The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-10-03
BRUTAL NEGRO'S
NARROW ESCAPE
John Johnston the Object of a
Mob's Rage.
COMMITS A COWARDLY DEED
He Attempts to Murder John Briscoe. a
Merchant in Limestone County,
and Gets His Neck in Danger
AS Consequence
COMMITS A COWAROLY DEED

Athens, October 2-(Speeial)-A negro
named John Johnston was lodged In the
county jail in this place last night by Con-
stable Will Roberts, of Belle Nina, just in
time to save his neck. The ride after the
arrest of the negro was a wild one, and
one long TO be remembered by the plucky
officer
The negro Is charged with an assault and
attempt to murder Robert Brscoe, a mer-
chant doing a small business on the Floyd
place, in the southern part of the county,
carrying a small stock of groceries ana
general merchandise more for the accom-
moddt1on of the people living in that sec
tlou than anything else. He is a bachelor
and On cid man. Late Friday evening he
was visited by couple of negroes, John
Johnston being one of them. The other
negro, after making few purchases, lert
the store, leaving Johnston there.
Found In Pool or Blood
Saturday morning Mr.. Briscoe was found
lying in a pool of blood, the store room pre-
senting more the scene of place where
hogs had been butchered than or business
house, blood having covered the floor and
despatched the wall. Briscoe was uncon-
scious, and pair of bent and warped smith
tongs lying near the body told how he had
been battered His head was bruised and
cut AS if he had been in contact with a
machine He remained unconscious until
Sunday morning, when he regained con-
seriousness and told who his assallant was.
He stated that late Friday night John
Johnston visited his store and asked for a
piece of bacon, and while Briscoe was
STOPPING to cut the meat he was struck
from behind and remembered nothing
more But 1t was quite plain that the
would-be murderer was not satisfied with
stunning his victim; he seemed determined
TO kill him, and several fearful blows were
given his head, the bent and warped tongs
showing how heavy they had been. The
only wonder is that the man lived to tell
the story at all.
Aroused Indignation
AS soon as he told who assaulted him the
crowd present divided into small squads
and began to scour the country. Fortu-
nately the constable found the negro sew
eral miles distant at the home of his IA
ther, and placing him under arrest, he car
ried the negro to the store where the
wounded man lay, who at once identliled
him as the man who had assaulted him.
Then mutterlngs were heard, but Roberts
hurried the negro into his buggy and De-
gan a sixteen-mile drive for Athens before
the angry friends of the desperately
wounded man could form any plan to take
the negro into their own hands. Part OF
the drive was through swamps and heav-
lily timbered section, and Roberts made the
drive of his life, for he knew that in few
minutes the news would spread and that
the prisoner would pay the penalty of his
crime before the heavy hand of the law
could be laid upon him.
The negro rifled the cash drawer OF the
store and the pockets of the wounded man,
and secured few dollars-not sufficient to
pay him for his trouble. 1t is supposed
that he took a few goods such as he could
easily get along with. He denies the
charge that hangs over him, but the iden-
tfcation was complete.