The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-09-21
SHOT AT THE MOB.
Militiamen Who Obeyed
Orders.
THERE WAS NO LYNCHING.
Though Crowd Gathered to
Hang a Negro.
THEY FIRST FIRED ON THE JAIL.
The Mayor Was Badly Wounded
and Then the Troops Were
Brought Into Action.

ROANOKE, Va, Sept 2O.-One of the
most daStardly outrages in the history of
the city occurred at bout 10 o'clock this
morning. Mrs. Henry 5. Bishop was en-
ticed by a negro of the name OF Thomas
Smith from the market, where she had
come to sell produce. into an empty saloon
basement, beaten into insensi5lity and
robbed of her pocket-bOOk, containing less
than 81. The fend was captured and
lodged n Jail.
A crowd gathered around the Jail and
kept increasing as the night approached,
and at o'clock the Roanoke Light Infan-
try was marched to the Jail by order of
Mayor Trout. Guards were posted and
the streets in the immediate vicinity were
cleared.
At about dark the crowd was increased
by 100 men from the vicinity of the
wOman's home. headed by Mrs. Bishops
son, and at O'Clock portion of the mob
battered at the side door of the Jail. where
the militia and Mayor Trout had retired
Shooting was commenced by the mob, and
the Mayor was shot in the foot. The
militia was then ordered to return the fire,
and vOlley from about twenty-five rifles
poured into the mob. 1t is thought about
FIVE men were killed by the fire and as
many more wounded, some of them fatally
The mob had surrounded the jail and be-
gan 20 batter at the door, Stones few
through the windows and the doors were
about to give way when a vollev of lead
struck terror to the heart of the mob.
The assailants stood a moment, and.
turning their attention from the jail, fired
on the soldiers. Round after round fol-
lowed in quick succession, and in few
minutes the avenue was clear Of every
thing save the bodies of the dead and dy
ing
There were fully 5000 persons in the
vicinity OF the Jail when the militia began
firing, but the greater part of them were
there only to see what was being done.
Five hundred is a fair estimate of the
number of men who participated in the
attack upon the jail.
At the first volley thousands fad and
many were knocked down In the rush.
None were seriously injured. The firing
of the militia was evidently great sur
prise, not only to the mob but to the citi-
2ens generally.
As soon as the dead and wounded were
cared for the excitement and indignation
was again at fever heat and the mob bswOre
vengeance on the militia and the Mayor
and started again for the Jail.
1t was then that the Judge persuaded
them to desist, but crowds continued to
hang around and to denounce the action
of the authorities in no unmistakable
terms.
During the excitement caused by the
volley. the negro was taken from the Jail by
the officers and secreted. The dead and
wounded were removed to drugstore and
to the offices of nearby physicians. The
militia then dispersed and left the scene as
quietly as possible.
The following is list Of the dead as far
as known at present:
:. A. Wick, hotel proprietor.
VIII Sheeiz, fireman on the railroad.
Charles w. Whitmire, conductor on the
railway.
r. b. Taylor of Blue Ridge.
George White.
w. Jones. engineer on the railroad.
John Mills, distiller, of Back Greek.
Emmett J. Small of Northwest Roanoke
George Settles of Vinton.
The injured are:
Otto Falls.
viii Eddoe. shot through the groin.
George o. Monroe. shot in the head.
Frank Mills, shot in the arm.
Tom Nelson. leg shot off.
Leroy White. shot in the back.
j. b. McGhee. shot in the leg.
w. Shepard, shot in the leg.
Z. J. Small. shot in the abdomen.
Charles Powell, shot through the body.
j. II. Campbell.
Edward Wahlin.
G. w. FiDgatt.
G. p. North.
O. b. Taylor.
- Hall.
David Ruggles.
n. L. Sparks.