The Washington weekly post., 1900-03-27

se<l.4l 70 rle Per
Emporia. Va. March 2-The expected
happened this afternoon. when an inig-
rated mob took Walter Cotton. the cor
demurd murderer who confessed killing
John ". Saunders and J. y. Wcltcu las,
THURSDAY. from the jail here and hanged
him. An hour later the mob again visited
the jail. dragged oUt BraDt O'Grady, Cot
tons alleged accOmplice, and hanged him
alsO
The lyEchings were the work Of a noisy.
reyenRrtUL savage crowd from all sec
IONS Of Greeresytlle County. numbering
fully 200 men. most Of them heavily
armed. They had been excited to frenzy
by the presence Of the troops, Company
b. OF the Richmond Blues. sent here By
Gov. Tyler 10 protect the murderer and
t!s alleged accOmpiice, and had not the
militia been Withdrawn many lives would
undoubtedly have been sacrificed. The
citizens were determined upon summary
vengeance. and the soldiers. under Maj.
FOL Cutchins. were equally determined TO
defend the prisoners 10 the last u need
I'd but a spark TO provoke a conflict, IN
which, as Maj Cutchins announced, the
Blues would have shot 10 Kill.
Better Two Than Many.
IL was this view Of the matter which re-
suited in the troops being ordered back to
Richmond, the city and county officials,
after conference with a number OF
prominent citizens, decidlng-in effect, IL
not In words-that II was better TO let the
mob work It's will than sacrifice perhaps
dozens Of lives in uphoiding the law.
The Conference was held at 10 a. m. in
a "
eHt County Judge Goodwin, Sheriff W. II.
Lee. States Attorney W. NJ Powell, Com
missioner VI. J. Squire. Treasurer b. ".
Nyche, and about fifteen Of the leading
citizens Of Emporia. Outside the thTOng
OF armed, drinkmaddened lynchers. ap-
parently eager for a fight, and certainly
eager for blood. clamored for their VIC
Tins, though AT first only CottOn's life
was demanded. Their number was con-
slanuy augmented, and so open and bold
were they in their demands that IL was
reared their patience would not hold out
until the conference was at an end. II
was mOmentarily expected that the hot
htads, who needed but a word would at
tack the jail
Meanwhile the troops were under arms.
MAJ Iutchlns ready to give the word to
hre az sign from Judge Goodwin or
Aherlh Lee. The major was determined.
Oul mile anxious as TO the possible out
come ana wired Gov. Tyler early. in the
DAY Tor another company of militia. He
received a reply, stating that the troops
could be sent only at the request Of the
clV!l authorities, and directing him TO con-
sun win Judge Goodwin and the sheriff.
Mob Threatened Judge Goodwin.
Judge GOODWIN, after the tragedy stat
20 IN Al conservative men. personal friends.
Adu threatened TO lynch him and to blow
~ ms residence, II the soldiers were nor
"ihdfaYn; that they would hold him re-
SpohsiDle Tor the shedding of the blood Of
any c4uzens, as the latter were determin-
Ell cotton should die Ills wife, he said
was in Mysteries with fear
Inc conference ended as stated. with .
lput understanding that Cotton. or even
lhe tW0 prisoners, should die. rather than
permit a clash with the troOps. Word
was finally sent Mai. Cutchins to with
draw his men, and Immediately there
after the Blues. in omi1ous silence ma
raded and marched 10 the depot. where
they boarded a special train, and return
I'd 10 Richmond.
Before their departure, Mai. Cutchins
again wired Gov. Tyler Of the state of
affairs. notifying him that he had been
requested by Sheriff Lee 10 Withdraw
Gov. Tyler replied, at once, that the sole
responsibility was on the sheriff: that if
he ordered withdrawal of the troops he
'MaJ. Cutchins) could do nothing but
obey.
We have done everything possible"
SAID the governor, in his telegram, Ito
uphold law and prevent mob violence. and
are still prepared 10 render any aid neces-
sary"
The troops left Emporia at II 80 o'clock.
and had been gone but a little over an
hour when the mob went TO the jail and
demanded Cotton. 1t had not been ex-
Ieeted that they would undertake TO lynch
The murderer before dark
Sheriff Lee made a speech protesting
against violence but the mob was deter
mined, and pushed their way into the
Jail They had to batter down the doors.
After some little time had been con-
sumed in freeing the murderer from his
chains, Cotton was dragged forth. His
appearance was greeted with hoWls and
Curses. He w&S taken to d struggling
Wild-cherTy tree, twenty yards from the
courthouse. and swung up. As his body
dangled, TWO rifle bullets were sent into
his breast
The murderer was so overcome with
Tear and fright that he could scarcely
speak He was hanged in the presence
OF nearly l,J0O people. the crowd afterward
being increased TO about 1000.
The lynching of Cotton was followed by
cries from the negroes in the mob:
Lynch the white nan, now that you
have lynched the negro"
EX-Judge George p. p Barham. OF
Greensville County, pleaded with the
crowd not 10 lynch OGrady. Cotton. he
S4ld, was confessed murderer, while
% GRADY claimed 70 be innocent Col. 4. NJ
Field. Of Petersburg, who, during the
war between the States, was colonel of
The Twelfth Virginia Regiment, also
pleaded with the mob not TO act hastily
Little attention was paid these uleadiugS
and NJ lao o'clock. OGrady was taken
IRON the jail by a crowd composed prin-
clpally OF negroes, and dragged 10 the
tree, and lynched, Cotton and OGrady
died on the same tree.
LyBchers Wild with Ferocity.
The double lynching was marked with
scenes OF ferOcity which appalled, many
or the more sOber-mindod men in the mob
Cotton, before ne died. advised his execu-
uoners 10 lei him talk with States Al
tornry Powell. but no heed was paid TO
his words
\ dozen hands, their owners apparently
mad with liquor and lust for blood. swung
the negro up, and as he hung strangling
NO bullets Were fired into his body
Blood spurted from his nose and mouth.
and his head fell back. face toward the
sky. His body hung for half an hour be-
iore IL wds cut down. the crowd mean
while shouting and cursing
oGrady, VINO Was nfty-hve years old
aud whi,e-hairrd. claimed 10 be from Chi
cago. lie was defiant and dared the
mob 10 hang him. The negroes were the
most c!amUrOus Tor his death He was
strung Up with a twO-strauded half-inch
rope, The same kind used on Cotton His
face presented a ghds,iy sight as he slow
iy strangied 20 death
A. the two bodies swung I'm the breeze
revengefui men. friends OF their victims.
Jwified the hanging forms around. while
many Dumped up 10 cut buttons from
their clothes and 10 secure pieces OF
clothing and rope - mementoes OF the
occasion.
When the body Of the Irishman and
LIT al fIt- Ursr4 law side sid. k.F,....st.