New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-09-22
BRUTAL WORK AT ROANOKE.
WILD VENGEANCE ON A NEGRO.
ROBERT SMITH HANGED AND RIDDLED
WITH BULLETS.
HIS BODY THEN BURNED BY THE MOB.
DETERMINED MEN SEIZE THEIR VICTIM BEFORE
DAYBREAK As HE Is BEING TAKEN BACK
TO JAIL AND USE THE NEAREST TREE
FOR A GALLOwS-A CLERGY

MANS BRAVE ACT


Roanoke. Va. Sept 81 l.-Rotert Smith, the negro
who assaulted Mrs. Henry Bishop yesterday, and
in the riot over whom several citizens were shot,
was hanged shortly he or, o'clock this mornmg.
Wnr J. Allen Watts. Judge Woods and others
were addr ssing the crowd, Srgeant Grinn, with
two officers took the negro lrom the Jail and
spirited him ont of town. They carried hIn across
tr river into the woods, but toward dIylight
securing the adjacent county. They thou gllt il
best 10 bring THEN prisoner back to town and
place him in Jail. They wer proceeding to tho
Jail when squad of men, ahont twenty IN nuu,-
ber rushed upon them and took the prisoner.
With shouts and yells the determined men took
the negro to the nearest tree. lie was hanged
10 a hickory limb, and his body rIddlcd with
bullets and horribly mangled IL was all over
J. lore } o'clock AMI the small body Of men who
had done the work had dispersed.
CROwIs At THE CHASTITY SCENE
With the break of day erowds of people began
to throng the street. leading to the scene Of the
lat' st tragedy. Dangling at the end Of small
hemp rope the dead body of the negro. His
face was bloody, distorted and swollen.
load Of shot had been fired into his back, literally
tearing his coat TO pieces. The rope was tied
in regulation hangman's knot. and the negro's
feet we'll above the groulid.
Coroner Gray and jury repaired early TO the
scene Of the ynching and after reviewing the body
of the dead man, rendered verdict that the negro
came to his death at the hands of persons unknown
TO them.
After the inquest the officers were ordered to
take charge Of the body, but the surging mass Of
men which had by this time assembled would
not let them touch him. A coal cart passing near
by was pressed into service and the body thrown
intc it, II was then hauled TO Mayor Trouts
home on Campbell-ave., it apparently Icing the
intention of the mob TO bury it in MS 'front.'
yard At this critical moment the Rev. w. O.
Campbell appeared upon the scene and told the
mob that such proceedings would never do. lilo
at last dissiadcd them from carrying out their
plan.
THE VICTIMS BODY BURNED
The body during this time had not been re-
moved from the cart, so AT the suggestion OF some
one in the crowd they took il over 10 the edge OK
the river 10 burn it, Fence. were torn down,
Store boxes taken. and some one with an axe cut
down several cedir trees near by. The dry wooa
WAS laid in "A large pile, but arranged so that it
would burn freely. On this heap the negroes
body was laid On top OF all the cedat ponsns
were thrown and two gallons Oh coal OH tlrI VII
10 il and the flames shot rapidly upward
Ii was not long before the crowd dlsperseu'
but all the morning men. and occasionally wome,Is
We're seen gong toward ths place oi ,nnI ia
sirons of contributing 10 the Elaze by throwing
"A twig or clip on IT, MI that rrmaiheu %,
Smith AZ noon were few ashes ann h,'re atIu
there "a bone, hut the fire was sun n,rnins urn
tercely and thos, standing around said that IL
should burn until there was not vtstlge 70
naming.