Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1901-06-13
SHERIFF HAD NERVE
STANDS OFF A MOB AND SAVES HIS
PRISONER.
One Man Killed and Two Wounded
by the Sheriff and His POsse-Pris-
Oner Taken to Another County
for keeping-GOvernOr Orders
Out Militia and the Arrival of the
Troops Avcrts Further Trouble
Commanding the People to Dis
pcrse.

Carrollton, Co., June 9.-The nerve of
Sheriff Joseph Merrill yesterday upheld
the law of the state and saved the life
of a negro from a mob. In protecting
the negro, who was saved from the gall
lows only few hours before through
the efforts of his lawyers, one life was
lost and two men wounded. The ar
rival of the state militia averted
threatened trouble last night and at
9 o'clock special train bearing the
negro was speeding toward Atlanta I'M
der guard. The man killed in attacking
the Jail was George Bennett of Car
rollton. and the wounded men are
Thomas s. Word, father of the MUIR
dered hoy, and an unknown man, pre-
mably farmer.
Williams, the negro who caused the
trouble. was tried ans! found guilty OF
numbering Otis Word Jan. i. 1901, and
sentenced to be hanged yesterday. He
was yesterday morning refused new
trial by Judge Harris, but his attor-
neys fled bill of exceptions and car
ried the case to the supreme court.
A 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
the execution, there was much excited
talk, which crystalized soon after In
the formation of a mob. At noon the
mob made an assault on the Jail. They
battered down the outside door, des-
pite the warnings of the sheriff, and en-
tered the building. They made de-
mand ON the sheriff for the key to the
negroes cell, but were refused. The
mob then advanced upon the sheriff
and his deputies. They were told to
stop OF they would be fired on, but the
order was not obeyed. AS they adj
vanced down the corridor toward the
sheriff the
Order Was Given to Fire.
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 man. The unexpected fight
of the sheriff and his little posse fright
ened the mob and they retreated out
side the Jail. Here they broke and ran
and We're soon divided into little groups
discussing the event. Sheriff Merrill at
once consulted Judge Harris and 1T
was decided to call upon Gov. Gambler
for aid. The governor was commune
Gated with by telephone and said he
would send two companies from At
lanta as soon as they could be as
sembled.
During the afternoon the mob tele~
phoned the situation to friends In the
adjoining towns of Villa RIGA and
Temple and made an appeal for more
men to get possession of the negro.
This was communicated to Gov. Cand-
Ter, also, and the governor soon wired
proclamation to the people OF the
county. 1t was read from the steps OF
the courthouse at o'clock ~ the
mayor. The governor commanded the
people to dispense and said the entire
military and civil forces of the state
! would be used to enforca order If nee
essary The reading of the proclama-
ton apparently had a good effect, as
many people We're seen to mount their
horses and leave town. The sheriff
then decided to take the prisoner out
of the county for safe keeping. Inc
Atlanta militia. under command OF
Mai Barker, arrived last night and es-
corted the negro and Sheriff Merrill to
the train, which was soon speeding TO-
ward Atlanta.