The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-01-06
The Sheriff and Posse Attacked and
Many on Both Sides Bite the
Dust.
4 Second Attack Brings Loss oil
Life to About Seyenty-Many
Wounded.
Reinf0rcemetts for Both Sides Arriy.
ing and the End is Probably
Not Yet

JOHNSTON Cry, Tenn, Jan. 6.-The
report comes from Bakersville, N. c.,
that Calvin Snypes, the murderer Of
Isaac Osborne, was lynched at that
place during the morning. In the at
tempt to prevent it eleven of the sher-
iff's posse We're killed and twenty five Of
the mob. 1t was one of the bloodiest riots
that ever occurred in North Carolina
and messenger just from there says
that second battle has been fought in
which at least twenty-five more men
We're killed besides large number being
wounded. Bakersville has no tele-
graph communication and the news is
brought by courier, consequently the
exact state of affairs cannot be learned.
1t is stated that eight of the wounded
have since died, which would swell the
list Of the killed to about seventy.
The whole country is going wild over
! the war between law and order and
outlawry, and recruits are arriving
hourly from the adjoining counties for
both sides.
Details of the Battle.
The last attack on the Mitchell county
Jail was made at o'clock Tuesday
night. The structure is frame
building and not made to with
stand an attack, but the sheriff, with
about seventy-fve determined men,
who had decided they would see the
law upheld or die, took their stand
there. The attack was expected all
day. Tuesday the outlaws OF Mitchell,
McDougall and Yancey counties as
sembled in the little town of Bakers
vile, until the population of 500 was
about doubled. At A O'Clock in the aft
ernoon formal demand was made on
the sheriff for Snypes and the two
Whitsons by amessenger from the mob,
who approached the Jail under flag of
truce. To this the sheriff responded,
eve VIII Die First"
Then they knew there would be a
fight. The little force divided into
three parties, one remaining in the Jail
and the other two occupying the sher-
IFS house and the main building. Win
chesters were loaded and the fight on
the final struggle began. The men
were not held in suspense. The night
would be bright with moonlight and it
was useless for the mob to wait for
darkness. About sundown the first at
tack was made. At least 500 men
marched up the road and then with a
howl broke on run for the Jail. The
garrison was ready for them. "Halt,
or I'll give the order to fire." was the
warning OF Sheriff Moomaw. No at
tention was paid to his words Fire" !"
rang out the order, and seventy five
rifles poured direct and fanking
Hall OF Bullets
into the determined lynchers. They
wavered moment as score of them
went down, but with the steadiness of
veterans closed mp their ranks and
rushed forward again under the leader
ship OF a gigantic mountaineer, who
urged them forward with the old ''rebei
YELL" Again the rifles of the besieged
rang out and this time they were
answered by concentrated fire from
the mob. The aim was deadly. Every
window on the exposed sides OF the
building occupied by the defenders was
shot out and dozen men wounded OF
killed. Their bodies hampered those
I deputies who were unharmed and only
few could close up to the window and
return the volley before the mob was
upon them. There was short struggle
What were rs men against 5u0f A few
revolver shots, hundred dubbed rife.
and all was over The deputies, with
their leader. Sheriff Moomaw, mortally
wounded. were
In the Hands Of the Mob
and every one of them We're looking
down the muzzles of at least three Win
chesters. There was no hope for fur
ther resistance and the fate OF the thre'
murderers was sealed. Without witt
ing to pick up the dead Or care for tn,
wounded, the mob made rush at th'
door Of the jail and It went down be
fore the shoulders Of a score Of stalwar
men. The prisoners were reached
They were the only ones in the jail AM
the mob had no trouble IN breaking
down the frail cells. Half dead wit
fright, the culprits were dragged on