The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-12-28
LYNCH|NG PARTY
FO|LED At SELMA
Murderer Spirited Away by
the Sheriff.
BROUGHT TO RALEIGH
KILLED ONE MAN AND WOUND
ED ANOTHER.
AND THE INJURED MAN MAY ALSO DIE
Both of Them Young Men from Selma. Their
AssaiIant Negro Named Tom Smith.
He Was Tracked by Blood
Hounds.

Prompt action on the part of the
sheriff of Johnston county last night,
cheated some people in Selma of the
pleasure of attending a necktie party.
Yesterday afternoon, while they were
organizing lynching bee for last night.
Sheriff Ellington and Mr.. Floyd Brown
were rapidly driving out of Selma in the
direction of Goldsboro.
In the vehicle with them was negro,
Tom Smith, who had the night before
committed a desperate crime. Tie had
killed outright one young white man.
Chas. Cawthorne, Jr., cutting his
throat from ear to ear; and had terribly
wounded another man-Tom Winfrey-
whose life, if he be now living, hangs by
q slender thread, for his throat also is
cut
1t seems that about 10 o'c;ock Monday
night, three young men-Chas. Cav
thorne, Jr., w. G. Garner and Tom
Winfrey-left Selma on their way 10 u
Christmas party at the home of AIR.
Tom Massey, in the country.
When they were some two miles from
the town, according to statement tcle-
phoned to the News and Observer fr0cl
Selma last night. Tom Smith and his
wife passed the young men ON the rnad
near Smiths house. Just what occurred
il anything, no one knows, for Garner
the third and uninjured man in ilie
crowd, was about 100 yards ahead of
his companions. From the best Glrn-
er could see, though, Smith ran into his
barn and came out again with a knife,
attacking Winfrey first. After some ter
rife wrestling Winfrey broke from the
negro and ran on up the road by Garu-
er leaving the negro with CawJhornes
whom he now furiously attacked.
Garner watched Winfrey until he
went ont of sight 100 yards up the road.
then Garner turned out a path and went
TO the house of n Mr.. Pendergrass for
help. But on account of the sickness Of
Mr. Pendergrass' wife he was nat able
TO go at once.
Later. however, he went with q ne
gro named Bob Price, and they found
that Smith had cut Cawthorne's .hroat,
and that after going short distance
back toward home Cawthorne had fallen
near n fence and died. The body was
taken to Selma.
Winfrey had also later turned back
toward Selma, but he, too. fell, exhaust
ed from loss of blood before reaching
home. He was also found by Mr.
pendergrass and taken to the nearest
house
In the meantime the negro who had
done the murderous deed had escaped.
But his liberty was destined 10 be OF
short duration.
A request was sent to Raleigh for
bloodhounds. Four from the peniten-
tiary were sent down on the noon train.
Within half an ho{ir after their arrival
they had been taken to Smiths house
and started on the chase. Two hours
later they were ut the corporate limits
of Smithfeld, having run the track re-
markably well.
Then Smiths wife was made TO tell
where her husband was. AT first she
pleaded ignorance, but finally when she
saw that the determined men engaged
in that hunt were not to be baked, and
that she would herself suffer terrible
fate if caught in "A lie, she told them
her husband had only that morning sent
her word that he was concealed i'll a
room over the store Of Ashley Smith, a
negro, in Smthfeld.
Sheriff Ellington was notified, With
DtDuty w lllIdiIlS. WIFI tHtIt
and found that what the woman had
said was true. Smith was there and
in bed. When they arrested him a knife
was found on his person. AS Mr.. Viii
liams took possession Of it, Smith said:
That's not the knife / did the work
with. It's over there"
As he said this he pointed To a long
bowie-knife Keen as n razor and stained
with blood.
Sheriff Ellington took the negro to jail
and locked him up.
But he was not permitted to remain
there long. The crowd that had pur
sued Smith, with blood-hounds, TO
Smith6eld went back to Selma and told
of the capture Immediately the or
ganization of party to lynch him be-
gan.
And the news Of this raced back TO
Smithfield as on the wind. Sheriff Ell
1ington heard it and he knew his prisoner
could not stay in Smithfeld and live.
He might be intercepted on the road
if he tried to take him away, but the
lynchers would certainly swoop down
npon him il he remained there.
As above stated he chose 10 risk an
interrogation, and he was not long about
mtting his plans into execution. Short
IL after O'Clock with Mr.. Floyd
Brown than whom there is no cooler or
brayer man. Sheriff Ellington started