The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1901-01-23
LYNCHING IN BARNWELL.
The Sheriff of the County Makes a
Thorough and Complete Report.

| AAoiouSh Ill ana OIuplete Report.
The sheriff of Barnwell County ha
made report to Gov. McSweenc
about the first lynching of the new Ger
tury and the new year in South Care
lima. The report shows that the shcrli
dld everything he could to prevent
lynching, but it was beyond his powc
to 90 50. Here is the report in full
being dated Jan. Is:
Dear Sir: You have doubtless re
celVcd the news through the column
OF the press that a rape was committee
on lady OF our community. abOu
three miles FROM The town of Elko
yesterday morning al 10 O'Clock. re
ceived the information about II %
and before | could get off from my of
flee colorcd man was arrested who
hllcd the description of the part,
wanted. He declared his innocenc,
and furnished names of parties to prove
MS Hhcrcabouts. IN the mean time
public feeling ran high-8o much sc
that before | could receive the desired
information L found it necessary tc
transfer him from the guard house.
where he was placed, to the county
jail by strong posse, and | also had a
guard at the Jail. l left for the scene
OF trouble, which is about eight miles
from Barnwell, and reached thcr,
about sundown. | found no one nj
the place except the family and the
posse that went with me. We remain
ed there about one hour; and while
there | was Informed that the man
had been seen near sundOwn going in
the direction of Reynolds station and
IN about half n mile of the place. |
soon found out that there was no doubt
in the minds Of the people as to the
identity of the man, as he had been
seen by several parties and recognized
Just prior to the act; and going in the
direction OF the home where his awful
deed was pcrpctratcd.
with the near approach of darkness
l was satisfied that under the cover of
darkness he would make his escape
and eIudc his followers His mother
lives IN the town of Denmark, or near
there, and the direction he was max
ing was proof conclusive to my mlpd
that he was trying TO reach his moth
er's house. And there being posses in
every direction and on every roa,l, and
being unable to cover the entire field
personally and inasmuch as the party
in Jail was threatened, was advised
by my Barnwcll friends to return to
Barnweil to look after the prisoner in
jail and to send Il telegram tc Denmark
III order TO intercept the party, which
ana IN the following words:
Sent s 40 p. m, Jan II, 1901. II Paid,
lNrENDENr lowN OF DENMARK, Denmark,
SC:
Charlie Lang Robinson outraged white
woman. Mother lives in your town. Catch
him tonight; will pay bill
(SiEned) FRANK Ii. CREECII, Sheriff.
l went to my Office early this morn
ing, after being up nearly all night at
the Jail, TO receive the news that
Charlie Lang Robinson had been
caught and lynchcd some time between
the hours of 8 and 10 o'clock last night
notified the coroner, and, after some
litIc delay, we went to the scene of
the tragedy; reached there this morn.
ing ut ii il. M; to find The body of
Challi Lang Robinson swinging to a
tree with the following notice attached
thereon: "Thus We Protcc. Our Wom-
en-" Signed, Citizens of Barn
well County,"
The coroner organized the jury of
white and colorcd. Tie body was let
down, jury examined same, and there
being no evidence the usual verdict
was rendered:
That he came to his death by gun
shot wounds in the hands of persons
unknown to the jury"
Upon investigation from rumor
find that he was caught in about half
mile OF Reynolds station about sun
down. He was then brought to the
place, identified by his victim and three
other parties who saw him prior to the
commission of the crime. He con-
fesscd his guilt, not only in tins case,
but III another one that he committed
on his own race; and from what ]
could learn, about | 900 OF Barnwcll
County's citizens, white and coloTed,
led him away about 300 yards distant
from the place where he committed
the crime, on the public road leading
from Williston to Barnwcll, swinging
him by 2 inch manila rope TO a
pine tree and riddling his body with
shot and balls. Thus he paid the aw-
iul penalty of his crime, and another
licnd in human form has darkencd the
pages Of old Barnwcll's fair history.
| labored hard and faithfully to pre-
vent the innocent from being punished
undor the excitement and succeeded.
l court investigation as to the dis
charge of my duty as a public officer.
My conscience Is clear. | did my
whole duty. | could do no more.
Respectfully submitted.
FRANK III. CREECH,
Sheriff of BarnWcll County. = e..