The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1901-06-13
STANDS OFF A MOB AND SAVES HIS
PRISONER.
One Man Killed aud Two Wounded
oner Taken to Another County
for Safekeeping-GOve Orders
Ont Militia and the Arrival of the
Troops Averts Further Trouble
Commanding the People to Dis
perse.

Carrollton. Ca, June 9.-The nerve of
Sheriff Joseph Merrill yesterday upheld
the law of the stete and saved the life
of negro from mob. In protecting
the negro, @ho was saved from the gall
lows only a 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
D o'clock a special train bearing the
negro was speeding toward Atlanta un-
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 boy. and an unknown man, pre-
rumably farmer.
Williams, the negro who caused the
trouble. was tried and found guilty Of
numbering Otis Word Jan. l. 1901, and
Eentenced to be hanged yesterday. He
was yesterday morning refused a new
trial by Judge Harris, but his attor-
heys filed bill of exceptions and car
iied the case to the supreme court
A large crowd of people had come to
town to witness the hanging, and when
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 mob, At noon the
mob made an assault on the jail. They
battered down the outside door, des-
tie the warnings of the sheriff, and en-
tered the building They made de-
mand on the sheriff for the key to the
regro's cell. but were refused. The
mob then advanced upon the sheriff
md his deputies. They were told to
stop or they would be fired on, but the
order was not obeyed. AS they ad-
vcnced down the corridor toward the
r.eriff 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
IF the sheriff and his little posse fright
cned the mob and they retreated OUT
ride the jail Here they broke and ran
pnd were soon divided into little groups
discussing the event. Sheriff Merrill at
once consulted Judge Harris and 1t
ives decided to call upon Gov. Gambler
for aid. The governor was ,communi-
Gated with by telephone anf said he
would send two companies from At
ianta 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 Rica 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
n proclamation to the People or the
county. 1t was read from the steps OF
the courthouse at O'Clock by the
mayor. The governor commanded the
people to dispense and said the entire
military and civil forces OF the state
would be used to enforce order II nee
essary. The reading of the proclama-
ton apparently had a good effect. as
MANY people were seen 10 mount their
horses and leave town. The sheriH
then decided to take the prisoner out
OF the county for safe keeping. The
Atlanta militia, under command OF
Mai. Barker, arrived last night and es-
eorted the negro and Sheriff Merrill TO
the train, which was soon speeding to-
ward Atlanta.