The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-08-27
OFFICERS DEFEND THEIR PRISONER
AGAINST LYNCHERS.
ONE OF THE ASSAILANTS KILLED
At Ashevflle. Ala. a Mob OF Lynch
ers Attempt to Take n Negro from
the Court House Just After Sen-
fenced to Hang for Criminal Assault.
a Pitched Battle With sad Results.
The Crowd Driven Off and the
Negro Spirited Away.

Asheville, Ala, August 22.-One man
was killed and another probably fatal
~ wounded in a battle here today to
save the negro Jim Brown from the
vengeance of a mob after he had been
tried and sentenced to be hanged on
September Goth for criminal assault.
The killed is Walter Blackenship. The
wounded are Arthur ~Blackenship, prob
ably fatally, n a small boy, the son
Of James Manly, slightly wounded.
The Blackenships were brothers, and
It is said have been in town since Mon
day trying 70 stir up trouble. Wa
ter died within two hours after being
shot. and Arthur is in a precarious on
dition.
The attempt Of the mob to gain pos
session of the negro followed one of
the swiftest and fairest trials ever wit
messed.
The Judge and court officials were on
the alert to suppress the fast rising
anger of the crowd AZ detail after de-
tail of the crime was told by the wit
nesses for the state. There was no ev-
idence for the defense. AS Brown said
Afterwards in his confession, there was
nothing the witnesses he had sum-
moned could say in his behalf.
The clash came in half an hour after
Judge Pelham had pronounced the SEN
tence. By a ruse the court room was
cleared of half it's angry occupants.
The remaining half was surly and
seemed ben on mischief.
AT the request of Judge Pelham, ].
L.. Garrett. the father of the girl out
ragged by Brown, mounted a table and
spoke, counseling peace. He had hard
ly addressed the assembly as his
friends and ~neighbors'' before he
broke down in tears. In concluding his
appeal ne said: IF you have any re-
spect for my feelings, if 1 can have any
weight in your hearts, let me urge you
as good citizens to go home and obey
the law and l will never cease to thank
you from the bottom Of my heart"
After some difficulty the court room
was cleared. Sheriff North thought it
unwise to attempt to take Brown to the
Jail, a few blocks away, for the crowd
was rapidly increasing around the
front door of the court house.
Tw~enty-eight deputies armed with
pistols and shot guns were stationed in
the front hall and at the windows of
the court room. The first sign of an
| outbreak came when one man from the
outside with a pistol in his hand start
| ed to mount the stairway. He vas fol-
| lowed by two or three others. Severa
shots were exchanged and the mob
| leaders retreated to the outside, when
two members began firing into ihe
windows. Arthur B~lankenship was hi
first and his brother was shot while
emptying his revolver in the direction
| of the wondows above.
a hard rain began falling. The bod.
les of the wounded were removed anG
h crowd scattered about in front o.
the stores across the street The Off.
GERS took advantage of this lull anG
spirited the negro away in charge OF
two special deputies. He was gotter
safely aboard q freight train for Birm.
ingham.
The crime for which Brown will hans
was committed on May eth near Spring
Vile. within a quarter of a mile from
the house of the Carrots. Brown lefr
he vicinity at once, first going to Biz
mingham then to Admission, Atlanta
and finally to Charleston, S. c., whert
lie was captured.