The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-05-12
. NEGRO LYING HE'D
BY ANGRY MOB
His Body Riddled by Five
Hundred Shots.
MADE QUICK WORK.
Took Less Than Half an Hour to
Swing William Lee to a Tree
| THE OFFICERS ARE BLAMELESS
| THE OFFICERS ARE BLAMELESS
They Made Every Effort to Save the
Negro and an Early Trial Was As
sured, But the Mob overpowcr-
ed Them-Ihe Man Fully
Identified : Crime for
Which He Suffered.

HINTON, w. VA. May 1.-Speciai--On
of the most horrible calamities befell this
community tonight about 1870 O'Clock
that has ever stained the name OF the
county which was the lvnching of VIII
liam Lee by a mob of about sevensy-iiVe
or one hundred men.
Lee was from Reidsvi!le, n. c.. and for
some months past had been working on the
double tracking which the Chesapeake ana
Ohio are having laid near Sandstone
about ten miles west of this place On the
night Of the 9th instant he attempted TO
assault Mrs. II. Fl. Defenback. the lady
operator for the Chesapeake and ONO Kali
way al Sandstone. but was foiied in his
purpose by the timely arrival OF a freight
train Lee escaped te the mountains and
was securely hidden until this morning,
when his whereabouts were ascertained by
getting one of his comrades under the in
fuence of whskey, when he told of the
hiding place of Lee who was duly appre-
hended and brought to this city.
SPEEDY TRIAL PROMISED.
There was some talk of lynching at the
time, but by the prompt response OF the
Chesapeake and Ohio Company, transpor-
tation was furnished from the point where
he was arrested, and near where the crime
was committed, to Hinton, and 1t was
thought that no violence would be attempt
ed.
The Circuit Court was in session and n
special grand jury had been summoned ana
all speed was being given TO bring Lee 20
a due punishment for his crime ana IL
WAS confidently expected that he would be
tried and sentenced tomorrow
MOB ASSEMBLED.
Abo,,t If o'clock the mob began to as
semble and at once went to the jail ana
demanded entrance. which was promptly
refused by the sehriff and the few men ne
had time to summon TO his assistance.
They were ovprpowered and the outer
door was opened when shot vas fired by
one in the mob which struck near the
sheriff, who. preceivins that all his resist
auce was useless. gave them the keys 10
the cell in which Lee was confined. 1t then
was but a few moments until Lee was
being taken rapidly through back street
and across II vacant lot to the nearest
tpoint where the outskirts of the town
could be reached.
QUICK WORK.
The mob pressed their work rapidly,
and within twenty minutes alter the JAN
was attacked they had taken Lee about
three -fourths of a mile from town. in
one of the darkest and most gruesome
holes in this section. and had him ready
to hand. They paused for moment TO
give him time to pray. which, If he did
could not be heard by the bystanders,
who were some fifty or one hundred
yards down the raylne. Alter ne had
been drawn up about five hundred shoes
were fired, a large number of whlch
took effect. The mob seemed very much
excited, and were very boisterous after
they reached the point where he was
executed. but as soon as their bloody
deed had been accomplished. they re-
turned in a body toward the town, some
singing but all bearing an air OF de-
termination.
The body of Lee hung on a large oak
tree and when found by the parties that
followed the mob, and who were at the
scene within two minutes after the last
shot was fred found his feet were about
three feet from the round with the rope
tied with a hangman's knot around his
neck with the knot under the right ear.
There were bullet holes through almost
evers part OF his body, and especially
about the face and head.
PLEAD WITH THE MOB.
Assistant Prosecuting Attorney T. n.
Read went among the mob while they
were attempting to gain admittance to
the Jail and plead with the men 70 desist.
promising them that on the morrow the
man should be tried and sentenced, and>if
they would but defer their action that
the negro should be punished to the full
extent of the law. Judge J. NJ. Nc
Whorter also endeavored to dssuade the
men from the unlawful purpose,
promising all haste in the trial of the
case,
So far as can be learned the negro
never positively confessed his crime, but
there seems to be no doubt whatever
that he is the proper party, as Mrs.
Diefenbach identified him as the same
one who had attempted the assault
No blame is attached to the officers of
the law. for il is known that they did all
shat was in their power to protect the
prisoner and preserve the fair name of
the county.