Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1896-07-10
Randolph Lynched.

Sidney Randolph, the alleged murderer o
Sadie Buxton, who was assaulted, togethe
with her father and mother and elder sis
ter, Maud, at their home in Gaithersburl
early in the morning of May 25th, wa
taken from the Jail here shortly after
O'Clock last Saturday morning by crowd
men and hung to tree in piece of woods
on the Anderson farm, on the Frederick road
about mile and ahalf from Rockville
Jailer Charles Peyton was awakened BY
Knocking on the Jail door. A voice asked
him to hurry up and open the door, as there
was prisoner to be taken in. Peyton wal
slow in dressing, and q conversation was
Kept up outside to convey the impression
that prisoner was there. When he at last
opened the door he saw crowd Of ten or q
dozen men, and, realizing what was intend
ed, he slammed the door shut again and
went back to his room. Thereupon the
crowd promptly forced the door and, going
to Peyton, showed revolvers in his face and
demanded the keys.
ave don't want to hurt you, Charlie, but
If you don't give up the keys we WILL" said
one.
Peyton then gave up the keys, but re-
fused to open the locks. One of the crowd
did 80, and the lynchers proceeded to Ran.
dolph's cell and opened that. The negro
yelled Justify, and his shrieks could be heard
pleading for mercy and declaring his inno-
cence. He was struck on the head with
great force, and was then dragged from the
cell and from the Jail, and out through the
yard and by the rear, through DR.. War.
fields lot to Maryland Avenue, where a
wagon was in waiting near the residence of
MIR. E. G. Peter. He was placed in this and
driven to the Anderson farm by circuitous
route, where large crowd was in waiting.
Here rope was placed around his neck
and swung over limb of chestnut tree,
the end of the rope being tied to hickory
tree nearby. His struggles were terrible,
but lie died in "a short time, and then hung
motionless, with his feet about three feet
from the ground. Here his body was found
at $3.50 o'clock
The crowd wore handkerchiefs around
their faces and heads, and were otherwise
disguised, false mustache being found in
the Jail after they had departed. The lynch
ers also left at the Jail cold chisel of pecu
liar design, a heavy crowbar, upon which
points had been freshly welded, and which
had not been used since being repaired a
heavy new pickax head was found at the
place OF hanging.
At9 o'clock Justice Charles Jones i'm
panneled jury, composed OF b. G. Riggs,
foreman; Samuel Soper, George limerick,
Thomas Mccullough, Thomas w. Stone
street, Joseph o. Moulden, f. G. Braddock,
W. e. Ricketts,, VIM. Pumphrey, Lawrence
Flack, 5 A, Matlack and Charles Ogden.
The justice and jurymen proceeded to the
scene of lynching, where Randolph's body
was suspended. The scene was a striking
one. There was an immense crowd in at.
tendance, which had been attracted by curl
osity, and it was motley throng. Farmers
in their wagons, summer boarders in Car
riages, men, women and boys in vehicles,
on horseback, with bicycles and on foot
were massed in a great circle surrounding
the body Randolph had been hung, as
before stated, on chestnut tree. 1t stood
within ten feet OF the public road, in full
view of all passers. The bushes in the i'm
mediate vicinity and the condition of Ran
final desperate struggle for his life. The
bushes were broken and the blue hickory
shirt and brown overalls in which the vic.
tim was dressed were almost torn off him.
His herculean frame hung listless, and his
powerful arms were stratched where he had
fought for existence. There was a deep
cut in the back of his head, where he had
been struck at the Jail so as to quiet hi m,
and the wound on his hand where he was
shot when he was captured had been torn
open IN his efforts to free himself. Ran.
dolph's tongue was hanging out, and bloody
saliva had fallen upon his hickory shirt.
1t was evident that he had been hastily
pulled up and strangled His legs had been
securely tied together at the knees and
ankles with pieces of tarred rope, and the
rope with which he was hung was brand
new and about five. eighths of an inch in
thickness. After the jury viewed the body
the inquest was adjourned to o'clock in
the afternoon at the Court House.
The body was then cut down and imme-
dately the rope was seized and cut into lit.
tie pieces, hundred or more morbid men
eagerly struggling to secure portions as
mementos. The remains were then removed
to Rockville and placed in w. X. Pam
phrey's undertaking establishment, where
they were viewed By scores OF people Of all
colors.
The Jury met at the above hour and after
examining number of witnesses, con
cluded to adjourn until the following Tues
day evening in order to secure the evidence
of some persons who had been mentioned
as knowing something Of the lynching
When the Jury again met on Tuesday there
was large crowd in attendance and all
the witnesses expected were present with
the exception of one. The examination
ELECTED nothing definite in the matter, and
on account of what was expected to be
proved by the absent witness, the jury took
another recess until Monday afternoon
next, when it Is expected verdict will be
rendered
Tournament and Pic-Nic.-The 70
tomac Cornet Band will hold their sixth
annual tournament and picnic in Misses
Harrison's grove, near Potomac, Maryland,
on Wednesday, July 18th, 1896. Prizes will
be awarded as follows First, saddle ; End,
bride; Bird, pair of spurs; 4th, whip. The
riding will commence at l o'clock, +. NJ,
sharp. All knights are cordially invited to
attend. The band will give musical con-