Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1893-11-03
THE OEb DOMINION.
A Days Happenings As Told
By the Wires.
THE ROANOKE RIOT
Coed Pay Eut Little Work.-HorSes
Swept Away in the Flood.-COl-
lapse of Grand Stand in New
port News. Sudden Death
in Chesterfield.

The special grand jury A. M. Nelson,
foreman, which was in session for three
weeks, concluded their labors by returning
the following indictments
For lynching the negro Smith on the
morning of the 21st Of September Walter
s. Boone; Edward Page and Frank Shep-
herd, with J. F. Terry and A. H. Griffin, as
accessories before the fact.
For melting a riot and attempting to
break into the Jail; Walter Davis, d. d.
Kennedy, A. Perry, Thomas Bugg, James G.
Richardson, S. W. FuQua, and Brown
Myers.
l. The burning of the body and attempt TO
break open the Jail are classed as misde-
meanors. The alleged lynchers are indicted
for murder in the first degree.
The grand-juy report accompanying the
Indictment is u document of seven or eight
pages OF legal cap, AMI Is In substance as
follows; They say after examining zoo wit
nesses they find it difficult to reach q salts
factory conclusion in many o ses. They
then give an account CT the negro Thomas
: Smiths assault and robbery OF HRS. Bishop,
of his capture and confinement in the city
Jail and tell how the Judge of the Hastings
Court in order TO insure a speedy trial at
once summoned special grand jury to in
vestigate the crime. Notwii hstanding this
large number OF persons not disposed to
allow the law to take it's course, assembled
in front OF the jail, and staid there ali day,
in threatening attitude. To protect the
prisoner and sustain the law, Mayor Trout
called out the military company.
Between and s o'clock in the evening
the crowd augmented it was said by par
tics from the country, forced the picket ne,
and was so turbulent that the Mayor and
others, who had mingled with them warning
them to desist, had to retire into police
headquarters. Notwithstanding the crowd
had been warned th~t the guns OF the SOL
diers were loaded with powder and ball, AMI
that they would cot, the mob made an
attack on the side door OF the Jail, shatter
ing it badly.
Finding their efforts to make them desist
were answered by jeers and missiles tn;
order was given to the military to fire. The
mob continued to crowd towards the build
ing until the military on the north end
Oront) of the Jail were forced to fire. In
the confusion and darkness it was impossi-
BILE for the military 10 distinguish spectators,
who had elected to stay there at their own
peril, from riotous law-breakers, and while
some spectators may have been killed, a
portion OF the killed and Wounded W re tax
ing an active part in the attempt to break in
the Jail
Although Mayor Trout, after being
wounded, was urged by his friends to leave
the Jail, the grand jury a'e of tho opinion
that the ends Of justice could have been at
tanned If the jlil hal been held. The pris
oner never should have been taken out of
Jail. With the spectators absent, as they
would have been in q second attack, the
mob would have been much less formidable
and easier dealt with. The police force, the
grand jury says, was in demoralized con-
dition. After the Mayor was taken away
theycoull have rem DYED the prisoner to a safe
place, and the city would have been spared
the digraceful scenes of that night and of
the following day, when it ha 4 no protection
and was absolutely given over to mob law.
There were no means for good citizens 10
get together to aid in r, storing order.
The riotous speeches then made cannot be
censurel to severely. The attempt 10 drag
the dead negro through the streets, and the
burning of his body was an exhibition oil
brutality hardly ever exhibited in a civilized
country, and the brave men who, in the face
of an angry mob, resisted this, deserve The
highest commentator. In conclusion, the
grand jury says if trials for crime were has
tened, the law would be vindcated, and the
public would be content to let the culprit re.
ceive his punishment legally. Judge Woods
thanked the grand jury for the care and
fidelity with which they had discharged
their duty, and dismissed Thorn from further
service.