Democratic messenger., 1894-09-08
8 NEGROES LYNCHED.
SHOT WHILE CHAINED.
FOR BARN BURNING.
AN ORGANIZED GANG.
Almost Wiped Out at One Time
\ RcvOltin. Scene.

MEMPHIS, Tenn, Sept. six ne
groes, all members of an organized
gang of incendiaries were lynched by
a mob near Millington. Tenn, small
town on the Chesapeake, Ohio and
Southwestern railroad, 80 miles north
of Memphis last night.
The prisoners were in charge of De
tectives W. :. Richardson and 4. I.
Atkinson, who had arrested them Il
few hours before on charge Of arson.
The negroes, all handcutied and
shackled. were on their way to the
county Jail at Memphis. When the
officers reached dense swamp few
miles from Millington they were sur
rounded by a mob of 30 men armed
with Winchester rifles and shotguns
and commanded to halt. "Hold up
your hands" yelled the leader.
The detectives hesitated.
What does this mean?' one of
them asked
Never you mind. 1t means bust
ness, Shove up your hands"
BY this time the detectives were
overpowered by the mob When the
mob surrounded the wagon the negroes
seemed 10 know instinctively what was
10 be done. They were sitting on
boxes that had been thrown about on
the floor of the wagon. One sat on
the seat beside the driver, Atkinson
One negro in the body of the wagon
rose up on his feet ami threw up his
shackled hands That motion was his
last, for shower of bullets WAS poured
into his body. lie fell over and out
OF the wagon into the ROAD dead.
SHOT WITHOUT MERCY.
The negro sitting beside the driver
threw his arms about Atkinson with Il
gesture and exclamation of supplica-
ton. The muzzle of a SHOT gun was
showed against his stomach and the
charge was sent through his body.
Detective Atkinson was grasped by
several of the mob, hustled up to the
side of Richardson, and there held until
the murderous work was over.
Nolley after volley was poured into
the bodses of the shackled 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 on the road and continued to fire
volley after volley into them.
Richardson and Atkinson say there
were 30 people in the mob; that some
Of them wore no disguise, while others
had their heads encased in a dark
cloth, but that it was so dark il weuld
have been impossible to recognize any
of the individuals even had the officers
been well acquainted with the people
in that part Of the country. Having
concluded its work. the leader of the
mob shouted:
Forward, boys'
Guns were shouldered and the MEM
bers of the mob walked back into the
woods that lined the road and disap-
peared.
ALL ACCUSED OF ARSON.
The lynched negroes wereal accused
of arson, and all are said To have
belonged to an organized band of
barn-burners that had in five years
destroyed 32 barns, as many residences
and other property of great value in
the vicinity of kerrville, Lucy, Mil.
lington and Bottoms College, Tenn.
CHAINED As SOON As CAUGHT
1t was the intention of the officers
to take the prisoners to Mlllington and
bring them to Memphis ON the Chesa-
peake, Ohio and Southwestern train at
6 o'clock last night, but they had not
made all the arrests up to that time
and had to wait over. There is no
jail in the village, and the prisoners.
as fast as captured, were manacled and
placed under guard to await the time
of leaving.
1t was nearly 10 O'Clock at night
when the last arrest was made.
II was impossible to remain over
night at Millington, as there was no
guard-house and it was decided to
make the trip by wagon road. ). ID.
Tucker. a merchant there, provided II
wagon, Il mule and horse was hitch
ell to it and the start was made. They
had not proceeded far. however, be-
fore they were overpowered by the
mob. After the bloody work was
over the detective summoned the cor
oner and an inquest was held, which
resulted in the usual verdict: "rhat
the deceased came to their death at
the hands of unknown parties"