Mexico weekly ledger., 1895-11-21
Maryland Mob Law.
SHERIFF FIRED ON THE MOB
WHILE GATHERING DOWN
THE JAIL DOOR.
James Goings, the Black Assailant OF
Lille Jones. Was Hanged at Fred
erick-Strung to a Tree and
Shot-Miss Jones Al
most Cut to Pieces.

GOingS, VINO u Miss Liiiio
| Jones at the home of Hamilton Gels
bert, near this city last night, was
taken from the jail by a mob Of 300
men this morning and hanged to a tree
in a field on the jefferson turnpike,
one mile from the city.
A report reached the city about
midnight that the woman had died
from the cuts and beating inflicted by
the negro and this Infatuated the men
who had been gathering in the streets
and discussing the outrage.
Amob was quickly gotten together,
and unmarked, but armed with re-
volvers, the men marched to the Jail.
They had previously broken into a
machine shop in the neighborhood of
the Jail and procured sledges, crow
bars aud files. They made at once
for the door ON the west wing of the
Jail and began to batter upon it.
Fully 20 shots were fired from the
windows above by Sheriff A. H. Zim-
norman and his deputies, but the
mob paid no attention to them and
went on with their work. The Jail
bell was rung to summon assistance,
but none came.
In 20 minutes the large door panels
gave way under the heavy blows, and
the mob burst into the corridor. They
quickly overcame the slight resist
ance officers on the inside were able
to offer, and found the cell in which
Goings, covering and crying, was
confined. The lock was broken and
the trembling wretch seized and drag
ged out in his night clothes and
stocking feet. In the meantime the
friends of the Iynchers on the outside
had lowered an electric lamp near the
Jail, and cut the rope from it, ex-
tinguishing the light.
Goiugs was led out amid the howl
ing mob, the rope placed around his
neck and he was hurried down the
road to his place of doom. He pro-
tested his innocence as they dragged
him along, and begged them not to
kill him. He was promptly recog-
nized by a number of men who knew
him, and the mob did not hesitate in
its work.
Arriving at the Tree, the negro was
asked to confess, but this he would
not do. Two officers of the Salvation
A rN,u .oInl tn hn ntfnuvn1 RI rroyy
with the man, and their request vas
granted. The Lords prayer wa then
repeated, and the negro and most of
the crowd joined in. Goings' feet and
hands were then tied and the rope
was drawn around his neck. A man
seized the other end of it, climbed the
tree, and threw the cord over a limb.
"Let him CO." was shouted, and
quick as a fash he was jerked from
his feet and hung dangling in the air
six feet from the ground. One shot
was fred into his body, and in a few
minutes he was dead. The mob dur
ing the process of lynching observed
order; none were allowed to fire at
him except the one.
A member of the mob made a brief
speech, in which he said that they
were there with the unfortunate
wretch not in a spirit of malice, but to
make an example of him, and teach
his race that they must let the women
of Frederick county alone.
The assault for which Goings suffer
ed death was a cruel and dastardly
one. Miss Jones has IS cuts and stab
wounds on her body, where he hack
ed at her with a knife and razor. She
says he asked her tor something to
eat, and when she gave it to him, he
said: az will give you a dollar" She
screamed and ran so feet down the
garden, where he overlook her,
knocked her down and cut her, also
crushing her nose.
The field in which the negro was
lynched is the same spot the negro
Biggus was lynched on in November,
1887. After watching the body swing
in the air a few minutes, the crowd
left it dangling there and dispersed.