The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1901-06-14
PROTECTED ID MuRDE RnR
"A Georgia sherif Upholds tho Law
Even to tho Death.

Even to the Death.
The nerve Of an obscure Georgia
Sheriff whose name is Joseph Merrill! ct
Oarrollton, Gil, Friday upheld the law
Of the State and saved the life Of regro
from a mob. In protecting the negro,
who was saved from tho gallows only q
fow hours before through tho efforts Of
his lawyers, ono life was lest AMI two
men wero wounded The arrival OF the
State militia prevented threatened
trouble Friday night, and at 8 o clook
special traio, bearing the nc gro wh,se
orimo was the murder of q Ii tie white
boy whom he found fishing alone, aud his
guard, was speed ng towards A lanta.
The man killed in attacking tho Ill
was George Bennott of Cafr,llton, G.,
and tho wounded arc Thomas 8. Word.
father Of tho murdered boy, aud an un.
known m IN, presume ably farmer.
Williams, tho negro, was tried and
found guilty Of numbering o is Wore.
an, Let, this year and sentenced to be-
hanged Friday, being refus, d now trial
by Judge Harrig Friday ntroins. His
attorneys, Roese, Smith & Boyk,n,
filed bill Of exceptions aud carried
tho oase to the supreme court. A largo
crowd OF people had CON o town to
witness tho hanging, and whom il VAS
learned that an appea.. had been tax N
TO tho supreme court, delaying oxocu
uon, there vas much ta k, wh,oh orys
tsized aoon after in the formation Of a
mob.
At noon tho mob mado an assault on
the Jail. They battered down tue out
sl1e iron door, despite tho warning De
the sheriff, and entered tho building
ihey mado demand on tho sheriff
for the koy to tho negroes coll, but
wero refu 'ed. With this refusal, they
began their advance upon tho ehotiff
am tho few dsp1tios which ho had
boen able to summon TO his aid. They
were told to stop or thsy would 30 fifod
on, but the order was not obeyed. Ae
they advanced down tho corridor to
wards tho shoriff, the order vas aiyeo
to IRE. Bennett foil, dying almost, in.
atantiy. Thomas Word, the f,ther Of
Williams vi,tim, who was in The front
OF the mob, was badly shot, as was also
an unknown oountryman.
The unexpected fight Of the sheriff
and his posse frightened the mos and
THY retreated outside the iail Hora
they broke and ran ana soro r1ou ,,,iv,; ,,,iv,;
ed into littie groups di.onsaino H.
event. Sheriff Merrill at onoe oonsp,teS
Judge Harris, Of the county court. and
It was decided to call upon Gov. Cand
Ter for aid. The governor was com
munioatod with by telephone and sale
ne would send two companies fro m
Atlanta as soon as til could be as
sombled.
During the afternoon the NIB tele.
ph0ned the situation to friends in the
nojoiaing towns Of Villa Kica aud
Temple and made ON appeal for moro
men to offect the captore Of tho nopro
This was oommun cat d also t, Gov.
GAMBLER and the governor soon wirs ID a
proclamation to the peoplo Of the
county 1t WAS read from the steps of
th' court house at 4 O'Clock ~ the
mayor. The governor commanded the
people to disperse and said the entire
military and civil forces of the State
would be used to enforce order if nooes-
sary. The r.ading Of the proclamation
oPP",oueit Ahu gO0u eUtot, as many
people were seen to mount their horses
and leave town.
Much apprehension was fols for the
night and the sh.r riff and city and
county tfficials, after consultation
decided 10 take the prisoner out of the
county for safekeeping. Tho Atlasta
militia, under command Of Major Bar
ker, arrived about 6 'clook, and ono
hoar later escorted tho negro and
sheriff tothe train which was coon
speeding southwark for Atlanta. u