The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-09-22
VENGEANCE OF A MOB
Citizens of Roanoke, Va, Vent
Their Wrath on Negro Smith.
Taken from the Officers, Hanged to a
Hickory Limb and His Body Rid
died with Shot.
BURNED ON A PILE OF BRUSH
Kerosene Poured Over the Body
and the Torch Applied.
Eight Killed and Twenty-Seven Wound
ed by the Fire of the Militia-MayOr
Trout Taken Away.

ROANOKE. Va. Sept 21.-Robert Smith.
the negro who assaulted and robbed Mrs.
Henry Bishop yesterday. and to save whose
life number of citizens were shot down,
paid q horrible penalty for his crime short
IL before o'clock this morning. While j.
Allen Watts. Judge Woods and others were
addressing the crowd Sergeant Griffin.
with two officers. took the negro from Jail
and spirited him out of town. They car
rfed him across the river in the woods, bat
towards daylight they were notified that
squads of men were securing the entire ad-
jacent country. They thought it best to
bring their prisoner back TO town and
place him In Jail. They were proceeding
TO the jail, when on Franklin road. near
Tenth avenue q squad of men. about twen-
ty in number, sprang upon them and took
the prisoner. With shouts and yells the
determined men rushed the negro to the
nearest tree. He was hanged to q hickory
limb and his body riddled with bullets and
horribly mangled. 1t was all over by
o'clock and the small body of men, who had
done their work so swiftly. had disap.
peared.
With the break of day crowds OF people
began TO throDg the streets leading to the
scene of the lynching. The sight was hor-
rible. Dangling at the end of q small
hemp rope was the body of the negro His
face was bloody. distorted and swollen. A
load of shot had been fired into his back.
literally tearing his COAT to pieces. The
rope was tied in regulation hangman's
knot and the negro's feet were we'll above
the ground. Coroner Gray and q jury ap-
peared early on the scene and. after view
ing the body of the dead man, rendered
verdict that the negro came to his death at
the hands of persons unknown TO them.
After the inquest the officers were ordered
to take charge Of the body, but the surging
mass Of men. which had by this time assem-
bled, would not let them tOnoh him. A
coal care passing near by was pressed into
service and the body thrown into it. 1t
was then hauled TO Mayor Trouts resi-
dence. On Campbell avenue. 1t seeming to
be the intention Of the mob to bury it in
his front yard.
THE BODY BURNED.
At this critical moment Rev. W. G. Camp
bell appeared upon the scene and told the
mob that such procedure would never do.
He spoke kindly to them. and, at last dis
suaded them from carrying out their plan.
The body. during this time. had not been
removed from the cart; SO. at the sugges-
tion of some one in the crowd, they took it
over to the edge of the river to burn 1t.
Fences we're torn down. store boxes taken,
and some one with an ak cut down several
cedar trees near by. The dry wood was
laid In o large pile, but arranged so il
would burn freely. On this heap the
nearos body was laid. On top of
all the cedar boughs were thrown.
and then. just before touching
the match. two gallons of coal oil
were poured on the dry wood. The match
was touched to it, and the flames from the
burning oil shot rapidly up. 1t was an
awful sight. but ell present felt as if the
negro had met his just punishment. 1t was
not long before the crowd dispersed, but
all the morning men, and sometimes an oo-
casional woman. were seen going towards
the place in squads of threes or tves Ev-
eryone seemed to wish to contribute some
thing to the blaze by throwing q twig or
chip on It. All that was remaining of
Smith at noon was q few ashes and here
and there bone: but the fire was still
burning fiercely. and those standing
around said it should burn till there was
not vestige left.
1t is claimed by members of the military
company to-day that they frequently
warned the mob to keep away from the
Jail last night under penalty of being shot.
Captain Bird told them he was under Or
ders to protect the prisoner, whose life the
y -
he would not allow him to be taken by the
mob. To this the mob replied with boots
and derisive jeers. The rioters appeared to
become frenzied at the determined stand
taken by Captain Bird and his men. and
finally O crowd of excited men made rush
for the side door of the Jail. The Captain
directed his men to drive the would-be
~ nchers back. At this moment the mob
opened fire on the soldiers. This ap-
peared for moment TO startle the
Captain and his men. But 1t was only
for q moment. Then be coolly gave the
command: Ready Aim! Firen' The COM
paDy obeyed on the instant and poured q
vOlley of bullets into the part of the mob
which was trying TO batter down the side
door of the Jail. The rioters fell back be-
fore the fire of the militia. leaving one man
writhing In the agOnies of death. There
was lull for a moment. Then the word
was quickly flashed through the throng in
front or the Jail and down the street that q
man was killed. There was an awful rush
| towards the little band of soldiers The ex-
| cited men were yelling like demons. The
| fight became general. and ere 1t ended
thirtyhva men were either killed or
wounded.
THE MAYOR SPIRITED AWAY.
After the smoke of the battle had cleared
away last night fears for the safety of
Mayor Trout and the determined men with
him were freely expressed by their friends.
as the Indignation of the mob seemed es-
pecIally directed towards him and the
soldiers. While the crowd was making
preparations for the second assault the
militia were disbanded and went to their
homes. Mayor Trout. who had been
| wounded in the foot with pistol ball. WAS
first carried TO the Ponce de Leon Hotel.
but owing to the threats of the mob he
was removed from there by his friends and
taken To the country, where he still Is.
Shortly after his departure n crowd went
TO the Ponce de Leon and demanded the
/ Mayor. They were assured by the clerk X
that Mr.. Trout was not there. bnt were not
| satisfied until some of their leaders had
made a thorough search OF the premises.