The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1893-09-28

II understand then" said the report
err THAT you neither gave the command
to fire nor felt that you had the right to
do so, except through whatever officer
was in command of the company"
That is my position exactly" Mr..
Trout replied.
who did give the commands"
II did not hear any given"
WOULD NOT GO FURTHER.
'sDo you think, then, that the firing
was done without any direction from
proper authorities7'
"You must excuse me, ,said the Mayor
'but told you in the start that could
not be interviewed. ! must decline to
discuss the matter at all further than to
make the denial, as I have done, that l
gave the order for the military to fire. =
THAT INTERVIEW AGAIN.
'You say the interview sent from
Lynchburg was not authentic. Will you
indicate to me in what essential particu-
lars it is inaccurate =
mo; do not care to do that I might
as we'll make the statement for which
you ask. 1t is generally inaccurate, and
does not conform to any statement that
1 have made. I am exceedingly sorry
that it was printed, but I do not care
now to correct any. part of it further
than to set myself right in showing that
| did not order the firingn
1.-The matter is very important one, y
remarked the reporter, land the public
awaits with great interest your explana-
ton of the part that you had in trying
to uphold the law. should, therefore,
exceedingly like to have your version of
the affair, and again ask you if upon res
Fiction you cannot consent to give it,
mo, cannot. appreciate your po-
sition entirely, and l know the public
interest that is felt in the matter, but
this is not the time or place for me to
have anything to say. am responsible
to my own people for my act, and it is
due to them that my first explanation
should be given to them. Our grand jury
they shall have such facts as are in my
possession"
THE STORY OF SMITHS CRIME
The story of the crime which led to
the terrible loss of life and the lyEching
of it's perpetrator Thursday morning is
thus told in a dispatch from Roanoke.
Wednesday morning, about 10 o. clock,
a negro named Robert Smith went to
the city market and purchased some
grapes from Mrs. Sarah Bishop, wife OF
Henry Bishop, Botetourt farmer re-
siding::near Cloverdale. 10 miles from this
city. Smith had note purporting to
be from Mrs. Hicks, ordering the grapes.
Telling Mrs. Bishop to follow him, he
pretended to lead the way to Mrs. Hicks
residence, where she might get the
money due her: Passing down st tir-
way leading to cellar near the Rand
olph-street bridge, in the centre of the
city, he entered a side door. Mrs. Bish>
OPP followed him.
As soon as she entered the room he
closed the door and, throwinga rope
over her head, demanded her money.
She gave him her pocketbook, contain
ing 50, and begged him to spare her life.
Unmindful of her pleadings he drew a
razor and made an attempt to cut her
throat. She grabbed the razor and
threw it into a corner of the room. Then
he began to choke and beat her She
became uncOnciOuS, and he supposed
she was dead
Smith left the place and the woman,
becoming concious in about half an hour,
made her way to the market house, a
block and a half distant, and told her
experience. In short time the police
and citizens, on foot and on horseback,
were searching for the negro. He was
G. Baldwin in the woods, half mile east
of the city. His first exclamation was:
II did not hit the woman" He said his
name was Robert Smith and that he
lived in Vinton, three miles east of here
The detective, who was on horseback.
made the negro get up behind him and
rode rapidly into the city, where the
surgeons were dressing the Injured
woman's wounds there he was fully iden-
titled by Mrs Bishop. By this time the
news of his capture had spread all over
the city, and large crowd had gathered
about the Jail with the intention of
lynching the negro. The detective APP
preached the Jail at gallop with his
revolver in his hand The crowd, being
without leader, made way for the him
to pass, and the prisoner was soon safely
locked in Jail.
Mayor Trout and Commonwealth's
Attorney w. o. Hardway then addressed
the gathering, counseling obedience to
the law and promising a speedy trial of
the prisoner. The crowd dispersed but
later in the day gathered about the Jail
in great numbers, using threats against
the prisoner.
About o'clock the situation became
SO grave that the Roanoke Light Infan.
try was ordered out, and with loaded
rifles and fixed bayonets proceeded to
clear the streets and sidewalks for one
block in front of the jail. The infantry
consisted OF 80 boy soldiers. The mob
was disposed to be unrnly, and at one
time riot was imminent, but the firm
ness of the young militiamen and the
promptnees of the police averted for a
time fho - AZ
were arrested and locked no.
Mayor Trout, Attorney Hardaway, Po-
lice Justice Turner and other city officers
were at the Jail all day watching the
course OF events. The mayor was deter>
mined to maintain the dignity of the
law at all hazards.
With the coming of the night the
mob rapidly increased. Men from the
railroads and shops hurried to the scene
rs soon as they had eaten supper. Mrs.
Bishop had son in the employ of the
Norfolk u Western Railroad, and the
railroad men were anxious to assist in
ayenging her injuries Crowds came in
from the surrounding country. Scores
Of the neighbors of the women arrived
m the city shortly after dark.
The authorities, anticipating trouble,
had asked for outside help, and the nils |
toll Conpty db 0al0iu seven miles aWay. /
vas ordered to be in readiness to render
assistance, and an electric car was pro-
yided for their transportation. The
quick work of the mob and soldiers
made it unnecessary to call for them.
soldiers patrolled the Jail square. and I
he mob stormed and started in solid /
anks up to this line, but did not dare
o cross it.
The leaders were quietly at work urg-
ng violence, and the excited crowd was
working itself up to the point of attack.
There were fully 1000 men in the streets
the vicinity of the Jail but. not /.
more than 500 were bent upon attacking
he jail. About So'clock volly of shots
nd shouts from several hun lred Threats
we're heard two blocks away on Salem
venue. The neighbors and friends of
I Mrs. Bishop had assembled and were
larchings in solid column about 400
trOng.
They were approaching the crowd al
eady near the Jail. The appearance Of
these determined farmers was the
gnal for attack. They mingled with
ne great mass of the mob, and with q
lid yell made over the military lines.