The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-01-05
WAR AT BAkERSTILLE
Desperate Battle in North Carolina Be-
tween officers and a Mob.
Sheriff and His Deputies vainly Endeayor
to Protect Prisoners from the Fury
of Would-Be Lynchers.
Thirty or More Persons Shot to Death
in the First Encounter.
Sc yenty.Five Men Attempt to Defend Frame
Jail from Five Hundred Armed and De-
termined MountaineerS.
VolIeys Fired from Both Sides and the
Building Riddled with Bullets.
The Brave Sheriff end q large Number Of His
Posse Either Killed or Wounded Before
They Were 0verpOwered.
Three Prisoners Dragged from the Jail,
Shot and Afterwards Hanged.
| Thirty-Three Dead Bodies Found After the
First ARRAY, and Thirty Persons Suf-
fering from Serious Wounds.
Thirty-Three Dead Bodies Found After the
First ARRAY, and Thirty Persons Suf-
fering from Serious Wounds.
Another Battle Reported, in Which
Twenty-Five We're Killed.
The Feeling Still Running High, and 1t Is
Believed the End Has Not Been Reached
Troops Will Be Resisted.
WAR IN NORTH CAROLINA.
Many Persons Killed In q Fight Between
Officers and a Mob.

Many Persons Killed in Fight Between
officers and a Mob.
JOHNSON City, Tenn, Jan. 4-Last night
q masked mob OF five hundred men entered
the jail at Bakersville. N. c., and took Cal
vim Snipes to q dense forest about half
mile away and lynched him. Eleven of
the sherif7s posse were killed In their ef-
forts to defend the prisoner. Eleven of tho
mob were also killed. and among the killed
and wounded some of the most prominent
men In the county were the unfortunates.
Another dispatch confirms the first re-
port and says 1t was one of the bloodiest
riots that ever occurred in North Carolina.
A messenge just from Bakersfield says that
both sides are still fighting and many more
people are being killed. Those of the
Williams. Daniel Ritchie, Robert Jones.
Philip Sama. Elmer Johnson. William Reed,
Thomas Beckner, Wallace Laws. Nathan
Pannel, George Hatfield and Tom Hale.
Those of the mob: John Worth, William
Osborne, Theodore Bailitf. William Perry.
John Osborne, Phil Crowder, James Nance.
Will Butler. Hagery Byrd. Owen Thomas
and Jack Phillips. The whole country is
going wild over the war between law and
disorder, and recruits are arriving hourly
from the adjoining counties for both sides.
Another Desperate Battle.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
MARION, n. c., Jan. 4.-Another desper-
ate battle has taken place between Sheriff
Moomaw's deputies and the mob of lynch
ers at Bakersville, Mitchell county. this
State. Calvin Snipes and the Whitsons
have been lynched, but the vengeance of
the mob cost at least thirv more lives
The names of those of the sheriff's posse
who arc known to have been
killed are: Tom Beckner, Tom Hale.
George Hatfield Elmer johnson,
Robert Jones. Wallace Laws. Nathan
Pannel. Wm. Reed. Dan Ritchie. Philip Sans
James Williams. Those OF the mob known
to have been killed are: Theodore BaiIiff,
Will Butler, Hagery Byrd, Phil Crowder,
Jim Nance, John Osborne, William Os-
borne William Perry, Jack Phillips, Owen
Thomas John Worth.
The last attack on the Mitchell county
iail was made at o'clock Tuesday night.
The structure is frame building and little
calculated to withstand an assault. But
Sheriff Mooman had it garrisoned with
about seventy-five determined men, who
declared that they would see the
law upheldEor die. The attack was
expected all day Tuesday. the mountain
eers of Mitchell. McDougal and Yancey
counties were assembling in the little
mountain hamlet Bakersville until the
population of Eve hundred was about
doubled. At 4 o'clock IN the afternoon
a formal demand was made upon Sheriff
by a messenger from the mob. who ap-
preached the jail under q fng of truce. To
this the garrison responded: 1--WE will die
first"
Then tho fight began. The little compa.
ny split mp into three parties. one remain
ing in the jail. and the other two occupy
ing tho sheriff's house and barn. Tho men
were not long in suspense. The night was
made bright with moonlight. and it was
useless for the mob to wait for darkness
About sundown the first attack was made