Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1897-05-08
SEVEN KILLED
BY LYNCH LAW
SIX MEN HANGED TO. ONE TREE
ANOTHER SHOT TO DEATH.
Texans Punish Alleged Murdersrs
Especial Despatch to the Press ]

Especial Despatch to the Press j
HEMsTEAD. Tx April 30.-Wnl
Gates, IS years old: Fsyett Rhoan, p
years old, and the four Thomas broth
ers-Louis. aged 20; Aaron. aged l3
Jim IA and Ben Is years old, all col
Ored we're lynched at Sunny. ide, fiji.
teen miles south Of here last night,
and it is supposed that Will Williams
met the same fate Their bodies with
the exception OF Williams, were found
hanging to an oak tree in the prairie.
BURNED THE BODIES.
All OF them were riddled with bullets
and two of them, Gates and Louis
Thomas, were burned from the waist
down.
Last Fall man from Brennan was
robbed Of $65. Suspicion pointed to
the four Thomas boys. and they con-
fessed TO having committed the theft
and said they had given $50 of the
money to Henry Daniels. Daniels
spent the money and on Saturday ev-
ening last the four Thomas boys, ac-
cord ing TO their confession. decid ed to
either collect the $50 or kill Daniels.
THE ALLEGED CRIME.
They carried out the latter part OF
the programme. Henry Daniels, an
old c0lored man, lived at Sunnyside in
little hut with his stepdaughter,
Marie. and q 7-year-old child. We'd
nesday right the house was broken
open, Marie Daniels and the 7-year- old
child were assaulted and Daniels
dubbed to death while trying to pro-
tect those in his charge.
Then Daniels and the stepd laughter
were thrown into the house and the
child was thrown into the well. The
house was set on fire ard the fiends
capable of SUCH a crime left thinking
thai they had covered their inhuman
Iced from the sight Of the world.
THE WORST REALIZED.
The fire had not attracted much at
tention, but when Daniels and his peo-
pie did not show up, the charred l)ca-
ton Ofthe house was searched and the
terrible truth was seen only too plain.
The burned remnants Of human bod 'es
left no doubt in one direction, while
the blood stains about the premises
indicated the commission OF a murder
The local officers Oent to work with
a viii and were ably assisted by the
best citizens of the neishborhood. The
bloodhounds from Steele's plantation
we're secured and they were not long
ending the right tracks. Before night
hey went straight into the place the
Thomas gang resided and one by one
they we're secured.
BLOOD IN EVIDENCE.
Will Williams was also arrested
| When taken they were smeared v it'll
blood, and a bloody shirt was found
hidden in Thomas house. The blood
hounds worked splendidly, and after
the boys were confronted with the evil
dence they confessed to committing
the crims and laid the killing on Louis
the oldest
All seven of the prisoners were an.
der guard last night about IL o'clocl
when the guards were overpowered 10y
u strong body of men and the prison
ers taken toward the BRACES bottom
north OF here. A little later forty oil
fifty shots we're fired and all was quiet
SILENT WITNESS.
This morning. dangling from the
limbs OF a large oak tree, were found
the bodies of six colored men, linn
and lifeless. Hundreds OF people from
all over the country are marching
back and forth. but always with thai
one tree as the centre of attraction
Ali of them are there except Viii
liams, and he is not TO be found, bui
the shots probably. explain his absence
| At late hour this evening the bodies
are still hanging from the tree.
A PECULIAR SITUATION
As far as can be learned the mob wal
composed of white and black men
with the colored clement largely pre-
dominating
Tonight there is calm after The
storm aud public opinion is almost
universal that If the right parties wer,
apprehended no harm has been done.