The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1893-07-19
ICondensed from the Reeister.l

CONDENSED from the Register.]
Early yesterday morning new:
reached Columbia that dub" MeetZe
had been hunted down and lynched by
9 mob between 8 and 10 o'clock Sun
day night at his old home in LeXing
ton County, shout seven miles from
Columbia.
About year ago warrant was is
sued against MeetZe in this county fol
forgery and one in Lexington County
] for horse-stealing. He was captured in
Florida and brought back and put in
Jail. The cases against him were COM
promised and dropped upon the ex-
press condition that he would leave the
State forever. He was released and
went away.
Meetze had made threats to burn his
own house and the houses of several
people who informed against him in
the horse-stealing matter, and had
threatened also to kill others. he had
gone away however, and the commu'
nifty felt at ease.
A few days ago it was rumored that
he had come back and was hiding
around in the neighoorhood. The citi'
zens were at once aroused to feeling
of fearful suspense, not knowing at
what time house would be burned OF
somebody killed from ambush.
Last Wednesday-night Meetze's
house was burned down and his wife
and two children narrowly escaped be-
irg burned to death. The fears of the
community were still further aroused
by this and every one felt certain that
it was Meetze's work, and the question
was whose house would be next. The
people then began to look cut fol
Meetze.
Sunday morning, while the congre-
cation was at service st Zion Church,
colored gill went there in state OF
considerable excitement and told the
people that she had seen Meetze in the
woods near the house of Mr.. Andrew
Lorick, whose house was in the list OF
those threatened to be burned.
The people at once resolved to insti-
tute an organized search for Meetze,
whom they regarded as an outlaw and
of whom they were afraid.
They sentsfor Sheriff Drafts and the
search began at once. After searching
until about o'clock without avail, the
posse stopped for the night, going to
their homes.
Sheriff Drafts was at Mr.. Lorick' g
house, and shortly afterward ne and
Mr.. Lorick heard some shooting over
in the direction of MeetZe's house;
which had been burned.
In company with Mr.. Lorick, the
Sheriff went to the place and looked
around, but no one was to be seen. A
groan was heard. They asked who it
was and the reply came that it was
Meetze. Going in the direction OF the
groan, they came upon Meetze lying a
few yards from the barn in the agonies
of fearful death. There he lay in the
dark night, with no one near. His
slayers had fed. Who they were, no
one knew. Meetze was able to talk q
little and beg for water, but did not say
who shot him. He is reported to have
said that he did not burn his house on
Monday night. In a little while he
breathed his last. The reporter was
unable to learn from any source
whether there was any proof that
Meetze burned his house beyond his
threat and the consequent suspicion
that rested upon him.
From all that could be learned con-
cerning his tragic end, it appears
evident that he died at the hands
of the people among whom he was
raised, because they feared him, and
it is said that there is now feel
ing of relief in that community that he
is dead.
a'Dub" Meetze will be remembered
as the maj who was mixed up in the
trouble which resulted in James l.
Clark being killed in Columbia by w.
3. Meetze.