The morning call., 1893-09-22
BURNED HIS BODY.
At the Mercy of a Mad
Southern Mob.
BLOOD PAYS FOR BLOOD.
Frightful Punishment Given to a
Negro Criminal.
BLOOD PAYS FOR BLOOD.
NO PITY NOR HOPE OF PITY.
Hanged in the Presence of Thousands
and His Corpse Thrown Upon
Funeral Pyre.

ROANOKE, Va, Sept. 21.-The negro,
Thomas Smith, who assaulted Mrs. Henry
Bishop last night, was lYnched at daylight
this morning After last nights fatal en-
counter with the militia the mob, instead
of dis spersing, as it was hoped it would do
when the negro had been secreted and the
Mayor and the Light Guards Company had
withdrawn from the jail. began a dil!gent
search for the secreted prisoner. He was
found at last in the custody of the police
man who had agreed to hide him. and with
fendish yells of exultation the mob fell
upon its victim. The poor wretch. too
frightened even to beg for life. was liter
ally dragged from the grasp of the police
man. taken to the very center of the resi-
denGe part OF town and there hanged to
tree in the presence of thousands of ex-
cited men.
Meanwhile not miltiaman appeared on
the street. there was not an officer in sight
and Mayor Trout and Captain Byrd of
the militia had them selves fled TO avoid the
vengeance of the mob. The negro was al
lowed to hang for several hours, the crowd
meanwhile gathering strength, though
they withdrew to little distance when
the Coroner arrived upon the scene to
view the body.
Coroner Gray and jury came early, and
after viewing the body entered verdict
that the negro came to his death at the
hands of persons unknown to them.
After the inquest officers were ordered
to take charge of the body, but a surging
mass of men assembled and would not
let them touch it. A coal cart passing by
was pressed into service. and the body
was thrown into it.. 1t was then hauled to
Mayor Troutt's residence. it seemingly
being the intent of the mob to bury it in
the front yard. At this moment Rev. Mr..
Campbell appeared and dissuaded the
crowd from carrying out their plan.
Then they took the body to the edge of
the river to burn it, and fences were torn
down, store boxes taken and some one
with an ak cut down several cedar trees
near by. The dry wood was laid in a large
pile and on the heap the negro's body was
placed. On top of all loose cedar boughs
were thrown and then. just before touch
ing a match to the pile, two gallons of coal
oil were poured over it. A match was
touched to it and the flames shot rapidly
up. 1t was an awful sight. 1t was not
long before the crowd dispersed, but all
the morning men and sometimes an occa-
sionaJ woman could be seen going toward
the place of burning.
All that was left of Smiths body at noon
was few ashes and here and there bone,
but the fire was still burning, and those
standing around said it should burn till
there was not a vestige remaining.
Mayor Trout, who was wounded in the
foot last night, was carried to the Ponce
de Leon Hotel to-day. but owing to the
threats OF the mob he was removed from
there to the country. where he still is.
Acting Mayor Buckner has assumed con-
troll and has suspended the Chief of Police
and several officers. The COroner's jury
is still in session. as it has been all day in
vestigating the cause of the tragedy, but it
has not yet completed its labors despite
the fact that it has agreed that the negro
came to his death at the hands of parties
unknown to it. There are inquess to be
held upon the bodies of the men shot by
the militia at the Mayors order. and there
may be some sensational developments
when these verdicts are brought in.
The town is quiet tonight and the streets
almost deserted. Eight men were killed
and twenty-five injured last night.