The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-05-17
Lynching In Laurens.

dale, q yoang Negro, having confessed to
the crime of attempted outrage, was
strung up tora hickory tree four miles
west Of this city by crowd OF from fye
10 seven hundred men at about, 5o'olock
this afternoon. This is the story:
There ace few, if any, better known or
more substantial citizen in Laurens
County than Farmer James Wham, who
lives six miles west Of town. Monday
afternoon his, two little daughters, one
eleyen years old and the other younger,
were going home from the neighboring
school, As, usual they left the main road
and took a nearer path. 1t led them
through 3 dense wood. Suddenly they
were rudely aceosted by Negro, who
used language tntimating his foul inten-
lions. The elder little girl, thinking he
only wanted something to eat, offered
drel seized her. She fought desperately
and both children, screamed until the
fiend rar. away without having accom-
plished his purpose. 4ghe children told
their mother Of the attack as'soon as they
reached home but their father was absent
and did not hear: Of it until after supper.
Early shis morning search for the
criminal was instituted. The children
had described their assailant as young
Negro dressed In q shirt and trousers and
lhatIess. A little white boy named Cole
man told that he had seen a Negro Of that
description talking to Henry Rryson,
another Negro who was ut work 1p
field not Gar from the scene Of the crime,
at about the time it occurred.
& Bryson was questioned and at first
declared that he had had no such conver-
sation. Subsequently the party carried
him to his house whore his wife advised
him to tell all he knew. Then he narrat-
ed that Hayward Barksdale had come to
him. in the afternoon before school was
ont. and after awhile left and entered the
adjacent woods when school was dismiss
ed. The school house is near by. In
few minutes he heard the screams in the
woods aud after q time Barksdale, or
"Monk" as he was called, came back to
sswhat were you bothering them white
children for ?n Monk denied that he had
seen any children.
Bryson's wife stated that her husband
had rslatad this to her the night before.
In the meantime "Monk" was plough
ing some distance off, but in sight when
Bryson was being examined. Though
he had had no warning be suddenly
abandoned his plough and went to his
house, where he was captured. Rryson
then led the party. to where the conver-
sation occurred the evening before, to the
point where "Monk" had entered the
woods and out to where he had come.
In each place tracks fitting his feet were
found. The tracks were also found at
the scene of the assault. A Negro not
suspected was carried before the little
girls. Taey promptly said she is not the
man." When the guilty man was
brought, before he had approached within
twenty yards both children cried; "That
Is him. "That is him." They ct once
became frightened at the sight of him and
shrank back weeping.
In the meantime large crowd had col
lected, which increased all during the
day. The Negro persisted in declaring
his innocence until late in the day.
Finally he made full confession, From
the time that he was identified there was
not the slightest doubt as to what the
result would be.
This afternoon the crowd collected at a
point on the "old Greenville road" be-
tween the residences of Captain Albert
Dial and Ambrose Martin. They placed
Barksdale in one-horse wagon, bound
his arms and legs, covered his eyes,
placed rope around his neck and pulled
the wagon away. Then they quietly dis
nersed, leaving the body hanging. Not
a loud noise was heard and not shot was
fred. It is estimated that one.third of
the crowd were citizens Of the town Of
Laurens. There were some Negroes
present who seemed to be satisfied with
what was going on. The crowd was
thoroughly Representative and included
many Of the best citizens of the town and
the neighborhood.
The scene Of the lynching is less than q
mile from and almost In sight of the
home Of q certain prominent official.
This gentleman is said to have been a
spectator and to have addressed some
remarks to the crowd. He urged them
to be temperate and orderly and not to
FIRE into the body. He said that the
country was opposed to lynch law and
deplored the circumstances that some
times made it necessary for the protection
of the honor Of our women.
With the exception Of q few who do not
approve Of lynch law under any circum.
stances, public sentiment openly and
unanimously endorses the lynching.
There was no doubt Of Monk Barks lale's
crime and il there hes ever been case In
which an appeal to the higher law was
iustifiable It was this.
The act was in open daylight on pub.
lie road. There was no semblance OF
secrecy.--Special to Greenville Nevs,