The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-04-25
A MAD MOB OF LYNCHERS.
Denmark Crying For a Negroes Life
With His Guilt in Doubt.

Cool Heads Trying to Secure More
Time For the Prisoner to Prove His
Innocence His Victim and Her
Brother Unable to Identify Him as
Their Assailant.
Denmark, 5. c., April 24.-The excite
ment that has prevailed in this usually
quiet little town since the outrage of
Mamie Baxter on April IA. and which
came so near eliminating in the lynching
Of Henry Williams on Friday last, was
renewed by the bringing of John Peter
son, the negro who surrendered himself
to Gov 1'illman on Saturday last, back
here this morning. At every station be-
low Columbia the crowds increased, many
of them coming here When the train
arrived here at least 100 men awaited it,
with about fifty disembarking The
negro was mt once taken TO Sem
ator Mayhelds office, together with
his witnesses by whom he hoped to estab-
lish an albi. a citizens court was opened
by about fifteen of the most influential
and older men as court and jury. Senator
Mayfeld and ex-senator Soiourner acted
as intclTocators Peterson was allowed
to tell his own story of his whereabouts
from the Monday prior to tho crime until
the Sunday after. He claimed to have
left here on Wednesday morning prior to
going to NOrth's, where he remained
until Sunday His story was closely cor
roborated BY three or four negroes from
North's and partially so by one white
man.
CONTRADICTORY TESTIMONY.
The witnesses then put mp were a white
man and a negro woman. The former swore
he saw Peterson here on Thursday prior
to the crime, and the lattcr that he played
cards here Thursday night and left on
Friday morning early, going toward the
scene of the crime. Two white men
swOre that the women with whom he
claimed to have slept on Thursday night
told them that Peterson was here and
was guilty of the crime in her opinion.
Peterson was then taken before Miss
Baxter, nearlyGcvery one agreeing that
the evidence was strongly against him.
Miss Baxter and her little brother both
failed TO identify him. Up TO this time
the crowd had been cool but de-
tcrmiued The return OF the prisoner
under Constable Weeks was slow and the
crowd in the meantime began TO doubt the
girls ability to tell who her assailant
was.
HER FATHER EXCITEs THE CROWD.
Meanwhile her father returned and
gave way TO tears and rage, saying she
would never be able to identify her assail-
ant. This excited the crowd and they
began to clamor for hanging. When the
prisoner arrived it looked as II he would
be taken and lynched Constable Weeks
said that the first man who put his hands
on him while iE his care he would kill,
and he drow his pistol. The officers car
ried the negro to the guard house and
locked him up All the after
noon it has looked as il
lynchiuP could not be prevented
Senator Mayfield, Senator Soiourner and
others have pleaded for patience and other
arrests, and holding Peterson until his
comrades, Joe Wilchcm and Harvey White,
could be arrested. White has been ar
rested in Backville and is now on his
way here. Things still look squally for
Peterson and if he is not lynched tonight
it will be surprising. A negro preacher
is now in prison praying with him and
endeavoring briefly to prepare him for
death.
THE NEGRO LYNCHED.
Denmark. S. c., April "a, II p. m.-Har-
vey White arrived here at Z o'clock and
was at once taken before Miss Baxter.
Before anything was heard from there
the mob became impatient, broke the
prison open and took Peterson out and
went to the scene of the crime, three
miles away.
The negro was hanged to sapling near
the scene of the crime and as the sapling
swung upward his neck was evidently
broken, as no struggle took place. Imme-
diately hundred shots riddled his body.
The corpse was left hanging. The coroner
arrived about that time
Peterson never confessed, though he
was urged to do so.