The Washington weekly post., 1900-05-15
Special % TIE Post

luV men about l.SJ q clock tonight lynch
ed William Lee. 4 negrO. II is the first
stain OF the kind upon the good name Of
this (Summers} county. OF which Hinton
is the court house seat.
Lee was from Reedsville y. G, and for
some months past had been working on
the double track which the Chesapeake
and Ohio is laying near Sandstone. about
ten miles west Of this place. on the night
Of the 9th he attempted to assault Mrs
H. H. Diefenbach, operator for the Chesa-
peake and Ohio Railway at Sandstone,
but was foiled in his purpose BY the time
Iy arrival Of a freight train.
The negro He'd ana escaped to the noun
tains He remained securely hidden until
this morning. when his whereabouts were
ascertained by getting one of his conf
panions under the influence OF whisky.
When drunk this man told OF Lees hid
ing place. and the latter was duly apDre-
hended and brought TO this city. There
vas some talk Of lynchirg at the Cre,
but by the prompt response Of the Oh, :
apeake and Ohio, transportation was fuI-
niShed from the point where he was ar
rested and near where the crime was
committed TO Hinton, where II was
thought no violence would be- attempted.
The Circuit Court was In session, II spe-
cial grand jury had been summoned. and
all speed was being given To bring Lee -
punishment for his crime, and II was con-
fidently expected that he would b. tried
and sentenced tomorrow, but about IL
O'Clock tonight a mob began 10 assemble.
The leaders at once went To the jail and
demanded entrance. They were promptly
refused, but the sheriY and the few men
he had time TO summon 10 his assistance
were OverpOWered. A. The outer door was
forced a shot was fired by some one IN
the mob. Ii struck near the sheriff, who
perceived that all resistance was useless
and gave the lyrChers the keys ~ the cell
IN which Lee was confined.
Hanged and shot 20 Death.
A few moments later Lee was being
taken rapidly through a back street AMI
across vacant lots ill the outskirts of
the town was reached. The mob pressed
theiC work rapidly, and within twenty
minutes after the jail was attacked they
had taken Lee about tnree-fourths Of
mile from town to enc Of the darkest ana
most grewSome holes In this section, and
had him ready to hang. They paused for
a moment to give him time to pray, but II
he did so his words could not be heard b.
the crowd which followed the lyuChers.
end who Were some fifty OE one hundred
yards down the rayine
After Lee had been drawn up about I've
hundred shots were fired. a large number
Of which took effect The mob sermrd
very much excited and we're very bolster
Gus. As soon as their work had been dc-
cCmpiished they returned in a body to-
ward the town. some singing but all
wearing an air Of determination.
The body Of Lee hung on a large oak
tree. and when found by those who fol
lowed the mob two minutes after the last
shot was fired. his feet were about three
feet from the ground with the rope tied
with a hangman's knot around his neck,
The knot under the right ear. There were
bullet holes through almost every part of
his body and especially about the face
and head.
Assistant Prosecuting Attorney T. n.
Read went among the mob while they
were attempting to gain admittance to the
jail and pleaded with the men TO 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 20 the full
extent Of the law. Judge J. n. McWhor-
ter also vainly endeavored to dissuade
the mob, promising all haste in the trial
Of the cause.
SO far as can be learned the negro never
positively confessed his crime, but there
seems to be no doubt whatever that he IL
the proper party. as Mrs. Dief-nbach
identified him this afternoon as the man
who had attempted the assault
No blame is attached TO the officers Of
the law here, as they did all in their pow
er to protect the prisoner and preserve
the fair name Of the county.
A Virginia LynchiHG Ayerted.
MartinsvIlle, Va, May il.-MayOr Nor
gan. Of this place, and Sh,rIH Davis, or
Henry County. by prompt action In calliag
out troops 10 guard a negro. dyertcd an
other lynchIns here tonight. The pris-
Cner is Charles HairstOn, young negro.
His intended victim Is a young white
girl. who, fortunately, escaped INJURY.
The assault was committed wednesday,
ana yesterday HairstOn Was arrested and
lodged in Jail here. News of his crime
spread rapidly. and al uprising followed.
Word reached the authorities that an at
tack YOU'D b. made on the Jail tonight
by a mob determined 10 take the law ia .
their own hands az any cost, SheTiN Da-
Wis al Cuce wired Gov. Tyler for troops.
The Piedmont Rifles were ordered 10 the
scene, and they arrived In good time. The
Jail IS now surrounded BY d Gordon. OF
bayGnsts. At midnight The lyHcheTo had
not appeared. The presence Of the troops
will II is expected, dsmpen the aT1Or VI
the MOB.
Richmond, Va. May Il-GOy. TIler u
! Keeping in touch with the situation at
NaftinsVlile. ana is determined that th-rs
/ shall be- no repetition " the Empgrll blot
Upon the states good name II executive
/ actiO- can avert IL. H win send oil ;he
trgOi.s necessary 10 MartiHsyiile % assure
{ the safety Of the accused negro.
The governor has ordered the Roanoke
company o. hold itself ln readiness - fr-
/ enforce the Martirsyilie company, II nee
I essoTy.
4 special from Martinsgille az 10 says
I q mob s. reported assembling three miles
( from town. and Ju attempt 10 lynch tls-,
negro Is regarded as immlksUt. The mill
+ tary. however. say they CA ssd vii
hold the jail.