a white SLOUGH hat. broke
wide open the wooden door and yelled to
the crowd: Come in here The
crowd then surged in with a whoop.
One man had a rope in his hand, another
"a sledge hammer. None Of them were
disguised. \. call was made for Sheriff
Hill. he appeared and the leader told
hin the crowd wanted to get at least
one of those negroes. Il can't let you
have any of Them" said the sheriff.
We'll. Bill. we don't want TO hurt you.
but we will have that negro"
Il ask you not to take him. said the
sheriff. IF you won't give him to us
there is a way we can get him. We will
break the door down. We will have to
get tools to do it with but it is only a
question of time" The man with the
hammer then began to batter on the
outside door of the cell. Blow after
blow was given with a will. The crowd
lid not betray any excitement. No fire
were seen, though of course every
was armed. Rising above the blows
the sledge hammer rang the cries of
Remember our homes" Think of our
wives and II Mothers The blows
made no more impression than if they
were beating with a sand bag and at
! 30 they grew tired Of their work. The
Jail officials stood or walked about but
the jaiier vas conspicuOusly absent and
II is thought he had the keys in his
possession. Cries Of Our mothers and
our daughters continued to ring out
and the confusion in the corridor and
had reached an uproar. THE
the keys the mob shouted. 1t
the common opinion Of conservative
spectators that the policemen could
without the least difficulty have scat
tered the crowd in two minutes.
At > o'clock the doors were shut and
the Jail was quiet. At l;45 Governor
Buchanan and Adiutant General Nor
nan. who had been awakened, made
heir way into the Jail. The governor
mounted the crowded steps and called
Jut to the mob. He was unable TO make
himself heard and he then pressed his
way into the excited throng around the
loor. He attempted to speak, but his
-,;,, ,,,, l,n,r,,l :, Tho 49,, For ..lny,.s
to the work. 'let us have Them The
said: II promise you that the
law shall be vindicated.' Law is too
slow: we won't wait. We must have
Grizzard tonight "Gentlemen,"
said the governor, there is none more
anxious to vindicate the law than |. |
pledge you my word that justice shall
De done But, governor. there was a
SICK child there who had been sick for
weeks and they went there.
that way II appeal to you
.s your governor to desist. /
nave a wife and children and / swear to
GU that justice shall be DONE" The
words of the governor were useless. The
nan with the crowbar arrived. He was
with yells. Break it open" $40
he work. were the cries. The crowbar
vas applied to the iron door and half a
iOZen men grabbed hold of it. Gov.
Buchanan grabbed the crowbar and by
main strength held it back for a moment
was overpowered. He then retired
nto the corner room. The mob was not
successful, however. At 2:25 the mob
vas reinforced and began battering with
Ixes, clubs, etc The police then stood
irm and beat them back with clubs.
Then a shot was fired from without.
This was returned by the officers. No
me inside was hurt, though several
'hots grazed the clothes Of the officers.
A man named n. l.. Guthrie came to
he door and said he was wounded and
wanted to be taken in. He was admit
He fingered until 8 o'clock this
morning when he died. The governor
hen appealed to the crowd to desist,
irving them his word he would see
Justice meeted out. As it was growing
arly the mob decided to depart, but not