Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1893-09-29
THE ROANOKE TRAGEDY

corning the Roanoke difficulties, we
gather the following facts which We
believe is about a correct statement OF 'n0
affair. On Wednesday morning tho neSi"
Thomas Smith bought some grapes !"
Mrs. Bishop woman in the market ~
told her that they were ordered by lauy
who would pay her. She followed III" "
the house pointed out and entered a 'oO"'
lie Immediately locked tue door and DC,
manded her money. She gave him al
she had, $500, and begged hin nO' ~
kill her He endeavored to cut her 'n.O''
with a razor but she knocked IL 0uV -
his hand lie then beat her with Dr'oA
untl be supposed she was dead ABOUT
a half bour afterwald she became Oon-
sciOus and gave the alarm. Inc n.kt neg,
was captured by detective about nan
miIs from the market, carried before hrS'
Bi,bop identified, and carried through
crowds of snraged citizens to the jail
The detective had placed the negro on dis
horse behind him and with drawn pistols
so.hoa for the Jail and succeeded in lock-
ing him up. 81, ,,oror
Crowds gathered arOud the jail mayor
L. Tron. ordered out military COM
nonv 70 guard the Jail. About u ?. NJ
80 nob had gathered around the Jail
for .he purpose of lynching the negro
INIT were disposed TO yield to The con-
servatiye speeches of the mayor and
H. nromiuent citizens, bat about 8
o'clock 100 people from Clover Dale IN
which neighborhoOd Mrs. Bishop lived
dosbed through the mob and pressing
through the guards made an attack on
the iAil. Explosives were used and an
a4,rt was made to break down the door.
The mob was warned that the military
would fire, but they answered will
tanpts. and soon the firing on both side;
beqan. Whether the mob first fired on The
military or the military on the mob is
disputed question. The order to fire wal
given BY Capt Bird who was in COM
mand. When the order was given it wal
intended, we judge from the evidence, t.
apply only to the soldiers facing the west
from which the main attack was made
but when it began all the company free
into the crowd, and with fearful effect
Eight persons we're killed and abou
forty wounded. The names Of thu
killed are S. a. Wick, proprietor of st
James Hotel Vim. Sheets, fireman oil
N. e. W. from Basic ; Chas. WhltDire
conductor on n. & W.; J. B. TylOr, o
Blue Ridge, a section master on the n. 4
W.; Goo. White; w. Z. Hall, fireman OF
n. & W; John Mills, of Black Greek arr
Geo. Settles. Of VintoD.
Wounded o. c. Falls, MORALLY wound
ed ; Will Eddy, shot through the groin
Geo. 0. Monroe, head; Frank Willis, arm
Themas Nelson. leg shot off; lero!
White, shot in the back J. B. MeGhee
in the leg E. J. Small, in the stomach
J.F. Powell, through the body; J. L
Wayland, clerk in P. o. in the leg ; Geo
Leigh, III the leg Walter p. HUFF, ankle
spra;ned Mayor H. S. Trout, shot in thu
foot; Emmett j. Small; J. H. Campbell
carpenter, seriously wounded; Z. Whal
ing; C.. North, o. B. Taylor, VIM
Hall, n. E. Sparks T. E. Nells, foot sho
off; Charlie Moten, colored a cClore(
woman VIM. Berry, VIM. H. Karnes
Sarah Dooley, eolored David Kennedy
MN. White, n Dooley, Wilson Wertz
Luther Inge, II. Sheppard, and SOM
Others not reported. Many of these wer'
citizens who had been led to the sceIe b.
curiosity. In the crowd Of spectator
who we're exposed TO the fire were som'
persons we'll known in this community
Among them were Messrs. A. L. Jamlson
]. V. Jamison, Hal. Bender and J. Don
Grabill, who was standing about six fee
from Mr.. Settles when be was killed
When the crowd fond out that bullet
were flying in the air, they immediatel.
dispersed. Mayor Trout having been re
moved and no civil officer left in com
mand, the negro was slipped ont of jai
and the military disbanded. The mo
soon returned and found that the negr'
had been taken away. The police il
charge of the negro took him to tn
country, but returned with him about
A. NJ. on Thursday morning. About on
dozen Of the mob met them on Frankli
street near Ninth avenue, took the negr
in charge and I'm nediately hung him o
a tree, and then emptied their pistol
into the body of the struggling wretch
His body was taken down afterward'
hauled to the banks Of The Roanoke an
burned to ashes.
The saddest feature of the Nhole atfai
is that so many lives were sacrificed o
account Of a worthless wretch who rlchl
deserved the fate that befel him.
A soronor's jury is now investigating To
affair and endevoring to fix the respons
bility for the killing of the citizens
Divested of all feelingo or prejudice, it
not difficult matter to place it where
belongs. The parties who violated La
BY attempting to interfere with the er
fOrcement of law through its regularl
constituted officers are the guilty Onei
and are legally and morally responsible
for the killing of the citizens. As far
we can judge from the various reports
Mayor Trout discharged his duty as hi
oath of Office required, and should b
commended for his efforts 10 behalf
la~ and order in Roanoke.
ElavyaY, parsOns naad