The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-01-05
on o run for the jail. The garrison wal

ready for them.
HALT or I'll give the order to FIRE." rang
out from Sheriff Moomaw's mouth. No at
tention was paid to the warning.
Fire" rang out the order. and seventy.
five rifles poured q direct ard thanking hail
of bullets into the determined lynchers.
They wavered moment as O score of them
went down. but with the steadiness of
veterans closed up their ranks and rushed
forward again under tho leadership of o
gigantic mountaineer. who urged them for
ward with the old rebel YELL"
Again the rifles rang out, and this time
they were answered by q concentrated fiie
from the mob. The aim was deadly.
Every window on the exposed sides of the
building occupied By the defenders wasshot
and score of men fell wounded or killed.
Their bodies hampered those who were nm
harmed. and before they could close MP
the windows and return the fire the mob
was upon them. There was brief strug-
gle. 1t was fifty men against five hun
dred. After few shots all was over
Every one of the defenders was looking into
the muzzIes of at least three Wlnchesters
Sheriff Moomaw was probably mortally
wounded. and there was no use in further
resistance.
Without whiting to pick mp the dead or
care for the wounded. the mob made
rush at the door of the jail, and it went
down before the shoulders of o score of
stalwart men. The prisoners were reached.
They were the only ones in the
jaiI, and the mob had no trouble
in breaking down the frail cells.
Half dead with fear. the cuiprits
were dragged out into the open. where
ropes were placed around their necks, with
one hundred men with thirst for blood at
the end of each The wretches were dragged
over the rocks to q woodland half q mile
away. Behind them followed the remain
der of the mob, shooting at the prostrate
forms at every step. The victims were un-
doubtedly dead before they had been
dragged twenty yards. and it was the mere
semblance of human forms that were strung
up when the woods were reached. Then
the mob returned to look for the dead and
wounded.
In the little Enclosure and on the road in
front of the jail twenty-five bodies were
found, and in the three buildings eight
more were rigid IN death. About thirty
others were wounded. some of them fatally.
among these being gallant Sheriff Moomaw.
He was shot twice through the chest and
three times through the abdomen.
Nothing definite is known of the wound
ed, as Bakersville is a long way from q
telegraph office. and all news brought to
this point or johnson City, in Tennessee,
received four more of the sherlfl's posse are
reported dead and five more of the mob.
j.
intense excitement it is not believed
there will be any more bloodshed unless q
call is made upon the Governor for troops
If this is done. every mountain moonshiner
for miles around will be summoned to re-
sist them, as these people have little 70.
spect for any thing but local law. AS far as
they are concerned the case Is closed. as
both the sheriff's posse and tho mob are re-
Garded as having done their duty in dying
with their boots on for their principles.
LATER.-A courier has just arrived VIII o
states that the mob. instead of dispensing
as expected, remained upon the ground
The scattered handful of the sheriff's
posse also remained under arms and was
being rapidly reinforced and the mob was
augmented. Feeling ran high, and after q
few speeches the posse resolved to avenge
Sheriff Moomaw's death. Another battle
took place shortly after noon, in which at
least twenty-five more men were killed.
What will be the result no one here can
tell, but troops are expected.
The facts which led up to the terrible
affray are as follows: Aaron Wiseman and
Calvin SnIpes were partners in an Illicit
distillery IN Mitchell county. North Caro-
lima. and had told William Osborne and
Isaac Osborne, two brothers. where the
distiliery was situated. William Osborne
reported the distillery to the officials
at Bnkersvlle. n. C., ane helped
them to destroy il. Wiseman and Spipcs
suspected Isaac Osborne as the reporter.
On the night of AnG. 81 Snipes and WISE
man, armed with Winchesters, went to the
house of Isaac Osborne and called him up.
Mr.. Osborne came to the door, and the for
mer opened fire, almost riddling Osborne
with bullets. Wiseman and Snipes were
arrested. but sufficient evidence could not
be obtained against WIsoman. and he was
released. Snipes was bound to the Supe-
rior Court on purely circumetantial evil
dence. He was placed in Jail, and after
being confined about two weeks confessed
TO the killing in the manner ebove related.
For fully two months plans for lynching
Snipes have been in progress. Petitions
were circulated by VIM. Osborne. brother
of the deceased. to get men to help
him In the lynchiDg. and in this he
wasemipently successful. Over fve-hun
dred men signed his petition and held