Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-01-06

crowd evidently crossed over the rail-
road. 1t was on Twenty-nlnth street
that Special officer Orange, going
home met tho crowd. which had in
creased TO considerable size. He told
them that he was an officer OF the
law. and demanded to know what they
were doing. For an answer, Il couple;
of men grabbed him. took his two re-
volvers away, put an old hat on his
head and told him 10 clear out. Orange
did as advised.
The next step was TO take the man
to the house OF 4. NJ. Simpson, hus-
band of the outraged woman This
house is at the corner OF Warwick ave
nue. and Twenty ninth street. What
happened here was elected with much
I'ttieulty from Mr.. Simpson, who at
first denied that he knew anything
cbout the affair until about S o'clock
this morning. when he went to officer
Cookers house and asked him what
time the preliminary trial would be
held. Officer Booker told him the man
was dead, ana AIR. Simpson accord
ing to his first story. thought the OIL
Ger was joking.
SIMPSONS VERSION.
This was the version OF Mr.. Simp-
son, when asked by II newspaper man
;his morning what IL lli ew adout it:
Yes. | heard the man was lynched. :"
he said, but did not know anyth' ng
about 1t until Mir. Booker told me. |
wish | had, for would like TO have
taken Il hand in It, You have got no
idea, how man feels. My wife is in
there row reading an account Of the as
sault. She is up. but the blue place on
her neck left by his fingers is still
there"
What time did they bring the man
TO this house,? Mr.. Simpson was ask
cd.
We'll" replied Mr.. Simpson, after
some reluctance. "they did bring him
here. They knocked at the door and 1
answered. They said they wanted my
wife to come down and identify the
man again. 1 went and called her and
she came and identified him. They told
me to go up stairs and stay. 1 went
back and that is the last / knew of
it until this morning when I saw Mr.
Booker"
We'll. Mt any rate, the man was iden-
tilted by Mrs. Simpson, and the crowd,
growing i'm size all the time, It is said
started with the wretch toward the
woods which skirt the railroad track
going 10 Old Point. Just east OF the
JuiiCtiOii lttc NIOMu Lie WOODS.
Going back some two or three hundred
yards into the woods. they came to Il
space that was somewhat open.
TIE DEATH SCENE.
There is to be found no eye witness
of the tragedy to give II statement OF
what occurred, but the scene needs no
words to interpret 1t. The man was
bound around the wrists with a. stout
rome. He ~
standing in the middle OF the open
space and his hands tied to the tree
Ills feet were left free. There was evil
dence In the posture in which the body
was found that there was n terrible
struggle To free himself. He had pulled
the ronc down within three or four
feet of the ground. and his body, half
supported by the rope, was half-doubled
up. the feet lying out on the ground
Whether there was a given time for
a prayer; whether there was n confess
sion, is not known. Tho lips that could
tell are sealed. That the nah commit
ted The deed there is no doubt. He was
not only Identified but himself stated
the fact to the house sergeant. saving
There is no telling what n woman will
do for love and jealousy" With these
words he dismissed the subject.
y TARGET FOR BULLETS.
Their victim tied securely to the tree
the crowd drew their revolvcrs and be-
gan TO empty them into the unhanDv
man. Who fired the shots. were they
iired III volleys, or individually. how
many OF them struck the i.aple.s
wretch, are questions that cannot be
answered. City Coroner Gary. who
held the Inquest. made n superficial
examination OF the body. lie expresses
me belief that there were from twenty
TO Twenty-Five shots in the body from
weapons OF various calbrcs. There
were number OF shots in the head.
Those i'll the body were still more
numerous. One large bullet, probably
q os-cailbrc. went clear through his
breast and came out of n ragged hoIe
in the back of the shoulder. The mans
legs were simply reppered with bull
let's There Is reason to infer that Tho
iirst shots were fired into his legs. and
that the more mcrciful bullets were
not fired until the last
THE BODY FOUND.
However that may be. their victim
dead, leaving his body tied to the sap
ling, the crowd dispersed Shortly af-
ter that the officers trailing the crowd
and looking for whatever they might
find, passed within twenty yards of
the body and did not see IL.
But the silent wood and the gray
mists of the morning were not long TO
conceal the deed which man had done.
The body was soon discovered, ana the
gruesome find was reported TO the po-
lice. Several officers were sent out to
guard the body until the proper au-
thorties should take charge of 1t.
There were enacted curious and nm
woned scenes. The officers pressed the
crowds back. An oath was heard here:
there, nuiet expression of appro' al Of
the result and disapproval of the me h.
od. Served him right" said one: but
| they should have let the law take lis