The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-07-04
When Released She Tells
Her Pitiful Story.
NEGRO CAPTURED AFTER A STRUGGLE
On the Way to Smithfeld He is Taken
From His Captors by Armed
Men, Who Hang Him to
the Limb of Tree.
Especial to News and obseryer.)

smithheld, N. G.. July s.-Yesterday
evening between three and four o'clock,
Jim Bailey an 1S-year-old negro boy. as
saulted and ravished Maude Strickland, a
young white girl Ia years old, the daugh-
ter of Mr.. ]. w. Strickland. who lives
about seven miles south of Smithield.
Maude, accompanied by little 1o-year-
old girl living with Mr.. Griffin Brown,
had been to the field where Mr.. Strickland
was at work to carry his dinner. They
passed by the negro boy, who caught the
older girl, tied her to a tree with his pillow
lines aud accomplished his purpose after
drawing his knife and threatening to kill
the younger girl if she did not retreat.
The little girl ran short distance and
waited for her companion.
After the negro had united his victim,
she and the other little girl went back
and told Mr., Strickland. who was only
about half mile away. what had hap
pened. He left his work Immediately and
with several other men. went to the
field where the negro was, and after some
resistance captured him. He was taken
to the residence of Mr.. Whitley, where he
was identified by the outraged girl and
her companion.
Then Mr.. Strickland, his son and ex-
Sheriff c. S. Powell started to Smithfield
with the prisoner, but had not gone very
far when they were overtaken by about
dozen we'll armed men, who surrounded
the buggy, threw moose over the negro's
head and dragged him from the buggy
The mob then commanded the party to
"go on and attend to their business"
They drove on to Smithfeld and inform
Ell the sheriff what had occurred. The
sheriff got the coroner and went to the
place designated, but found the negro
swinging to tree lifeless. The coroner
held an inquest over the body, and the
jury found that the deceased came to his
death by hanging by parties unknown.
This is the first lynching that has oc-
tcurred in our county since 1889, when one
Starting was lynched
GIRL IN CRITICAL CONDITION.
Smithield, N. c., July 3.--A negro,
named Bailey, was lynched last night in
this county. The daughter of John w.
Strickland. aged about fourteen, in COM
pany with another little girl was going
down TO a field yesterday afternoon to
carry dinner to Mr.. Strickland. On their
way they were grabbed by the negro. The
smaller girl was driven away by the ne
or badly lacerated the little girl, and
left her tied to tree. He was
captured later and as he was being taken
to Jail a mob of Infatuated men took hira
and hung him on tree. Sheriff Filing
ton was notified about 10 o'clock last
night. He at once notified the coroner
and the inquest was held, the jury finding
that the negro came to his death by being
hanged by parties unknown. | hear later
that the little girl is in a critical condi-
tion. Ia
Congressman IL. Nv Pou, who arrived
in the city yesterday from his home in
Smithfield, says the lynching Of Bailey
& is generally endorsed by the people Of
Johnston county, both white and black.
1.-THE best element of negroes are as
anxious for such fiendS to be punished
as are the White people" continued Mr..
Pou, "and in this instance they have
acted with commendable conservatism.
In fact, / doubt if the negro could have
been caught but for the assistance
given the posse by two negroes.
And then continued Mr. Pou,
there was also humorous side to
this terrible double tragedy in which
one life was ruined and another lost. 1t
was near midnight before Sheriff FL
lington, who, by the way, is the best
sheriff in the State, heard of the
lynching. He at once went to the scene,
only to find the negro swinging dead
to the end Of a rope. He next SUM
moned the coroner who came for the
purpose Of holding an inquest After
the inquest had been held the sheriff
decided that the thing to do would be to
take the body to Smithfield, but no
body present was willing to cut the