The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-10-16
NOT THROWN INTO FIRE
THE FIRST STORY OF TIE QUAD
RUPLB LYNCHING TOO LURID.

The Hands of the Negroes Tied Be-
hind Their Backs and the Quartet
SHOT SimultaneousIy-Th Bodies
Left Lying in the Road-Their Own
story of their Crime.
MOBILE, ALA, Oct. 15.-On Wednesday
last there was so vigorous a demand for
particulars Of the lynching of the negroes
who murdered Richard l. johnson and his
beautiful daughter, Jennie, at Davis ferry
Friday night Oct. 2, that special corre-
spondents of a number of papers manutace-
ured details suitable to the occasion, stating
that after hanging the men aud Kidding
their bodies with bullets the mob burned
them, the roasting proceeding while one OF
the victims was yet alive. The locality was
so distant from telegraph station that it
was impossible for these details TO have been
communicated at the time aud 1t is not sur
prising TO learn that they are for the most
part false. Friday night johnson was killed
at his front gate and his daughter was
killed in the house while she was play
ing piano. The house was then
set on fire and consumed, Johnson's body
having been previously placed therein.
Saturday morning Handy Packer, Jim
Packer, Moses johnson and Moses Jones,
with seven Other negroes, were arrested.
Handy Packer made a statement which
convinced the crowd that his brother Jim
Packer, and Moses johnson were guilty, and
a proposition was made that the two be
lynched, but wiser counsel prevailed. The
two men were taken before a magistrate,
where both asserted their innocence and
AfNlxr kaA TaSl
Monroeville, thirty miles distant. where
they arrived Saturday night.
ABLooD STAINED AK.
During the day blood was found on the
clothing Of Moses Jones. and an ak with
blood and hair on the eye was found in the
yard Of Burren Jones. Moses brother.
Thereupon Moses Jones was rearrested and
also Handy Packer, because his evidence
had not hitherto implicated Moses Jones.
Handy Packer made full confession. He
said that on the morning of the murder, he,
Moses johnson, Moses Jones and Jim Packer
agreed to kill Richard l.. johnson and get
his money. They arranged the details and
met that night in the woods about 800
yards from Johnson's gate at 9 O'clock
Henry and Jim Parker was set to watch the
roads in either direction and the other
two called johnson to the gate. AS soon as
he came up Moses struck him with an ak
anu MOSES JOQ65 ana MOSES johnson went
into the house. Packer claimed that he and
his brother remained outside all the time.
he did not know what happened In the
house and heard only one scream from Miss
Jennie. The two men ran out very quickly
and all four departed much scared and
without any money. They recovered cour-
age In half an hour, however, and returned.
They found that johnson had crawled ten
feet toward the house and died. They took
up his body aud carried 1t into the house,
depositing it in a room different from that
in which Miss Jennie lay dead.
THE HOUSE SET ON FIRE.
They all four set fire to the house and
awaited to see that it was burning well
before they departed.
Handy Packer and Moses Jones were sent
TO the Monroeville jail Tuesday, arriving
there at 8 O'Clock at night. Jim Packer
and Moses johnson were then questioned
and the answers they made convinced the
questioners that Handy Packer had told the
truth. They all denied that any violence
had been offered TO the Young lady.
The news of the confession spread rapidly
and Wednesday morning early 200 men
gathered and consulted near the jail in Mon
roeville. They called on the sheriff and
Jsiler j, D. Foster for the keys of the Jail,
hut he replied that he had sworn to do his
duty and would not surrender the prisoners.
rounding the jail and broke in the Jail door.
They overpowered Jailer Foster and took
the keys of TIE cells from him and soon he'd
possession of the four negroes. The people
were very much excited, and some proposed
TO start a bonfire and throw the negroes
iUto it, but the leaders said that
the men should be taken to the scene
OF the crime. At Z O'Clock tho procession
started in the direction of Davis ferry. At
Graham's bridge, over Flat creek, the
patience of the mob gave out, however,
End they decided upon the immediate pun
lshmeHt of the four negroes. The doomed
men were marched twenty yards up the
road and stationed in line, their hands tied
behind their backs. Then an order was
given to fire and every gun was discharged.
The negroes were all killed instantly. Their
bodies were left where they fell and were
neither burned nor mutiIated. TIE Oldest
CT the four was about 10 years of age.