Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1900-03-31

Deicre the MOB, headed by Ex.Judgel
Bsrhsm, proceeded to make arrange!
ments Co lynch the colored man, Got
! ton. Two coils Of rope were secured.
| A esll was made for the keys of the
Jail. Some one said that Q deputy
sheriff had them.
It being so understood, he walked
across the street, dropping them in the
middle OF the road and were immedi-
ately picked up by leader of the,
lynchers.
I've have the keys, now on to the
Jail was the cry. There was somel
delay. Some delay was caused Ia the!
effort TO get the doors open, but they
were soon uRlocked and the mob surg
ed into the Jail.
A sad spectacle presented itself.
The committee OF lynchers entered the
cell Of Cotton and O'Grady. ThereI
they sat, chained to the floor, helpless
and deserted. Neither raised their
eyes. as the doors swung open.
THE SCENE BEFORE THE LYHcH1NG.
Vulgar sayings and brutal oathel
sounded upon Ootton's ears as he was
told his end was at hand. He looked
into the faces of his murde: ers, but
did not speak. In reply TO O query OF
the Dispatch's reporter, Clarence t.
Boykiu. he said he felt badly and that
he was not prepared to die. Then be,
added: 20, done it. There amt no
use in my denying that, and / know
you are going TO harR me-"
The moose was slipped over his head
and adjusted about his throat. He at
tempted TO stand up, but being shsc-I
kled could not do so.
A messenger WAS sent for the keys
to the chairlock. aud in a moment re-.
turned with them.
Cotton showed no fear, but with head
erect marched in the midst Of his ex-
| ecutioners. A yell went up from the
mob OF white and colored people as o.
he appeared.
Every body seemed to be armed.
The cry of "Don't shoot" was passed
| around and Cotton was led to the tree
from which he was soon to be Suspend
ed. Two white men climbed the tree :,
one fell back while the other one was
| assisted in reaching n limb about
| twenty feet from the ground Over
this o rope Was tossed. Then came
the command, Every body catch hold
of the rope"
CHASTITY SIGHT.
This was obeyed with such will
! that the head OF their victim struck
4 ttAO % thO tAOC WIN iOICc
| that it wss badly gashed and the blood
< trickled over the body OF the dying
man. Again and again and again was
he let down and drawn up.
To add TO the horror Of the scene.
| two white men caught hold of his feet
and swuRg too and fro by them to in
crease the pressure upon the NJ ans
neck: 1t was q scene long to be re-
membered.
Cotton had attemp pied to say that he
wapted to speak to the Common
wealth's Attorney. but the cry was
TO hell with the Commonwealth At
torney," and he was jerked from the
ground, two bullets being fired into
his body and his life ended. It was
ascertained that he died from ssranR-
ulation.
It was FIVE minutes before there was
any evidence that life remained Then
he slswly drew MP his legs. straight
ened them out again and - all was
over.
| ANOTHER LIFE DxhANrED.
For half an hour, men, women and
children gsxed upon the awful specta.
Gle. Then is WAS cut down, and il lay
on the ground while hundreds made
an effort to secure rieces of his cloth
ing and some endeavored to cut OF his
fingers. The taste for blood had not
been satisfied and the cry of Bring
| out the white mani" was heard on ey-
| cry side. 1t 10 thus described:
About o dozen men started into the
jail. but were met as the door by sew
eral gentlemen, among them Ex- Judge
@. P. Barham.
The mob was urged to leave the
white man alone, it being argued
that his guilt had not been conclusive
ly proven. Colonel Field, Confeder-
ate veteran of Petersburg, made g
short speech, in which he begged the
lynchers to desist from their purpose,
but they pushed past him and entered
the Jail. In the cell they found O'Grs
| dy seated in q chair, WITH his hands
and feet tightly msnscled. In q mo-
ment the chains were thrown of him
and rope was placed about his neck.
DRAGGED FROM TIE CHAIR.
He was dragged from his chair and
told to leave the cell but the friends
| Of law and ordersAgain interceded, and
G. 7. Boykin. of Richmond, pleaded
with the crowd to give the man an op-
portunity to prove his innocence. The
reporter then Intercepted OGrady :.
and he stoutly denied sll knowledge of,
! any OF the crimes, save that of thel
killing Of Messrs. Welton and Saund \
ers, OF which he had been an eye-wit-
ness, but that he took NO part in thesel
killings was testified to py Mr.. Morrisl
and by Cotton. O'Grady was vIsibly|
frightened, but maintained his compo-l
4 sure, and said that il given three days
he ccdld communicate with his friends,
in Boston and prove his impotence of
the crimes.
After much more persuasion on the|
part OF gentlemen present, the mobl
agreed to grant the man . three. dsys'l
respite, and left the cell, with the un-|
derstsnding that II not proven Inno-|
cent by Tuesday at noon, the man,
should then be lynched. O. T. Boy
kin, reporter for the Dispatch, remov-I
ed the rope from around the neck of
the frightened Irishmsn, and he WAS,
left alone. the cell beng locked uponI
him.
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