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

dark figures strobe through the moon.
Light and up to the shed. They were
Sergeant Griffin and Officer Tally. Then
the party took a long walk through the
alleys until private residence was
reached. Hero the hospitality of the
kitchen was thrown open. A fro was
made in the cook stove and u general
warming up FOLLOWED.
Griffin placed pair of handouts on
the prisoner and he became talkative.
Austin questioned him about dozen or
more cases of stealing, got the names
OF the thieves and where lots of goods
were hidden.
Lavender told all he knew He told
where Paul Angle, who shot and killed
negro boy while in bathing in Roam
oke river last summer, could be found.
The prisoner says he is 10 years old
and was born and raised in Blacksburg,
where his people now live. Ho looks to
be older than he states and says he has
oeen stealing since ho was ten years
old
WANTED TO DETAIN THE REPORTER.
BY this time it was getting late and
the reporter desired to 60 mo, you
must remain until morning" said Ser
geant Griffin.
The reporter then asked permission
to send the matter to TIE TIMES Office
by one of the officers. This would not
do. they said. The strictest secrecy
must be maintained.
1t was finally decided that THE TIMES
man could be trusted, and after this
part of the story was written he was
allowed to depart from the comfortable
kitchen.
EXCITEMENT RUNS HIGH.
There was never such excitement
known in Roanoke before. The mobs
ragged and roared, and when it became
known that the prisoner had been taken
out,of tho station house crowd, num-
bering more than three hundred people.
gathered
The men that went to Skaters Cross
ing came back when they found that
the negro was not on the train, and by
agreement met in the rear of Williams
| livery stable.
Then it was soon reported that tho
prisoner had been-spirited away, and
the crowd collected in front of tho sta
| ton house.
MAYOR EVANS ADDRESSES THE MOB.
Mayor Evans was present and when
he saw the demonstration of the mob he
stepped out on the porch and tried TO
pacfy them. lie told them that tho
man was not in the station-house, that
he had been taken away and it would
be better to let the law take its course.
| AS yet the man had not been positively
| identified.
There were two mon that answered
the description already given. He ad-
vised the man to go away and wait for
| the proper action of the law
AT this point some one called out that
all they wanted to know was whether
n n In r,n q ,,,t
lie asked TIL ~ one man DO allowed TO 90
in and search the cells, and if they
failed TO find him they would go away.
Tho mayor would not consent, and
again tho mob ragged and roared.
One man told Mayor Evans that he
would getin or walk over his dcad BODY.
lie was allowed to go in
AT ono time it was reported that the
prisoner had been taken to Salem. A
rush was mado for the dummy station
and the mob was about ready to fl no tho
machine up and start out. But it soon
prevailed that the prisoner was in Roa-.
note in hiding. and would not be taken
from the corporate limits.
SEARCHING FOR TIE MAN.
The mob soon divided into squads,
and began to take in every portion of
the city where policeman's house was
located.
Frequent inquiries came into TIE
TINES office about the missing reporter.
1t had been stated that he skipped off
with the policemen and prisoner and it
was thought he would reveal tho whore
aoouts OF the man they wanted.
one party of men boarded tho IL
O'CLOCK train and went to Bonsack's.
another party of horsemen won't across
the river and secured tho surrounding
country.
THE SUCCESSFUL. SEARCH.
The search for Lavender was con-
Quoted scientifically 1t was thought
atFfirst that he had been Struggled into
team and taken to Salem. 1t was
after l1:9O before this was shown to be
wrong. Word was received from Vim
ton, Bonsacks and Blue Ridge that he
had not boon brought there. The poor
farm was looked at without success.
Then it followed that he was in all
probability in the city limits Where?
Probably in some officers house west of
Commerce street, for in that direction
he had been taken. Every policeman's
house in that region was scrutinized
with eagle eyes. The theory was right
The scent was struck. The quarry was
run to.its hole. He was located in Officer
Tally's kitchen.
Within fifteen minutes hundred do
termined men were there. Tho house
was surrounded. Admission was de-
manded and refused. "Oficers," they
said, "you can't help yourselves. We
are going to see this pro-" Still tho