The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-08-01
telegram from Major Francis A. Macon

pany TO my OTueTS. eople VIII tici
submit without trouble and await YOU
court"
The following was thereupon sent tt
Capt. Jones, commanding Company {
Third Regiment State Guard, signed by
Maj. e. M. Hayes, U. S. A, Actin,
Adjutant General:
Hold your company in readiness Il
respond to call of sheriff or other civi
authority to prevent lynching. Governor
has ordered special session of court Aug
16 for trial Of rapist, earliest possible
moment when, if found guilty, he can be
executed according to law. But Che
Governor will have no lynchmg in this
State. Acknowledge receipt by wire. BY
order Of Governor and commander-in-
chief
CAPT. Jones replied to Maj. Hayes al
once:
Telegram received Have notified
company to hold themselves in readiness
and will promptly respond to call from
authorities suggested"
The Governor replied to Major Macon
Tell the people not to lynch but try
and hang him by law. Have ordered
court earliest possible day."
In addition to this Governor Russell
telegraphed to Sheriff w. III. Smith:
Apply to Capt. p. L. Jones of local
company State Guard to uphold the law
il necessary"
AT one o'clock Sheriff Smith telegraph
ed the Governor:
"Allow me to bring rapist to Wake
jail Unsafe here"
The Governors reply to Sheriff Smith
-as:
/.If you deem prisoner unsafe bring
him on first train to Wake"
In addition to these kilograms Private
Secretary Alexander telegraphed the
regist,,r of deeds of Vance county as
follows:
"Order for special term of court mail
ed you this evening Judge Brown will
hold this court"
When Brodie arrived there was large
number of people at the depot, but few
of them knew that he was coming, in
fact nobody knew it except newspaper
men and the officers sent down there
to take charge of the party. The mill
tary escort, however, attracted atten
ton, and as they came on up the street
to the Jail crowd quickly collected, ant
as the prison doors closed behind the
culprit and the military stood guard
with bayonetted guns, there was half &
hundred people in the jail yard.
Immediately after Brodie had beer
locked up l went into the Jail and talket
to him for half an hour. He con
versed freely about the crime with which
he is charged and the threats to lyncf
him, but denied all the time that he il
guilty. And then in the next breath h
would be telling how near the sun wa.
down when the crime was committed
and describing the spot.
"And how do you know all this st
WELL" was asked.
"Oh," he replied, II heard her tell i
on the trial."
The facts as further obtained yester
day seem to be about these:
About O'clock Thursday evenin,
Miss Mamie Catlett, young white girl
sixteen years of age, went to the spring
about a hundred yards from the house
where she was visiting. On getting he
water she started to the house whel
| she was accosted by strange negro
| who asked her for a drink of water
which she gave him. He then tool
| the bucket from her hand and laid hi
hands on her. She screamed. He drew
a knife and threw her to the ground
| threatening to kill her if she made an.
| outcry.
| After throwing her to the groun,
roughly, he accomplished his fendisl
purpose.
| She then ran screaming and cryin,
| to the house and told Mr.. Clafton, he
brother-in-aw, but he being an ignorant
weak man, failed to report it properl.
| and it wasn't well known till next morn
| ing.
Immediately on it being found out
posse started after George Brodie,
negro of bad charter, who was sus
| pected After a long chase he wa
| captured and carried to a woods nea
town. The people agreed to place Brodi
and four other young colored men in
| row and see-if Miss Catlett could identif.
him.
On being sent for she, after lookin;
carefully over the FIVE, picked out Brodi
as her assailant. She recognized a
| once the clothing he had worn.
Most of the crowd were for immediate
| lynching, but cooler heads prevailed ant
he was given a preliminary trial befor
Magistrates Rufus Person and Bryan
Holden. The evidence convicted hin
conclusively. Everyone was for imme
diate lynching again, and his chance
of ever reaching jail seemed slim: bu
the sheriff hurried him off before tn
crowd c, uld organize.
| The crime was committed in 300 yard
Of the town. The most intense excite
ment prevailed amongst colored, as wei
as white.
And even Brodie in Jail here yesterda.
afternoon. IF l had seen the mai
who committed such a crime as that L,
have killed him myself"
Brodie is said to be a negro Of ba,
character, having fed from Warrel
county, / am told, for some crime b
had committed.
was visiting her sick sister, Mrs. Will
Clafton. She is young lady Of IRE
proachable character. She is the daugh
and is good looking. A number of pee
and speak Of her in high terms.
Brodie's story Of the crime is substan
TALLY the same as that abo' lie says
magistrate, the rapist wore ligh 0us
ers, a streaked shirt and had a ha xel
chief tied over his head. When he me
the young lady she was coming from tn
spring with a bucket of water. II
stopped in front of her, pulled out
knife and ordered her to put down tn
bucket and give him drink Of watel
y As she was about to comply he put hi
hand to her throat, threw her down an
she screamed once. Then he choke
her and told her if she screamed agai