Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-05-12
He is the Negro Who Attempted to Outrage a
Lady Telegraph Operator at Sandstone,
ON THE CHESAPEAKE & OHIO RAIL ROAD
Wednesday Night and Who Was Driven Away by the Timely
Arrival of TrainHe Was Discovered by the Sheriff Yes
terday and Was to Have Had Speedy Trial. But the Out
ragged Citizens OF Summers County Would Not Wait.
Special to the Register.

Special to the Register.
HINTON. w. Va, May ia hor-
rible calamity befell this community
tonight about 1880 o'clock.
1t was the lynching of VIM. Lee, by
a mob of about one hundred men. Lee
was from Reedsville, N. c., and for
some months past had been working
on the double tracking which the Ches-
apeake & Ohio is having laid near
Sandstone, about ten miles west of this
place. On the night of the 9th he at
tempted to assault Mrs. H. H. Deifen-
bach, the lady operator for the Chesa-
peake & Ohio Railroad at Sandstone,
but was foiled in his purpose by the
timely arrival of a freight train.
Lee escaped to the mountains and
was securely hidden until this morn
ing, when his whereabouts were ascer-
tanned by getting one Of his comrades
under the influence of whisky, when
he told of the hiding place of Lee, who
was duly apprehended and brought to
this city.
There was some talk of lynching at
the time, but by the prompt response
of the Chesapeake & Ohio company
transportation was furnished from the
point where he was arrested and near
where the crime was committed to
Hinton, and it was thought that no
violence would be attempted.
The Circuit Court was in session and
a special grand jury had been sum-
moned, and all speed was being given
to bring Lee to a due punishment for
his crime 1t was confidently expect
ed that he would be tried and sentenc-
ed tomorrow, but about II o'clock
the mob began to assemble, and at
once went to the Jail and demanded
entrance, which was promptly refused
by the sheriff, and the few men he had
time to Summon to his assistance.
They were overpowered, and the
outer door was opened,
When n Shot was Fired
by someone in the mob, which struck
near the sheriff, who perceived that
all resistance was useless and gave
them the keys to the cell in which
Lee was confined.
1t was but a few seconds until Lee
was being taken rapidly through
back street and across vacant lots to
the nearest point where the outskirts
of the town could be reached.
The mob did their work rapidly and
within twenty minutes after the Jail
was attacked they had taken Lee
about three-fourths of mile from the
town, into one Of the darkest and most
gruesome places in this section, and
had him ready to hang.
They paused for a 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 ravine.
After he had been drawn up about
Eve hundred shots were fired, a large
number of which took effect
The mob seemed very much excited
and were very boisterous after they
reached the point where be was ex-
ecut..d, but as soon as their bloody
iced had been accomplished they re-
turned in body toward the town,
some singing but ali bearing an air
ot determination.
The body of Lee was hung to a large
pax tree, and when found by the par
rs that followed the mob, and who
we're at the scene within ten minutes
litter the last shot was fired, his feet
we're about three feet from the ground
With the rope tied with a hangmans
mot with the knot under the right
Ear
There were bullet holes through al
most every part of his body, and espe-
.ially
About the Face and Head.
Assistant Prosecuting Attorney T. y.
Read went among the mob while they
we're 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 aid
sentenced, and that if they would but
defer their action that the negro should
be punished to the full extent of the
law
Judge J. M. McWhorter also endeav-
ored to dissuadc the men from the I'M
lawful purpose. promising ell haste In
the trial of the case
So far az can be learned, the negro