The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-10-24


FRANK SHEPPARD. as principals, and
A. II. GRIFFIN,
j. f. TERRY, as accessories.
The Indictment for felony against
James G. Richardson Is for breaking
into the hardware store of Nelson &
Myers.
For some time it has been evident
that the investigation was nearing it's
end and about o'clock yesterday after
noon the Judge, the officers of the court
and about twenty We spectators gath
cred in the Hastings courtroom and
patiently awaited the result.
Foreman Nelson came TO the door OF
the jury room at Sis and announced
that the jury was ready to make it's re.
port. The jury whose names are as
follows, a. NJ Nelaon, foreman; John
G. Carr, g. r Henderson, j. o. Hobbs,
r. T. Boswell. w. /. Thomas, A. J.
Davis and @. G. Shockey, filed into their
seats and Foreman Nelson harded
Deputy Clerk Kizer the indictments and
the formal report which were read
The report Is as follows:
Hon. Jno. w. Words, Judge Of the
Hastings Court OF the City of Roa-
Doke, Roanoke County. Va:
We, the special grand jury, selected
by your honor to investigate the recent
violation of the law and order in our
city, after carefully sitting and duly con-
sidering the evidence of nearly 600
witnesses. from many OF whom it was
impossible to get all the information in
their possession, besides tho conflicting
testimony OF others. beg leave to sub,
NIT the following report: =
That on the morning OF September
90, 1893, negro man identified as
Thomas Smith, having decoyed, robbed
and murderously assaulted worthy
and respectable white woman from an
adjoining county, was captured and
placed in the city jail with the assur-
ance to the citizens from the mayor and
commemorative attorney that he
should be speedily tried, and, if con-
victed. summarily punished.
That your honor had at once sum
moned special grand jury to investi-
gate the said crime, and that, notwith-
standing these assurances and repeated
notices from the mayor and conservi-
tors OF the peace during the day, to
quietly dispense to their homes and al
low the law to take its course, many of
the citizens remained in the vicinity OF
the jail all day and so threatening
seemed their attitude towards tho
prisoner, in addition to the report
crowd was organizing in the country
for the purpose of lynching the negro,
he decided that the exigencies of the
case demanded that he should call out
the militia OF the city for the purpose
OF prot ecting the prisoner and uph Gliding
the majesty of the law. Had he
omitted this prlcaution he would have
neglected his duty.
Between z and o'clock on that even.
ing the crowd was augmented by large
additions of rioters and spectators, who
forced the picket lines which the mill
tary had established, and closed up
around the Jail. So threatening an
attitude and 80 turbulent disposition
had the mob assumed that the mayor
and others who had been circulating
among the crowd endeavoring to per
suade them to dispense were forced
to return inside the police headquarters
Notwithstanding the frequent ad-
were loaded with powder and ball a
furious attack was then commenced
upon the side door of the jail and ada
cent corridors with brick and stones;
this was continued until the door was
badly shattered, when final notice was
given that they were about to be fred
upon.
The mob replied to this with ieers,
accompanied by yolley of missiles,
whereupon the order was given the
military to fire. While there was some
conflict in the testimony offered. yet
the preponderence OF the evidence
showed that the crowd at once opened
fire upon the building and the squad Of
militia on the north side were COM
PEELED to shoot in self. defense.
While there Is no doubt that q large
part Of the crowd were simply spec
tators, yet the mob was aided and en-
couraged by their presence. and 1t was
undoubtedly impossible for the militia
to distinguish between those actively
engaged and those who were there from
curiosity.