The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1893-09-28
A TERRIBLE TRAGEDY.
EIGHT LYNoHERs KILLED.
They Were Seeking The Life of Muir.
derous Negro, and Who Was
Lynched Later.


Lynched La.er.
At Roanoke, Va, Robert Smith, a negro.
, on Wednesday assaulted and nearly killed
Mrs. Henry Bishop, wife OF well.to do
farmer OF Bo,etourt county. Mrs Bishop
was at the market with load of produce
and Smith bought a box OF grapes. lie ask
ed her to go with him to get the money, and
taking her to a house nearby locked the
door and bound her. Then, drawing razor
he demanded her money. She gave ii up
and while doing so ierked the razor from
his hand. The negro choKed her, threw her
down and pounded her head with a brick
leaving her for dead. Mrs Bishop shortly
ai'erwnrd regaiued consciousness and
returning to the market. told Of the outrage
Detective Baldwin soon arrested the negro
The excited crowd attempted to take Smith
away from the officer aud lynch him. but
Baldwin with the prisoner on horse dash
Ell at full speed In face OF the crowd and
soon had hi mbehind the bars. An immense
crowd gathered around the Jail and keep
ncr easing as night approached.
At . a. clock the Roanoke Light infantry
marched TO the Jail by orders of Mayuf
Trout. Guards were posted and the streets
In the immediate vicinity cleared. About
dark the crowd increased by a hundred
men from near the woman's home. headed
by Mr.. Bishops son. fireman OH the Nor
!olk and Western railroad. At O'Clock
portions OF the mob battered in the side
door nf the Jail, where the militia and
Mayor Trout had retired. Then shootins
was commenced by the moh. and the mayor
aal. 80 h. foot lao.
dered to return the fire and voley from
about % rifles was pour Il into the mob
Eight men were killed Uy this fire and NOR,
than that mum Der wounded, some of then
fatally
During the excitement caused by the vol
ley the negro was taken from the Jail by
an officer and secreted
the militia remain under the ma, ors
orders. although 1t is probable that they
will not lie called out again. Mayor Trout
firm IN the position he has taken aud de.
clarcs that he will uphold the law.
The following is "a list Of The dead and in.
juted:
Dead-s. A. Wick. Will Shcetz, Chns w
Whitmire, J. .B. Tyler Geo. White, W f. Hall
John Mills, Emmett J. Small and Geo. SGT.
ties.
lnjured-Otto Falls Wir Eddy. Geo. o
Monroe Frank Wells Tom Nelson, lcrn,
White, J. =. McChee, A. Shepard. r. !
Small. J, +. Powell J, II. Campbell Ell
gar Wahling. c. W. Fiegatt c. T.. North o.
Il. Taylor, 4 Hall, David Ruggles, n. Il.
Srarss, Geo. Leigh, Walter =. Hun, Mayor
II. ;. Trout, Susan Dooley Emmct Small
Chas. oten. Wm. Berry and +. f. Nelms.
small Falls, Eddy, Powell and Campbell
will probably die,
LATER.
While J. Allen Wa t. Judge Woods an;
OF hers were endeavoring to quiet thu
nu.H rtn nd nfIf
the negro from the jail into the woods. TO
wards daylight they were notified that
sounds of men were securing the entire
adjacent country and they thought it bes
TO tase their prisoner hack 10 Jail. They wer,
proceeding along the Franklin road, near
Tenth avenue. when q squad OF men. about
% in number rushed upon Them and seized
the prisoner. With shouts and yells the
determined men rushed the negro 10 tn.
nearest tree, where he was hanged TO G
hickory limb, his body riddlei with bullet,
and horribly mangled. Il was all over by
3 o'clock and the small body Of men whc
had done the work had dispersed.
With the break of q y crowds Of people
began to throng the streets leading tn the
scene OF the latest tragedy in this terribl,
drama.
The sight was horrible to behold. Dang
ling at the end of a small hemp rope was
the dead body of the negro His face was
bloody, distorted and swollen A load OF
sh jt had been fired into his back, literally
tearing his coat Ia pieces. The ropes were
tied in regulation hangman's knot and
the negro's feet were well above The ground
The corners jury rendered q v rdict that
the negro came TO his death at the hands OF
persons unknown. After the inquest the
officers were ordered TO take charge of the
body, but the surging mass OF avencing men
which had by that time assembled woud
not let them touch him. 4 coal cart pass.
sN.s.
body thrown into II. IL was then haue ed to
Mayor Trouts residence on Campbell
avenue and 1t seemed 20 be the int n.
ton or the mob TO bury IL in his front yard
At this critical moment Rev. W. C. Camp.
bell appeared upon the scene and told the
mob that such procedure would never do
lie spoke kindly to them and at last dis
suaded them from carrying out their plan.
At the suggestion OF tsomeone they took the
body to the edge OF the river To burn IT,
Fences were torn down store boxes picked
up. and someone with an AK cut down some
cedar trees near by.
The dry wood was laid in n large pile, but
arranged so that 1t would burn freely. On
this neap the negro's body was laid. On ton
Of it the cedar boughs were thrown and two
gallons of coal oil poured ON the dry wood
The match was touched 10 IL and the flames
from the burning oil shot rapidly up. II
was an awful sight Everyone contributed
something 10 me OlaIe Dy throwing twig
or chip OF II. All that WAS remaining of
Smith at noon was a few ashes and here and
there bone but the fire was burning fierce.
ly and those standing around said that it
should burn ill there was no a vestige
left.
The military claim that the mob was re.
peatcdly warned thH, they would be shot. but
received these warnings with jeers and final.
~ replied with voliey fired at Capt Bird
who then ordered the men To fire at the mob
which was battering down the side door Of
.he Jail.
More trouble IL feared but every effort
8 being made to calm the excited crowds.
THE CENSUS REPORT,
Work Is Still Progressing on the Big