The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1899-02-01
A GEORGIA MOB
Kills an Old Man and his Son
for Revenge.
ALL Of THE GANG ARRESTED.
one OF the Dastards Fired at
the Head of a Woman
But it Hit Her
Hand.

A dispatch from Colquit, Ca, gives
the details Of the blackest crime that
has ever been committed in that State
The dispatch, which was sent to the
Atlanta Journal says:
The officers of Miller county are
gathering all the evidence possible
against the Phillips gang which attack
ed the home off. V. Rustin, a farmer
living near hereA on Saturday night of
last week, and murdered Rustin and his
young son, shooting them down in cold
blood. As told of in the Journal dis
patches yesterday, nine men have been
jailed as members Of the gang and other
arrests are likely to be made soon.
1t developes that several days before
the killing Of Rustin and his son the old
man was warned to leave the county.
He received threatening letter and
picture Of a coffin and skull and cross
bones, all Of which was thrown into his
yard by unknown parties. He was told
that he must1eave the county because
his daughter had sworn lie and caus-
ed the arrest Of Ccot Phillips for wrong
ing her.
The old man paid no attention to this
warning, not thinking that the men
would harm his family. He determin-
ed to prosecute Phillips for running the
reputation Of his daughter, and when
this determination was made clear the
mob was organized to kill him, and the
attack on the house arranged.
The details Of the murder have been
recounted 10 the Journal, except that
the daughter of Rustin was also shot by
the mob, which fact has been learned
today. She was shot through the hand
while screaming for mercy after the
murderers had already killed her young
brother as they broke in the door, and
while her father lay gasping on thef floor
in his own blood, which flowed from five
wounds in his body.
The young woman lay in bed scream
ing and wringing her hands, and fear
ing every moment that she, too, would
be killed. One Of the murderers level
ed his pistol at her and fred, but the
bullet missed her head and crashed
through her hand, and then into the
headboard of the bed.
While old man Rustin struggled ON
the floor and writhed in pain from his
wounds one Of the murderers shot holes
through bis feet just for the fun of it.
The men thought that the old man was
dying, and seeing that they had killed
his son they evidently became frighten-
ed and left the house, dispensing quick
ly. The wounded woman, who was
terribly frightened, ran from the house
as soon as the men left and she made
her way to the nearest neighbors,
screaming out and crying for help.
The alarm was given and in an hour
a large crowd assembled at the Rustin
house. The scene there was horrible
to contemplate. The floor was covered
with blood, and the old man was gasp
ing for breath, but he was conscious,
and he made a dying statement, giving
the names of the men in the mob whom
he identified. He died from his wounds
the next morning.
Coot Phillips is said to have been the
leader Of the crowd. He is charged
with having wronged the Rustin girl
and because she prosecuted him he
wanted to gether and the Rustin fami-
ly out of the way.