The Washington bee., 1899-02-25
THREE NEGROES ARE SWUNG,
A MOB TAKES THEM FROM THE
JAIL AT LEESBURG, Ca
THEY WERE CHARGED WITH
ASSAULT.
Committed An AtroCiouS Crime

fANf Or STATE MILITIA UPON DE
MAND OF SHERIFF FOR TROOPS.
From the Dallas Sunday News.
Atlanta, Ga, Feb. IA mob o.
masked men entered the county iai
at Leesburg at midnight tonig hit
took out three negroes and lynched
them. The sheriff advised Gov. Can.
dler at I clock Sunday morning tina,
he was compelled to give them up to
prevent wholesale butchery. The
mob WIS well organized and appeared
at the Jail at midnight. The sheriff
declined to give up the keys and the
mob quickly battered down the doors,
Seeing they were in earnest the sher.
lit hailed the mob and asked them
who they wanted. They replied:
Cupid Redding, AMI we want him
quick"
The sheriff told them that he could
not give up the man land implored the
mob to retire. Before he had finished
the sentence, however, the enraged
men had battered down another door,
and stood in the inclosure with thir-
teen negroes.
Nov them" said the leader, "give
us Redding or we'll take them ALL"
The sheriff seeing his efforts at peace
were unav4iling, pointed out the man.
From Redding the mob ascertained
who his two "helpers" were and
soon had them bound, and from out
the trembling and cowed lot of pris-
soners dragged the unfortunates forth
into the night.
In few moments they were on their
way to the woods and nothing more
was seen of the mob. The names of
Redding's accomplices are not known.
Gov. Gambler tonight ordered
company of state militia of forty-five
men from Alabama to Leesbuie to
prevent, If possible, the lynching of a
negro at the latter place.
1t was reported to the governor that
a party of lynchers would take the
regular night train at Smithville and
come to Leesburg for the purpose of
lynchlng the negroes. The governor
was not informed of the negro's name,
but was told that he had been arrest
ed and jailed at Leesburg during the
afternoon. The governor then order
ed company of military to proceed
on special train from Albany to Lees
burg. He also instructed the railroad
people to hold the regular train at
Smithville until the militia arrived at
Leesburg. Gov. Gambler did not
know whether the militia had anv
arms and tried to communicate with
the corps commander of the United
States Army encamped at ALBANY.
but that official could not be reached.
ihe three black men lynched were
believed to have been concerned in an
assault on Mrs Maroney, which was
one OF most atrocious crimes of the
century. John Maroney is school
teacher near Leesburg Late in De-
cember last his house was entered by
Cupid Redding and two companions.
The leader of the black trio ordered
Mrs. Maroney TO tie her husbands
hands behind his back after which they
bound him to bed. The negroes then
the house and, having
this part of. their work,
Redding assaulted Mrs. Maronev in |
sight OF her helpless and infuriated
husband. The negroes escaped and, |
the state offered heavy re-
wards, the negro was not captured |
until this afternoon. His two accom-
olIces however, whose names are un-
known, were arrested ten days ago.
Gov. Gambler at midnight said he
lad heard nothing from Leesburg
since the sheriff asked for troops ear
ler in the evening. He said he had
cared the militia would not arrive in
Ime and had no doubt of the truth
If the report. Leesburg has no night
operator and information by telegraph
S unobtainable.