The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1897-01-27
lYNCHING IN LOUISIANA.
Terrible Vengeance On Three Negro Mur.
derers.

ANuTE CITY, La, Jan. 20.-Yester.
day eyenicS-,,r@aen il oeclme koown
that john Johnson aS5:E@sSJ Diner,
charged with the Cotton family murr
ders would be lynched, small groups
Of strangers from every section OF this
aud aGjoining parishes commenced to
come IN and hold low conversations
On thestceet corners. The uigat was
most miserable one, raining aud
gloomy. About O'Clock there were
perhap ps $50 people on the streets, when
suddealy some $50 men on horses gal
loped up to the Jail, aud having found
the deputy who had charge, forced
him to open the Jail door, and also
open the steel cages, aud they took
from the cages joan Johnson aud
Arch Joiner, and Gus Williams, the
latter negro charged with numbering g
his wife last summer, near lndepen-
dence. Toe crowd OF mea were very
quiet, and made no hostile demonstra-
ton other than to getthe three ne
groes. After procuring their men
they had = shors consultation, and de-
cided to hang Gas Williams to an oak
tree near negro church oa the outer
edge of the town. a rope was quick
ly adjusted OYER a large limb and ooe
end around Wiiliams's neck. Will
iams was made to ges on horse, aud
the horse struck with whip, jumping
from under Williams. His neck was
not broken, and some men caught hold
OF his body and jerked him down.
Williams disposed of, the crowd
started on the long march to John
Cotton's house, where the murders
were committed. Johnson and Joiner
walked a mi!s or 50, when a wagon
was procured and they rode the rest
OF the way. Toe distance trave led
was - miles, throughs e heavy rain.
There were nearly 30 in the crowd
during the march. Joiner prayed a
deal, but Johnson did not seem 70
mind his fate, remaining quiet most
OF the way.
After ride OF four hours the Cotton
residence was reached, and all dis.
mounted. Joiner made break for
liberty, but was captured before he
had gone very far. Joiner and John.
son desired to fight, and they were
permitted to, after which they were
taken into the house, separated and
efforts made to get confession from
them. johnson stuck to his former
statement that Arch Joiner was the
man who did the deeds, Joiner stoutly
maintained his innocence for while,
but when finally brought face to face
with John Johnson confessed that he
killed Mrs. John Cotton, Miss Agnes
Miller and Miss Lizzie Miller. a dis.
cussion then arose as 10 the best way
to dispose of two s7lf-confessed mur.
derers. Some were in favor of burn
ing them, and fires were made for
that purpose, and some say Johnson
was actually pushed in the fire and
burned. Cooler judgment pevailed,
and it was finally decided to hang them
which was done, and their bodies rid
died with bullets. It was Arch Joiner's
earnest request that he be shot to
deata, and this was finally determin-
ed upon as was the mode of death
which was to be meted out to John
son, but at the last moment, after the
FIRE had been started, 1t was urged
that both be hung, as Gus Williams
had been, and they were taken quar-
ter of mile from the Cotton residence
and executed as above stated. Tney
both implicated two other negroes,
but said nothing about white man.
II i nuiat nOE