The news & observer., 1901-06-08
A SHER|FF'S NERVE
SAVED The NEGRO
The Jail Was Assaulted b.
a Mob.
A WARNING UNHEEDED
The Sheriff and His Deputies Fired
One Man Dropped.
THE MOB THEN FLED FROM TIE JAIL
The Negro Charg, d With Killing a Lit 10 White
Boy Was to Hive Been Har ged When
an Appeal Was Secured by
His Lawyers
(By the Associated Press.)


Carrollton, Ga, June THE nerve of
an obscure Georgia sheriff whose name is
Joseph Merrill today upheld the law of
the State and saved the life of a negro
from mob. In protecting the negro,
who was saved from the gallows only a
few hours before through the efforts of
his lawyers one life was lost and two
men were wounded. The arrival of the
State military averted threatened trouble
tonight and at nine o'clock a special train
bearing the negro whose crime was the
murder of a little white boy whom he
found fishing alone, and his guard were
speeding towards Atlanta The man
killed in attacking the Jail was George
Bennett, of CarrolltOn, and the wounded
men are Thomas S. Word, father of the
murdered boy, and an unknown man, pre-
sumably a farmer.
Williams the negro, was tried and
found guilty of numbering Otis Word, jan
uary 1st, this year, and sentenced to be
hanged today, being refused new trial
by Judge Harris this morning. His at
torEeys, Reese, Smith and Boykin, filed a
bill of exceptions and carried the case
to the Supreme court.
large crowd of people had come to
town to witness the hanging, and when
it was learned that an appeal had been
taken to the Supreme court, delaying exc
cution there was much talk, which led
soon after 10 the formation of a mob.
At noon the mob made an assault on
the Jail. They battered down the outside
iron door despite the warning Of the sher-
if. and entered the building. They made
a demand on the sheriff for the key to
the negro's cell, but were refused. With
the refusal they began their advance upon
the sheriff and the few deputies whom he
had been able to summon to his aid. They
were told to stop or they would be fired
upon, but the order was not obeyed.
AS they advanced down tie corridor
towards the sheriff, the order was given
to ere
Bennett fell, dying almost instantly.
Thomas Word, the father of Williams
victim who was in the front of the mob,
was badly shot, as was also an unknown
countryman
The unexpected fight of the sheriff and
his posse frightened the mob, and they
retreated outside the Jail There they
broke and ran and were soon divided into
little groups, discussing the event.
Sherl Merrill at once consumer JuuSS
Harris, of the county court, and it was
decided to call upon Governor Gambler for
aid The Governor was communicated
with by telephone and said he would send
two companies from Atlanta as soon as
they could be assembled.
During the afternoon the mob tele-
phoned the situation to friends in the adj
joining towns of Villa Rica and Temple,
and made an appeal for more men to eff
feet the capture of the negro. This was
communicated also to Governor Gambler
and the Governor soon wired a proclama-
tion to the people of the county. 1t
was read from the steps of the court
house at four o'clock by the mayor. The
Governor commanded the people to dis
perse and said the entire military and
civil forces of the State would be used
to enforce order if necessary. The read
ing of the proclamation apparently had
a good eect as many people were seen
TO mount their horses and leave the
town.
Much apprehension was felt for the
night and the sheri and city and county
ofcials after a consultation decided to
take the prisoner out of the county for
safe keeping The Atlanta militia under
command of Major Barker arrived about
six O'Clock and one hour later escorted
the negro and sheri to the train which
was soon speeding southwark for At
lanta.