Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1900-03-29
A Double LynChinS in Virginia in Full
View of Officers of the Law.
WHITE And NEGRO VICTIMS.
Ex-COunty Judge Took Part in Lynching-
Troops Had Been Sent to the Scene
by Governor Tyler, but We're
Withdrawn at Request of Sher-
III of the County.

tt majesty of the law has never been
more impulently defied in Virginia than
it was at Empora, the county seat of
Greensville county, on last Saturday, the
oath inst. Walter Cotton, a convicted
negro murderer, and b andt O'Grady, a
white man, were confined in the Jail at
Emporia. Cotton had been convicted at
Portsmouth, Va, of murder and had been
sentenced to be hung, He l..ade his es-
cape, and had gone to Greensvlle county,
where he was located by TWO officers of
the law, Saunders and WeltOn. The officers
went to arrest him, he being at the time
in an old cabin, and tramp, by the name
of O Grady, accidentally, it is supposed,
being with him. When the officers APP
preached the cabin they were shot and
killed by Cotton.
AS soon as the crime was made known
to the people of the community where the
officers were killed, pursuit was made OF
Cotton and O'Grady. They were soon
overtaken and arrested, but not together,
they haying separated. Public feeling was
greatly incensed against the negro desper-
ado, and also against O'Grady, who seems
to have been guilty of 10 offense, except
that of being accidentally in the company
of Cotton. Information reached Governor
Tyler that there would probably be a
lynching, and he ordered one company Of
the Richmond Blues to Emporia to peserve
order The soldiers under the command
of Major Cutchins promptly repaired to
the place
Major Cutchins soon arrived at the con-
cluslon that a lynching was imminent, and
announced his intention of calling upon
the Governor to send more troops.
On Saturday morning conference was
held between county judge Samuel Good
win and Sheriff Lee on the one hand, and
a Dumber of citizens on the other. At the
conference the question of iischarging the
military was discussed. 1t was determined
at that conference that the soldiers were no
| longer needed, nd the sheriff so no O6ed
Major Cutchins. As soOp as the soldiers
departed the crowd in the town constant
ly increased, and the mob sopn got down
to business. The county judge was warned
to keep out of the courthouse yard, and
the sheriff was warned to stay away from
the Jail. Former County Judge q. P.
/ Barham was leader of the mob. He and
a few others found no difficulty in enter
ing the Jail.
They brought Cotton out and hung him
on tree in the court house yard, the
act being witnessed by a large crowd Of
men and some women. The negroes who
had gathered on the scene demanded that
the white man, O'Grady, should also he
brought forth and hung. Though he had
been guilty of no crime, except that of be-
ing in the company ofCOlton, the demand
was yielded to. and O'Grady suffered the
same treatment that Cotton had received
from the mob.
No greater disgrace in the way of open
lawlessness has eyer been known in Virgin
MIA 1t is the result of the constantly
growing spirit Of lawlessness that has been
existing in the State for years. The re-
sponsibiity should be placed upon the au.
thorities who had not the courage or the
disposition to prevent the crime.