Rocky Ford enterprise., 1894-09-06
NEGROES BUTCHERED.
ANOTHER SOUTHERN OUTRAGE
Sig Coiored Men Charged with Inccndiar-
ism Taken from y Tennessee Sheriff by
h Mob ON . Country Road and Shot to
DcatiiI


six negroes in the northern part Of the
county, two miles west of Millington,
n village on the Chesapeake & Ohio
railroad. For n year or more the peo-
pie of that part Of the country have
been kept in continual state of ex-
citement by acts Of incendiarism. Barns
and dwellings have been burned, and
recently buildings on the MillinSton
fair grounds were destroyed. Suspi-
cion pointed to Dan Hawkins, Robert
Haynes, Warner Williams, Ed Hall;
John Hayes and Graham White, and
yesterday they were arrested in Kerr
vile, in the western part Of the coun-
ty. by Deputy Sheriff Richardson.
Later in the day the deputy started
with his prisoners In Il wagon for
Millington, where they were to have
preliminary examination before mag
islrhta. The siS negroes were chained
together. About midnight, when the
party was nearing Millington, it was
stopped by MOB of 30 men, armed
with shotguns. who Killed all the pris-
oners; and then, remounting their
horses; which were tied near by, rode
away in, the darkness. Tie lynchers
were not masked; but the officer; be
ing new to that section of the country,
recognized none of them An inquest
was held on the bodies this morning,
and the jury, which included two no
grOes, found that the prisoners had
come to their death In the manner
stated, Eat the hands Of persons un-
known"
Dan Hawkins was arrested a year
ago with several others, charged with
the burning of barns and residences in
the Kerrville neighborhood. They
were brought to trial and two of them
sentenced to the pcnitentiary. They
made full confession and implicated
Hawkins as the leader of the band of
firebugs. Hawkins got new trial,
however. and after spending some
months III Jail, was released II few
weeks Ago Since that the burnings
have Recommended, lind the Milllngton
heighborhbod as well as Kerryille has
suffered: Deputy Marshal Hichard-
son wiis employed to ferret out tile In
cendiaries, and With tile assistance of
a negro .'spotter." lie at leiigth got .eyi;
dence that resulted in the arrest of
Hawkins and the other five negroes
who were lynched. About nightfall
yesterday tile officer secured q two
horse wagon and white mani namcd
his prisoners into the vehicle, handcuff-
ed an,e"hained together, and started
for Millington. AS they reached Big
Creek, two miles west of Millington,
somebody in the woods by the road
side called out: Don't try to cross
there. The bridge is down; come this
way"
Richardson got down and, taking the
horses by the head, led them into q
path that opened In the direction
whence the warning came. 1t was
dark in the woods, but suddenly Rich
ardsot1 saw two guns presented at his
stomach and IL stern voice shid:
'"ThrOw up your hands"
"What does this mcanT' demanded
the officer.
"None of your damned business"
was the reply '"Throw them up"
The officer obeyed.
Then AtchiSon was ordered to get
down and was placed Under guard:
The negro prisoners, divining the
purpose of the unseen mob, attempted
to leap from the wagon. A volley rang
out from 40 to 80 guns. and they fell
back wounded aud dying. A dozen of
the mob lenpcd into the wagon and
threw them out. Nolley after volley
was poured into the struggling mass,
and in few moments all was still.
Hawkins head was almost shot from
his shoulders. and some of the others
were terribly mangled. The mob. af
ter making sure that all six were dead.
mounted and rode away. Atchison
then mounted one of the mules and
fastened to the house of Justice Mills,
some distance away and notified him
of the slaughter. The justice at once
made ready to go to the spot, and at
daybrenk was there with jury of in.
quest. composed of five white men and
two negroes. who rendered Il verdict
as above stated.
Sheriff J. a. McCarvcr, who was to
have taken charge OF his office to-day,
will not do so until Monday. The out
going sheriff, A. j. McLcndon, will
take the lynching in hand. He will GO
to the scene of the crime this after
noon. McCarver. the new sheriff, is n
man of Il hardy and determined char.
acter. and the general opinion is that
he will not fail to find out the lynch.
ers and land them in jail