The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1895-07-19

Il
where he has conducted himself a,
. gentleman. He, claims he had to
shoot to defend his own life.
LynsAing n erssnvilis.
!, Les. Sunday night horrible
lynching was committed at Green.
vile by a mob from tae Marietta
section of the county. Ira johnson.
the negro who SO ruthlessly
murdered Frank Langford at
Piedmont on Sunday tho 7th., be-
ing the victim. There he'd been a
good deal Of talk about lynching
johnson since he had been in Jail, 50 30
much in fact, that the shoriif had be-
gun 70 take the special precaution of
carrying the keys home with him
evory night, and had cautioned the
jailer not to admit anybody to the
Jail st night. The negroes too, sppre-
hended trouble, for they had kept a
nightly watch on hejail for several
nights, until, becoming . nuisance, a
number of them were taken up, fined
and imprisoned. The excitement had
quieted down in measure, however,
and it "A thought that the mob that
did the lynehing was organized Sat-
urday night and Sunday morning,
becausesOfa rumonr circulated thst
Jehnsoh ease would not % eyisd &C
shcsT tsiD 81 S66rt but would be
The mbDswis WeIl sefkeuiseds ana !
tssat she sif crcihg 81 satrs1ce
almest betd thsir flresen1 B M dis.
covered. They can; I'M y fcWp On. !
tirely unexpected Il Sont 4 : b clock
IN thesmorning and went tikectly TO
thejail: They knocked 6n ths iail
door witRan axe and were HI thea 4
OF breaking the door down whah the
jailera unlocked it and admitted them.
Immediately a swarm ofthsm rushed
in armed with shot guns and pistols,
some Of them with their hats pulled
down low over their eyes and others
with handkerchiefs or cloths tied over
their faces to conceal their identity.
Surrounding the jailer, with threats
and oaths they demanded tho keys.
The jailer explained that he did not
have the keys and did noa know
where they were.
Then some with lighted matches
and lamp commenced a search for
the keys while others went to q shop
near by, broke in and got crowbar,
a sledge hammer and a cleaver. Just
as they were returning with the tools
the searching party were rewarded by
finding the keys in the psrlor Of the
Jail residence. Then with the keys
they rushed up the marrow steps to
the second floor where the prisoner
was kept. The first lock was easily
managed but when they came to the
second, the key hung and would not
turn. They turned on the jailer a.
gain, who as stoutly refused to lend
his assistance as he had at first. He
was threatened with violence, the mob
had actually laid hands on him, when
someone from the top called out that
they had the door open. johnson
who had heard the noise outside and
seemed to know what it meant had
gotten up and stood in the middle of
the cell, during the half hour of the
search. He stood there in silence
the whole time and heard their every
movement as the maadened mob on
the outside worked their way nearer
and nnarer - ..cc:-. i;:o. i7:os;.u. ne was
found in that position by the mob.
Being partly nude, having on his
drawers only, one suggested that he
be allowed to dress himself, but an
other said ,"Never mind his pants,
d--n him; we don't want his pants,
and thus he was hurried out and the
crowd fell In behind.
The next time johnson was seen by
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