The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1901-08-07
A JUDGE PLEADS IN VAIN.
TWO Women and a Man Lynchad
for Brutal Murder.

for Brutal Murder.
RT Taliaferro and wife, Of Carrollton
county, Miss, were found dead in bed
Wednesday with their headsspl open.
It 1s thought the murder was commit.
ted by negroes out Of revenge for the
recent killing Of negro man who at
tempted to poison the family. A dis
patch from Carrollton says the nur-
der Of Mr.. and Mrs. Taliaferro cul-
minated Thursday night in the lynch
ing Of Betsie McCrsy, her son Bsl6eld
McCray, and daughter Ida McCray, all
colored. The mob was composed Of
about 500 white citizens Of Carrollton
county, who marched to the jail in Or
der, demanded the keys from Jailer
Duke, proceeded to the cells Of the un-
fortunate negroes, bound them by the
neck and hands and carried them to
the corporate limits Of the town, where
they hung them to tree by the public
roadside and riddled their bodies with
bullets.
The mob resisted the earnest appeals
Of Judge ". F. Stephens and Hon. W.
S. Hill, who stood on the steps Of the
Jail and appealed to the mob in the
name Of law and order. They even fol.
lowed the mob to the cell doors with
their arms around the necks Of the
leaders, pleading to let the Law take
its course, but with no effect. Ida
MoCray confessed to the knowledge Of
the murder, and stated that her mother
Betsie and brother Belfeld helped COM
NIT the murder. She further impll-
Gated others who will probably meet q
like fate. Bstsie McCray refused to
make any statement. Gov. A. b.
Longino arrived on the scene by spec
isl train from Jackson just few min
utes after the hanging.
Judge Stevens and MIR. Hill went to
the jill early in the dsy to examine
and Investigate the Tallaiferro killing
and report to the people in the court
bouse before the jury Of inquest should
proceed with their work. This they
were doing in qniet and successful
manner when it was learned that
about Is men, growing impatient st
the delay, had organized themselves
into a mob and were to come to the
jail and take the suspects out. The
committee immediately went to the
court house and called the people to-
gether. Mr.. Hill, Mr.. L. N. South
worth and Senator George addressed
them and told them what they were
trying TO DO. They seemed fairly we'll
satisfied when they were assured that
the negroes would not be spirited
away, and that the final Investigation
you'd be had in public in the court
house.
The peace committee proceeded to
the Jail to complete its work. They
worked until 3 o'clock, when an ar
journment was had to report progress
and for dinner. The mob continued
impatient and restless. 10 the mean.
tine, Gov. Longino had telephoned
Judge Stevens that he would leave
Jackson for Carrollton on the 2 o'clock
train. The committee being apprised
Of this, did their best to kill time SO
that the governor might arrive and use
his influence. However, they deemed
it necessary at about 4 O'CLOCK to make
another report to the people. Taey
proceeded to the court house where MIR.
Hill reported that the committee had
concluded, after q. faithful and thor
ough examination that while Belford
and Betsy MoCrsy knew that the
Taliaferros were to be killed and had
absented themselves from home so
that they might prove an alibi, the
ones who had actually committed the
deed had not yet been caught, but that
they believed that these would finally
divulge the whole plot. Mr.. Hill left
it to the crowd as to whether the com.
mitsee should proceed with the inVesti-
CATION or drop it and have the jury Of
inquest proceed. The crowd was unsni-
nous in instructing them to proceed
with the investigation.
However, as the crowd was dispers.
ing from the court house they met
about 81 men, armed with shot guns
and rifles, and who had not been in the
court house to hear the last report.
These men proceeded to the jail where
the deputy sheriff promptly opened
the door for them. Three men went
up, stairs and brought out Belford,
Betsy and Ida McCray. Judge Stevens,
Messrs. Hill and George and other cisi-
zens begged and pleaded with them IS
did Lynn Taliaferro, the son Of the
murdered couple, not to kill these ne
groes as they would thereby thwart
the ends Of justice. But it was all to
no purpose. The mob took the negroes
under the hill about a quarter Of q
mile from town and hanged the thrae,
firing at least 800 shots into their
bodies, The governor arrived just is
the mob was returning. He went to
the court house and addressed large
and saddened crowd. It is believed
if he could have gotten there in time
he might have prevented the lynching
The governor returned On the evening
train.