The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-08-12
A NEGRO LYNCHED BYA MOB.
The ISSailaut Of a Young Girl Meets a
Violent Death.
TAKEN AWAY FROM THE SHERIFF.
Who Was Endcavoring TO Convey III" !"
.Placo OF safety-His Victim Told the
Mob TO Either Hang or Burn Him.
story of the Crime.

AsuEVILLE. n. G.. August n.-Spe.
o,aI Rob Rraskctt. the negro who as
saultcd Miss kituc Henderson was
tasen from the SncuG. who had started
with him ~ Raleigh. lie was spiri'eu ou'
OF town last night and taken IN oussy
10 Terrell $. a station ten miles on
croud boardcd the train here last night
and took the negro from the sheIin as
he attempted TO board the train AZ ter-
rell's. ~.
Tho crowd then returned 20 weaver
vile near the scene of Brackets crime,
where the negro was lynched about o
o'clock this afternoon by large crown
The Governor ordered out the militia
fut IL arrived at Wcavervillo too late. Inc
crowd had dispersed. There was no
brutal outbreak. .,.,..
The crowd broke into the jan last hlsh''
70; knowing he had been removed. sew
raj prisoners escaped during the eN0i'o.
rnent. There was much oNciiemnt Out
no disorder in town today. bIaCAo'' Vo"-
.essed his crime.
STORY OF THE CRIME
on sunday Bob Bracket. on his way 10
Ivv TOWNSHIP from Asheville, met pretty
Ei;ty Henderson. daughter OF a weh-lo-uo
and r,spcctable farmer living near WcaV-
ervlge. eight miles north OF AshcVille
lie chohod her into insensibiiity assault
ed hcr. and left her unconscious. In ie"
hours bands Of men were looking Tor ne
gro answering the meager description
Miss Henderson was able 10 give In mo-
ments Of consciousness. but 1t was not
until to-day that ne was found thiriy
miles away. at the home OF negro
preacher. in bed.
Bracket made no resistance. and con-
fessed 10 was the man wanted. lie was
at once taken &c the home OF his victim
and the young lady rcaifrmed positively
that he was the man. The crowd outside
had by this time learned of the negro S
Identification, and loud cries were raised
against him.
Deputy Mcdonald stated to the crowd
that the negro would be taken 10 Ashe-
VILE. Il will pledge myself that the com
missioners will call court the first of next
week for his trial" said the officer. As
the negro stepped from the door Miss
Henderson appeared on the step and cx-
caimed
HANG OR BURN HIM.
Il prayed in my helplessness that God
would spare my life and send friends 10
help me. You may hang him or burn
him" and she fell back into her moth
or's arms half unconscious.
cries arose. Hang him" Burn him. -
Deputy Reynolds broke into the din with
the remark. Men. II you hang him, you
are all known. and will be tried for muir
der
That's all right replied the madden
ed crowd. I'VE will take care OF that"
But there was waver OF hesitation,
when Walter Nandiver. a prominent cit
izen Of Weaverville. rose in his stirrups
and. with a few ringing words. asked the
men TO save the fair name Of the county
from such "A crime
In b. Of m
negro was thrown on horse back OF the
deputy. and the three hundred men of
the neighbOrhood. flaming behind the Off
Ger and prisoner came .nto AsheVille.
where through crowd numbering per-
haps one thousand he was taken TO. the
county jail. On the way in the negro
confessed that he was the assailant of
Miss Henderson.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT
4 press special from AsheVille gives the
following account OF the lynching:
Bob Bracket the negro assailant of
Miss Kitty Henderson. was lynched this
afternoon.
As announced I'm the Associated Press
dispatch last night. "a mob broke into the
Jail az this place and commenced 10 bat
ter down the steel doors that led 10 the
cells. The doors soon yielded and 10 was
then discovered that Bracket had been
spirited away by the officers. All the
other prisoners IN the jail were liberated.
Pursuit Of the officers was at once com
mcnced. and crowd caught mp with them
al Terrells Station
on the southern Railway. lN miles east
of Asheville early this morning. Brackett
was taken from his protectors. but the
mob could not agree as 10 the disposition
OF him.
Some wished 10 hang him there. but
the stronger party decided to take him
back To the vicinity of his crime
10 was i.3o o'clock when the party start
ed out ON foot. leading the negro. now
nearly exhausted and seemingly only half
CONSCIOUS. though he had not been ILL
treated. Breakfast was had with farm
err the negro having his share and then
the walk OF some twelve miles was re-
sumcd.
Al noon Hills school house was reached
and there the party was Informed that
the Asheville militia had been called out,
and were ON their way TO meet the mob.
After consultation. Miss Kitty Hcnder-
son. the ncgros victim. was sent for. four
and a half miles away. that she might see
her assaiant hanged.
When she arrived the negro was strung
up so quietly that half the hangers-on,
who had gathered from the country
around did not know that IL had been
done No shots were fired and the mob
dispersed after half hour. leaving the
body hanging. At no time was IL posi-
BILE for the militia TO have intcrfered
This is the third lynching i'm Buncomb
county in twelve years.
THE RCHINTN' ENCURNIONS,