The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-09-02
SIX NEGROES LYNCHEO.
A MOb's Bloody Work in
Tennessee.
Awful Punishment Visited on
Incendiaries.
The Victims Butchered While in the
Custody Of Officers.
They We're Accused of Being Members
OF an OrE~nized Band of Fire.
bugs-rheir Bodies Filled
with Lead.
BY tho Associated Prssa

ny INV AhooCihteu
MEMPHIS, Tenn, Sept. 1.-Six negroes,
members OF an organized gang Of inoen-
diaries, were lynched by mob near
Millington, Tenn, small town on the
Chesapeake and Ohio Southwestern
railroad, 80 miles north of Memphis,
last night. The names of the dead are
Dan Hawkins, Graham White, Edward
Hall. John Hays. Robert Haynes and
William Warner.
The prisoners were in charge OF De-
tectives W. s. Richardson and A. T.
Atkinson, who had arrested them O few
houre before on charge Of arson. The
negroes were all handcuffed and
shackled. and were on their way to the
county Jail at Memphis.
When tho officers reached a dence
swamp few miles from Millington,
they were surrounded by a mob of so
men with winchester rifles and shot
guns. and commanded to halt.
Hold up your bands" yelled the
leader, and the detectives heBitated.
What does this mean 2" said one oi
them.
1T means business. Shove mp your
hands,"
By this time the detectives were
overpowsred by the mob.
When the mob surrounded the
wagon the negroes seemed to know in
stinctively what was going to happen.
They were sitting on boxee that had
been thrown about on the floor of the
wagon. One sat on the seat by Driver
Atkinson. One negro in the bottom OF
the wagon rose up and showed his
shackled hands. That motion was his
last, for q shower of bullets was poured
into his body. He fell over and out ol
the wagon into the road, dead.
tnfew uiu'ar IttSur AtKihuohS with ar
exclamation and gesture of supplication
The muzzle OF gun was showed against
his stomach and the charge was SON
through his body. Detective Atkinson
was grasped by several OF the mob
hustled mp to the side of r Richardson and
there held until the murderous work
was over.
Volley after volley was poured into
the bodies of the sheckled and man.
acled negroes in the wagon until all of
them were dead. Then the mob took
the bodies out Of the wagon, threw
them into the road and continued ia fire
into them.
Richardson and Atkinson say there
were 30 people in the mob; some of
them were not disguised, while others
had their heads encased in q dark cloth
but it WAS SO dark it would not have
been possible to recognize any one, even
had the officers been we'll acquainted
with the people in that part of the
country.
Having concluded their work, the
leader OF the mob shouted: forward
boys" Guns were shouldered and the
members OF the mob walked back into
the woods that lined the road and disap.
pesred.
The lynched negroes were all accused
OF arson, and all are said to have be-
longed to an organized band OF barn
burners that has in five years DESTROYED
~ barns, as many residences and other
property OF great value in the vicinity of
kerrville, Lucy, Millington and Bolton's
college, this state.
On Thursday, JEFF Laxton, a merchant
of Kerrville, came to Memphis, went
before Judge Hughey and swore out
against the eight negroes. who
lived i'll his neighborhood, charging
hem with having set fire the buildings
1t the KerrviIle fail grounds, which
we're destroyed by tirs three months be-
ore. These warrants were placed in
he hands OF Detective Richardson, who
lad much experience in connection with
hese barn-burners. He reached Kerr
nile at O'Clock yesterday.
William Warner, who worked on the
handcar at the depot. Others were
ound working in the fields. and others
we're found OF their homes. Darius
3lsnd and Will Morrill,, members OF
he gang for whom warrants were is
ued, hearing of the facts in time, took
light and escaped.
1t was the intention of the officers TO
AXE their prisoners to Millington and
ring them to Memphis on the Chess.
cake train last night, but they haa not
aade ell the arrests up to that time and
ed to wait over. There is iaiI in the
illage and the prisoners, as fast as |
sptured, were manacled and placed |
nder guard to await the time for leay-
lg. 1t was nearly 10 o'clock when the
rrest was made. 1t wac impossible to
smain over night at Millington, as
nere was no safe guard house, and it
as decided to make the trip by road,
ID. Tucker, merchant there, pro-
lded wagon and mule and horse
ere hitched to it and the start made.
hey had not proceeded far, however.
sfore they were overpowered By the
lob.
After the bloody work was over the
electives summoned ths coroner and
, inquest WAS held, which resulted in
10 usual verdict, That the deceased
'me to their deaths at the hands of un.
lown parties"
Detective Richardson arrived in Mem
lis this morning and reported the
nching to Sheriff McLennon and
riminal Court Judge Cooper. Judge
'oper at once sent for tho grand Jury,
I'd instructed that body to investigate
Q affair and return indictments against
@ members OF the mob.
Later in the day Judge Cooper issued
.rrants for Detectives Richardson and