The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-09-21

T. K NELMs.
Robert Smith. q negro. to-day assaulted
and nearly killed Mrs Henry Bishop. wife
of well-to-do farmer of Botetourt county,
Mrs. Bishop was at the market with load
of produce. and Smith bought q box of
grapes. He asked her to go with him to
get the money. and. taking her to a house
near by. locked the door and bound her.
her money. She gave 1t up. and
while doing SO jerked the razor
from his hand. The negro choked
her. threw her down and pounded her head
with a brIok. leaving her for dead. Mrs.
Bishop. shortly afterwards. regained con-
sciousness. and. returning to the market.
told of the outrage. Detective Baldwin
soon arrested the negro. The excited
crowd attempted to take Smith away from
the officer and lynch him. but Baldwin,
with the prisoner. on q horse. daehed away
az full speed and soon had him behind the
bars. An immense crowd of people came to
persuaded by the Mayor to dispersc. but
later the crowd reassem bled and kept in
creasing as night approached.
At 8 o'clock the Roanoke light infantry
marched to the Jail by orders
of Mayor Trout. Gunners were
posted and the streets cleared. About
dark the crowd. increased by o hundred
men from the vicinity of the woman's
home. headed by Mrs. Bishops son. q fire.
man on the Norfolk dL Western railroad,
attacked the Jail. At o'clock portions of
the mob battered at the side door of the
jail, where the militia and Mayor Trout
had retired.
The shooting was commenced by the mob.
and the Mayor was shot in the foot The
militiamen were then ordered to return the
fire. and vOlley from about twenty-five
rifles was poured into the mob. with the
result stated above. During the excite
ment the negro was taken from the Jail by
an officer and secreted. The dead and
wounded we're removed to drug store and
to the offices of nearby physicians. The
militia then dispersed and left the scene as
quietly as possible.
Several speeches were made after the
militia retired. Judge Woods. of the
Hastings court. assured the mob that the
negro had been removed from the JAIL and
accompanied two of the crowd through the
Jail to prove the truth of his statement.
His statement and the speech OF J. Allen
Watts. the Democratic candidate for the
State Senate did much to pacify the Gro wd
But the people hung around the Jail
hours afterwards. many dispensing to
search for the secreted prisoner. At mid
night no further trouble was expected.
The militia remain under the Mayors
orders. although it is probable that they
will not be called ont again. Mayor Trout
is firm IN the position he has assumed. and
declares that he will uphold the laws.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
Another account says that when detec-
tive Baldwin attempted to take his prison.
or to jail he was met by q mob of several
hundred persons, WHO tried to lynch the
negro Baldwin is q ncrvy man, with q
record for craftsmanship with revolver.
He held the mob al hay and GOT his man
safely inside before the crowd knew what
had happened. Several thousand men
OF lynching were freely made. Mayor Trout
and Common wealth's Attorney Hardaway
addressed the mob. assuring them that the
full penalty of the law would be enforced
if tho neGroes's guilt should be esta biished.
This seemed to satisfy them for the time.
but q few remained To watch the jail TO
that no effort be made to remove the
prisoner, and those W no left were evidently
| determined that THE was not the last
opportunity. 1t was now IL O'clock.
| The crowd began to increase soon after
noon and Dy o'clock 1t was too big to be
handled by the city's fifteen policemen.
| The Roanoke Light Infantry. tho only mil
| itary organization of the place. was called
out. and with squad OF twelve men
| charged the crowd with fixed bayonets.
| driving them from the square. after making
two arreets.
Judge Woods. of the Hastings Court.
carly in the afternoon had summoned
| special grand jury 10 take M the case i'm
medisseiy. bur this did not satisfy the ex-
| cited oopuisce. The crowds rapidly gath
| cred with niRhtfall In the vicinity of
the jail. though not daring to enter