Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1898-07-13
THE NEGRO LYNCHED.

James, the negro who criminally as
saulted Miss Julia Hotopp yesterday
was lynched at 11:30 o'clock this morn
ing about three miles west of this city
by an armed mob OF one hundred and
fifty people.
As the train reached the Woods
crossing, with revolvers drawn, the
mob mounted the Car.
Parish, the chief-of-police, held the
door, but he was swept aside and
bound around the wrists.
Sheriff Watts, who was in possession
Of the prisoner, drew revolver but he
was soon overpo yered.
The negro was taken about fifty
yards away from the train and a rope
that had been passed around his neck
was thrown over the limb Of a locust
tree.
He was given time to pray and he
declared his innocence.
The body was then drawn up and
forty or fifty sho.s fired into it, COM
pletely Kidding the dangling body.
Carl Hotopr, brother OF the young
Ia ly who was the brute's intended
victim, arrived on the scene ten min
utes after the hanging and emptied
his revolver into the dead and mangled
body of the would-be rapist.
The news of the lynching spread
like wildfre throughout the city and
hundreds Of persons visited the scene
of the tragedy.
At 2 o'clock this afternoon the body
was still hanging to the tree.
The grand jury was in session when
the news Of the hanging reached the
city.
The prisoner would have been mob
bed had he been kept in the city Jail
last night. There were knots of peo-
pie on the streets until midnight last
night discussing the tragedy.
Some OF these had to be taken
through the !ail before they would be-
lieve the prisoner had been taken to
Staunton.
At midnight last night a special
train from Charlottesvi'l brought the
prisoner to Stanton to escape the
vengeance OF the Charlottesville mob.
He was lodged in jail at Staunton and
taken back back to Charlottesville on
the 1920 train this morning.
The following account Of the attempt
is from the Charlottesville Progress:
The city was shocked this morning
by the intelligence that Miss julia
Ho.opp, daughter OF tie lac William
Hotopp, had been criminalIy assaulted
by negro, near the gate Of Pen Park.
Pen Park is situated about two and
half miles east of Charlottesville, and
is approached by the Earlysville road. |
Just beyond Cochran's mill the road
turns to the right through boldly Of
woods, perhaps half mile wide, to |
the gate OF the farm, which is a quar-
ter of mile from the residence. The !
point is quite secluded.
The particulars, as learned from the
young lady herself, are about as fol-
lows:
She came to the city between s and
9 o'clock this morning to have her rid
ing horse shod. On her return she
found the gate, which is usually fast
ened by a latch, securely bound with q
wire. Surprised at this, she looked
around for the farm hands, supposing
there must be some good cause for
fastening the gate thus, but seeing no
one she dismounted and Embossed the
gate herself. AS she turned to re-
mount, someone approached her from
Dehiad and struck her, and then grasp
I'd her by the neck, forcing her to the
ground, when she became unconscious.
When she returned to consciousness,
'bOut 10 o'clock, she looked around but
'aw no one. and her horse had gone to
he house, several Hundred yards furth.
n on. The horse returning without
he rider startled her brother, Carl
dotopp, who fastened toward the gate,
Meeting his sister coming. Upon
Meeting her brother she swooned
gain.
After arriving at the house she again \
eturned to consciousness and told .
'bat had kefallen her. She described u
er assaillant as very black man, !,
eavy set, slight mustache, wore dark v
lothes. and his toes were sticking out - y
I his shoes. ii
After making this relation Miss ,,
[otopp again became unconscious, b,
nd was still in that condition, attended g.
y several physicians, at last accounts. "
When the fact became known in the g
ty, the Indignation was exceedingly a.
reat and numbers started out in as
insult OF the bastard, some on horses, al al
vehicles, on wheels and afoot. an
About noon negro named John IN
enry James was arrested in Dudley's an
from as answering somewhat the u1
scriptlon OF Miss Hotopp's assailant, st
. was taken to jail to await further pr
pr
1t is said that the young lady resisted !
, fellow to the extent of scratchinp ~