Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1898-07-16

in the rear of the car. The crowd then
seized the man, aud hustled him. along
with Mr.. Parish, outside of the car,
where they bound Mr. Fsrish's hands.
In the mean time Mr.. Watts was plead
ing with the mob to let the law take
it's course. but he was powerless in the
hands Of SO many. kS
A ROPE AROUND HIS NICK.
As soon as James reached the plat
form rope was thrown over his head
and he was carried about forty yards
to a small locust tree, near the black
smith shop. He was asked il he wished
time to pray. He replied: Before
God, am innocent" But when the
officers pleaded with the mob to let
him come to q trial, he grasped at the
hope thus extended, and made the
above declaration.
The rope was thrown over a limb
about three inches in circumference,
and James was drawn up.
FIRED INTO HIS BODY.
The limb jutted out from the tree at
s sharp incline, so that the rope slid
downwards towards the body of the
tree, and when at rest the mans BODY
was almost touching the body of the
tree. Under the tree was bench, and
his feet were onlys few inches above
1t. AS soon as he was elevated the
crowd empied their pistols into his
body, probably forty shots entering it.
When it became evident that the
man was dead the crowd dispersed,
leaving the body hanging on the tree.
THE PEOPLE KNEW IT.
The people in the city before the
train came, heard rumors of the in
tention OF the mob to lynch James at
| the crossing, and number OF persons
started for that point, but few reached
it before the deed was done. Among
these was the brother of the young wo-
man, who arrived about ten minutes
after the hanging and emptied his pis.
tol into the body.
THE FARCE AT cHARLoTTEsvILLE.
The grand jury were still in session,
| and had reached the conclusion to
bring IN true bill Just as Mr.. Cloud,
of the Chesapeake and Ohio railway,
reached the courthouse and announce
ed that the prisoner had been taken
from the train and was probably lynch
I ed. The court was immediately ad-
/ jourhed. and the Judge and Common
wealth's Attorney rushed down the
i
possible, to devise means to prevent
the iynching. They soon found, how
| ever, that any effort in that direction
would avail nothing, as the evidence
that the deed was done was volumi-
nous.
THE CORONER WAS READY.
Coroner w. G. Brown was notified,
and he proceeded to the scene of the
tragedy at 2 o'clock.
! Captain Woods, attorney for the
Commonwealth, was seen, and was in
disposed to say much about the affair.
He deprecated deeply the violent meas
ures that had been taken, saying that
he had positive evidence Of the guilt OF
I James.
! The body of James was left hanging
on the tree about two hours Hun
dreds of people visited the scene this
afternoon. Many of them gathered re-
lies OF the OCCASION taking some pOr-
tions of his clothing, etc. His coat was
riddled with bullets.
| ON EXHIBITION.
| While the body hung there No. 4
passenger train passed the crossing,
and the improvised gallows being in
view, the passengers were forced wit
nesses of lynching.
When the mob dispersed they came
away in any direction that suited them
some coming on to the city, others
returning to their homes, all with a
perfect Indifference as to any future
investigation.