The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-03-10
.RIDDLED WITH BULLETS.
Throe Negroes Shot to Death by q
Mobin Memphis.
THEY WERE GUILTY OF MURDER
And Citizens Took Them From Jail
and Killed Them on tho Suburbs of
tho CitS...What tho Early Dawn
Disclosed-..Thcy Lay With Their
Faccsto Heaven and Were Terribly
Mutilatcd..Thcir sympathizcrs Nut.
ter Threats OF Revenge.

MEMPHIS, TENN, March 0.-The dawn
OF a bright spring morning as 1t cast its
light across Tennesseo'a metropolis dis.
closed the dead bodies Of three negroes
riddlcd with bullets and partially
covered with brush lying in an open lot
about one and hall miles from tho heart
OF tho city. Tho bodies rs they lay
outstretched, with faces heavenward,
were mute reminders OF tho terrible
work oil seyenty.aye masked mon in
this city 4. o'clock this morning. The
names Of tho negroes, whose bodies
were literally shot to pieces by this
mob, are: Calvin Mcdowell, William
Stuart, and Theodore Moss.
Tho crimc for which this summary
vengeance was wreaked upon them was
tho ambushing and shooting down on
Saturday night last OF four deputy
sherilfs in n bad negro locality known
rs "Tho Curve" while tho officers were
fulfilling their duty by looking for q
negro for whose arrest they had q war
rant. About 3 o'clock this morning
sevonty.five men. all wearing masks,
appeared suddenly on Front street near
tho Jail From whence they came no
ono will even hazard a guess. No one
saw them assemble, and no officer OF
tho law noticed their passage through
any street, nor did any person intercept
them in their quick and quiet march to
the Shelby county Jail.
AT this timo Waterman O'Donnell sat
in tho jail Office. Suddenly ring was
heard coming from the outer gate.
On going there, he asked who was
there, and the reply came: "Hugh
Williams, OF White Haven; I have
prisoner When he unlocked the gate
three men entered, who seized O'Don.
nell, and after short resistance, secured
the keys to the cells whore tho negroes
were confined. There were 81 negroes
there. all under arrest for completely in
Saturday nights affair, and it was no
easy task for these men to distinguish
their much.wanted negroes from other
blacks. The number Of mon had now
increased to fully 70 men from the out
side, and all wore black masks.
Not q word was spoken rs the men
proceeded quickly and cautiously along
the rows of cells. Suddenly they come
to the cell whero Moss is incarcerated
and he is soon in the possession OF the
mob.
Mcdowell and Stuart are then found,
and tho party is ready to stert. Tho
captives being ready, they arc dragged,
pushed and hustled out OF the jail in n
hurry. Turning into Auction street,
they start towards tho Mississippi
river, stopping, however, as they reach
the tracks Of the Chesapeake & Ohio
railroad. A few words in an undertone
is taken IS an order and the men start
north along the track. In few min
utes the suburbs of the city,,were reached
and in an open field near Wolf river the
negroes met their doom. For the first
time they were allowed to speak.
AS the gags were removed Moss said:
"1f you are going to kill us turn our
faces to the west" Scarcely had he ut
tered the words when the crack of
revolver was heard and ball crashed
through his check. This was tho signal
Tor the work. A terrible volley was
poured in upon the shivering negroes
who instantly fell dead in their tracks.
The bodies presented horrible sight.
They were brought to Walsh's under
taking establishment about half past
seven this morning
In less than fifteen minutes the place
was surrounded by about 200 negroes.
All were afraid on account OF the near
proximity OF the whites, but on the
edges Of the crowd were heard many
mutterings and curses.
: At l0:l5 q. m. word reached the city
that the negroes were assembling in
large numbers at the curve. Judge
Dubose Immediately equipped $50 men
with winchestors and they left for tho
locality,