The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-12-16
daylight LYNCH|NG PARTY
SUPPOSED MURDERER OF THE
SMITH FAMILY WAS STRUNG
UP YESTERDAY.
BEREAVED HUSBANDURGED PATIENCE
Said He Was Not Quite Satisfied OF
the Guilt of the Accused Negro.
The Mob Could Not He Re-
strained.

Brookhaven, Miss. Dec 11.--Addition-
al details Of the murder OF Mrs. Brown
Smith and her four children in Lawrence
county,, "a miles cast of this place, on
last wednesday and the SUBSEQUENT
lynching of the supposed murderer were
received today. M
After capturing Charley Lewis, the
alleged murderer, the mob placed him
alongside of several other negroes and
asked the little girl, who was spared by
the murderer, to pick out the one who
killed her mother. She at once pointed
to Charley Lewis. This strong evidences
Cazell Of Monticello to induce the people
TO turn Lewis over to him for safe keep
ing. He assured them he would have the
negro at Bankston Ferry yesterday
morning ut 10 O'Clock for trial. AS
promised he arrived there on time with
Lewis. and another mob of 200 men,
armed with shotguns and winchesters,
met him on the east bank OF the river.
Speeches were made by cool-headed men,
among them being Hon. A. IL. Weathers-
by senator from Lawrence county, and
Rev Drummonds, Methodist preacher,
who plead eloQuently for the Negroes life.
Mr.. Brown Smith, the man whose
family was murdered and who should, OF
course. have felt the most aggrieved.
jumped on the water shelf Of the little
store gallery and pleaded with the crowd
to be patient and not to rush hastily into
thing they might regret. He said that
while he did not doubt his childs word,
yet she was 80 young that there was
possibility that she might have been
mistaken. He said there was something
in there pointing to his left breast) which
did not exactly satisfy him about the
matter. The words of Smith did more to
quiet the mob than anything, but about
that time rain commenced to pour down
in torrents and those who could, together
with the prisoner, sought shelter inside
the store. As soon as the rain stopped an
attempt was made to hold court, but this
was soon found to be impossible.
After parleying for some time the mob
under the leadership of few determined
men, made rush for the negro and sue
ceeded I'M getting him from the deputies
after a hard struggle
They then put u plow line around the
negros neck and run up the hill with
him. He was put on big black horse
and driven under II tree and after the
halter was fastened to limb the horse
was driven from under him. His feet
touched, but he was strangling and Mr.,
Arlington, one of the lawyers, and an
speak The crowd allowed him to be
revived and then hung him In earnest.
His body was left hanging by the road
side. Lewis denied his guilt to the last.
A report that the negro committed the
murder at the instigation of Smith. which
has gained currency, 10 discredited by
his neighbors, but the facts and circum-
stances connected with the affair will
all be sifted to the bottom.
lie Was Probably Excited.
Wesson, Miss, Dec. 11.--A gentleman
namd Mcbride, who left the scene of the
murder Of the Smith family, twenty miles
has just reached here. Mr.. Mcbride says
a mob OF 1000 men has formed and thnr
wholesale lynching Is taking place In
that neighborhood. A courier Is ex-
pected to arrive here from the scene he
fore midnight.