Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-05-11
WAS NO LYNCHING.
SOLOMON TAYLOR Is
SAFE IN CHESTER.
FIELD JAIL.
OFFICIALS IN FEAR OF
VIOLENCE.
Extra Guards on Duty at the
Jail in Anticipation Trou-
BILE.
Taylor Stoutly Maintains His
Innocence of the Crime
Charged.

GreAt lDSerebb was mbulI6eteu III
this city and in Manchester last night
in the fate of Solomon Taylor, the coll,
ored man taken to Oht sterfleld Court
house for incarceration shere TO snswer
to Q charge of criminal assault on Mrs
Coslev.
This interest'was heightened bE the,
knowledge that plans had bsen iorm-
ing to intercept the officer having the
man in charge on the trip from Man
-..sssur TO the Courthouse, and the be-
lief that, though foiled in this attempt
another sf )rt would be made Co take
the colored man from the ofisers last
night and lynch hin.
Ground for these spprehensiona was
amply Afforded by the gathering and
mysterious movements OF bodies OF
mounted men along the country road
betw cen the city and tbe county court
house. Even with the prisoner seaare-
ly behind the bars of the steel cell, ap-
prehensions of lyuching were still felt.
THE SrTuATIoN HOPEFUL.
The fears proved groundless, how
ever, as the following special, wired
ber of the Dispatch stsf, conelosiRely
shows:
''At 2 o'clock this morning every
thing was QuieS at the Ohestezfield
courthouse. Extra gu ards were on dn-
ty at the jail, but no trouble was anti
cipated from mob violence. Early IN
the evening Jailer Britton feared at
tack by o mob, but nothing is locked
for now, and the law will undoubtedly II
be permitted 10 take its course.
Yesterday at noon Commonwealthsi
Attorney Wells, 1pon the suggestion
OF Judge Cl0pton, came<to the co1rt-'
house and swore in A. n. CheathAm, |,
i. A. Firth, Z. I. Brittou and w. j.,
limerick, as speeial guards to sssist
JAiler Britton, in protecting the pris-'
oner.
Taylor is confined in ar inner cell,
which was oeenpied By Gus DeFond
when confined in the county jail a
short time ago.
SAYS HR Is.lNNooRH-.
"When seen by the Dispatch repre-.
sentative, about ID O'Clock, Taylor
sioutlY protested his innocence, and
but for his positive Identification by
Mrs Cosley and her 5-year-old daugh-
ter, his story would impress one as be-
ing trne. Everything possible was
done toinduce him to confess to the
ored man fully realizes his position,
but seems to think that he will be able
80 prove an alibi.
Yesterday, Clerk Cogbill, acting
uader instructions from Judge Olop-
ton, summoned O eeial grand Jury
for Monday morning. A trial jury will
be summoned to-day by Sheriff Gill,
and everything will be ready by Mon
day for the N citing out of justice. That
. trus bill will be returned and the
prisoner will 1e tried at once, there
10 no doubt. He has not secured eoun-
sci, but the Court will sssign him
counsel.
Chesterfield county has not been
stirred By such Q crime for more than
ten years. In 1890, Simon w Alker, a
colored boy only IL years old, outrsg-
ed lS-year-old girl near Swift Greek. |
1t WAS thought that he would be sum-
mariiy dealt with, and q strong guard |
was placed over him. He WAS given q |
speedy trial, found guilty, and SEN
teneed TO be hanged. Governor Lee
commuted the sentence to life term
In the penitentiary, escaping the death |
penalty, owing to his youth.
The Chesterfield Jail is O strong /
stone building. The modern steel /
cells on the second floor are SO arranR-
ed IS 80 make il well-nIgh impossible |
for o mob to get at the prisoners with |
out frat overpowering the jsiler and
compelling him to unlock the different |
steel doors"
ouTwITTKD MoBs.
Constable W. e Grant, Of Chester
Held, outwitted well-orgsnized mobS |
yesterday morning when he removed
Taylor to the Chesterfield county fail. |
1t had been rumored that the officer
would remove the prisoner from the
Manchester city jail, where he was in
csrcersted Monday evening, to the
county prison BY private conveyance.
Mr.. Grant wss advised not to take the
risk, but rather 60 by train, aud it af-
forwards developed that it was well for
his charge that he did.
Early In the morning several we'll
known citizens OF the county called !