Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-09-16
SWUNG UP AND SHOT.
JESSE MITCHELL HANGED TO APiNe'
TREE AT AMELIA COURTHOUSE.
Taken from Ja,i After Mi6oishs By .
Determined Party OF Cistssns-Hh
Crime-Iu Prison Here

Between IL and 1 o'clock yesterday
morning Jesse Mitchell was taken out OF
tho jail at Amelia Courthouse by lynch
ing party, hanged to a pine tree and his
body riddied with bullets,
The crime for which the negro suffered
was criminal assault upon little white
girl named Jane Thrayes, tho step-daugh-
ter OF a respectable farmer OF the neigh
borhood. and was committed on the 2sth
of July. 1891.
The deed created great excitement In
Amelia at the time. and when Mitchell
was arrested, so great wero the threats
OF lynching that on August 7. 1891, Judge
/ aiiar sent tn, pri soner to the Richmond
city Jail for safe keeping.
THE LAWS DELAY.
On his first trial Mitchell was found
guilty and sentenced to be hanged. but
took an appeal TO the supreme Court
OF Appeals, and the Judgment OF tho
lower court was reversed. From the TN
OF August. 1891, until the 10th OF this
month Mitchell was in Jail here. save at
short intervals. whef he was taken TO
Amelia In connection with soIne court p<o-
ceedings In his case. While hero he was
ployed a yard boy
on Sunday last he left the city Jail for
the last time. On Monday he was again
put on trial On Tuesday the jury again
found him guilty. and again IL was ad-
judged that he should suffer the extreme
penalty.
Judge Coleman. OF the Circuit Court.
before whom the negro was tried. set
the verdict aside because OF a technical
Ft...s. al Ava IN A.
terday.
This was too much for the people OF Ame
LA. who were thoroughly convinced OF
the guilt OF the prisoner, and were tired
OF delays and technicallties, and they took
the law into their own hands.
SYSTEMATIC PLANS.
The lynchers evidently laid their plans
systematically. and took no one into their
confidence who could not keep a secret.
The first the residents of the Courthouse
knew OF the matter was the noise OF
hammerlng at the Jail. and cries OF
murder" and have pity" The doors
OF the jail was broken into with sledge-
hammer and crowbar. and Mitchell was
hurried 10 his doom before many or the
half-aroused villagers realized what was
going on. The whole tragedy was en-
acted i'm less time almost than IL takes
90 write II. and the avengers OF little
Jane Thraves dispersed as mysteriously
as they had gathered. The party mum
bered about thlrty-hve but citizens or
Amelia who were In Richmond yesterday.
knew not who they were, whence they
came, or whittier they went.
TOLD TO BE DUMB.
In the cell with Mitchell was negro
from Richmond. who was awaiting trial
for cutting a man on an excursion train.
IL was stated yesterday that he was
taken along TO witness the lynching. ana
then told to depart and remain dumb.
else he would be treated rs had been
Mitchell. 1t IL needless TO say that he did
rot stand upon the order OF his going but
went at once.
Rev. Mr.. Wertonbaker. the Methodist
minister at Amelia Courthouse, heard the
cries Of Mitchell, as he was being hurried
along the streets of the village, and run
ring out In his night clothes begged 1he
lynchsrs to desst and let the law take
It's course. His appeals were useless
however.
During Mitchell's two years coniine-
u,ent I'm the city iail he steadfastly MAIN
talned that he was innocent
MIGHT HAVE BEEN CLEARED.
Mr.. william NJ Flanagan. Of Powhatan.
J who defended Mitchell IN botn tflaiS anu
/ succeeded twice In having the death sen-
| tence set aside. was In the city y"ster-
/ day. Talking with "A party of friends
/ last night Mr.. Flanagan aaid Nc felt per-
| fectly confident that with another hear-
Ing his client would have been acquitted.
While Il was true that both iuries be-
fore which the case was heard found
verlicts of guilty, he had come into pos
session OF certain evidence which would
hive proved that Mitchell did no. COM
NIT the crime with which he was charged
and for which he answered wIth his life.
The victims body remained swinging
from the pine limb until the arrival.
during the forenoon yesterday. OF the
coroner. who took charge Of u and held
an inquest Commemorative Attorney
Southall. who prosecuted the negro. and
Mr.. Thomas VI. Miller. Of Powhatan.
who was attending the Amelia Court,
heard the noise incident to the hanging.
but before they could dress and 90 out
to the iall the execution" was over
and the crowd had retired. The body was
| found dangling from the pine tree limb.