The Savannah morning news., 1901-08-02
1 MOB'S VENGEANCE
,DrE NEGROES DIE FOR ITALIA
FERRO MURDER.
RAD WORK IN MISSISSIPPI
oov LONGING ARRIVED A FEW
MINUTES TOO LATE.

,;u. citizens Appealed to the
Mob. and Did Everything to Stay
1vrntb-Formed Themselves In
,o n Committee to- Investigate
prisoners and Killed rs Much Time
~ Possible, but the Hot Heads
woujd Not Wait-Deaths of the
rbrce May Thwart the Ends OF
Justice.
Corrollton. Miss, Aug. 1.-The muir
der of Mr.. and Mrs. Taliaferro culmi-
.atad tonight in the lynching of Bet
.;e NIcCray. her son Belfield McCray,
and her daughter Ida McCray, all ne
goes.
The mob was composed of about 500
white citizens of Carroll county, who
marched to the Jail in. order, demand
od tbe KEYS from Jailer Duke, proceed
sd TO the cells of the unfortunate ne
croes. bound them by the neck and
hands and carried them outside the
cornor9te limits of the town, where
they hanged them to tree by the pub
lice roadside and riddled their bodies
with bullets.
The mob resisted the earnest ap-
meals of Judge W. f. Stephens and
Hon. w. S. Hill, who stood on the
stems of the Jail and appealed to the
mob in the name of law and order.
They even followed 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 McCray confessed to the knowl-
edge of the murder, and stated that
her mother. Betsie, and brother, Bel
field. helped commit the murder. She
further implicated others, who will
wobably meet a like fate. Betsie Nc
Cray refused to make any statement.
Gov. A. H. Longino arrived on the
scene by special train from Jackson
Just a few minutes after the hanging.
The Peace Committees Work.
Judge Stevens and Mr. Hill went to
the Jail early in the day to examine and
investigate the Taliaferro killing and
report to the people in the court house
before the jury of inquest should pro-
ceed with their work. This they were
doing in a quiet and successful man
ner when it was learned that about 20
men, growing impatient at the delay,
had organized themselves into a mob
and were ready to come to the Jail and
take the suspects out. The committee
Immediately went to the court house
and called the people together. Messrs.
Hill, Mr.. L. NJ. Southworth and Sena-
tor George addressed them and told
them what they were trying to do.
They seemed fairly well satisfied when
they We're assured that the negroes
would not be spirited away and that
the final investigation would be had in
pubhc in the court house.
Inc peace committee than proceeded
70 the jail to complete it's work. They
worked until o'clock, when an ad-
Nurnment was had to report progress
and for dinner. The mob continued i'm
patient and restless. In the meantime
Gov. Longino had telephoned Judge
stevens that he would leave Jackson
Tor CarrolltOn on the o'clock train
Tried to Kill Time.
The committee. being apprised OF
ms, did their best to kill time so that
he Governor might arrive and use his
influence However, they deemed II
necessary at about o'clock to make
another report to the people. They pro-
ceeded to the court house, where Mr.
Hill reported that the committee had
concluded, after a faithful and thor
ough examinations that while Bedford
ana Betsy McCray knew that the Tai
alerros We're to be killed and had alb
sehted themselves from home so that
.ney might prove an alibi, the ones who
had actually committed the deed had
mot yet been caught, but that they be-
neVed that these would finally divulge
Me Whole plot. Mr.. Hill left it to the
crowd as to whether the committee
Snould proceed with the Investigations
OF drop it and have the jury of inquest
Woceed The crowd was unanimous in
hStrueting them to proceed with the
Investigation.
Hot Heads Would Not Wait.
however, as the crowd was dispers-
sIs se rom the courthouse they met about
.y my men armed with shotguns and
mes and who had not been in the
TuIt NUT house to hear the last report
lueSe men proceeded to the Jail, where
AZ uehuty sheriff promptly opened the
roo' lor them. Three men went uI
s.aTs and brought out Belford. Betsy
1u Ida McCray Judge Stevens
iS,esSfs' Hill and George and other cit
,S as IN, begged and pleaded with them
III uu Lynn Taliaferro the son of the
,nuIlered n.ed couple not to kill these ne
r. tbS as they would thereby thwart
M % nlS OF justice. But it was all to
nDa5 purpose. The mob took the negroes
frors lIef the hill about a quarter of mile
inc lo"n and hanged the three, fir
Tbo at least 500 shots into their bodies
woe governor arrived just as the moi
hone ielurnlng. He went to the court
dano5 ana addressed a large and sad
coml5 vroWd 1t is believed IL he
miob. nave gotten there in time he
"lSht 1 have prevented the lvnching,
ing train. ~ i''Uiiieu OH the even
mob '' nl lane was brought in just as the
"To was dispensing.
The rn m not known what further work
"'oo VIII do before morning.