Evening star., 1901-08-26
ANOTHER NEGRO BURNED.
He Had Murdered a Farmers VIII
Near Winchester, Tenn.

near "lucncStcTs ACHhs
A dispatch from Chattanooga, Tenn. last
night says: Henry. Noles, negro, was
today burned by "a mob OF citizens LOT
criminally assaulting and shooting to deatn
Mrs Charles Williams. wife OF prominent
farmer, near Winchester, Tenn, last FRI
day Admitting his crime. and asking his
friends to meet him in glory, he met his
fate without a groan.
He was captured early this morning at
Water Tank, near Cowan, Tenn, and was
taken to Winchester by his captors and
placed in the'county Jail. Sheriff Stewart
made haste to barricade the jail and pro-
tect the prisoner Soon an angry mob Of
several hundred men gathered. but Assist
ant Attorney General Matt N. Whitaker
appeared and made speech to the crowd,
urging them to assist him In allaying ex-
citement and uphold1ng the majesty OF the
law. He promised to reconvene the grand
Jury tomorrow to indict the negro promptly
and have him speedily tried at the present
term OF court, assuring the crowd that his
conviction and legal execution were fore
gone conclusion. This appeal was supple
mented by Judge ]. ]. Lynch, Capt w. p.
Tolley and others. No sooner had their ap-
peals been made than several hundred citi-
zens from the neghborhood where the
crime was committed came up and aug
mented the crowd to thousands. They
swept forward upon the jail, overpowered
the sheriff and his deputies, took the pris-
oner and started at 1915 am. for the scene
of the crime, twelve miles distant.
The mob was determined, and 1t seemed
that almost the entire population for miles
around had turned out to see the fate OF
the wretch The procession followed the
mob to the Williams home. Arriving at a
point in sight of the scene of the crime, the
negro was placed upon a stump and given
a chance to make statement. He mount
ed the stump stolidly, and laughed as he
hepan his statement. said.
'',rell all my sisters and brothers to meet
me in glory. | am going to make that my
home. Tell my mother to meet me where
parting will be no more"
He was then asked as to whether any one
else was implicated In the crime. Noles
stated emphatically there was no one i'm
plicated but himself
'Why did you kill Mrs. Williams? 2" was
asked.
II just done that because had nothing
else to do
He was taken from the stump, bound to
tree by chains. and his body saturated
with oil. At LAO pm. match was applied,
and instantly the quivering body was en-
veloped in flames. Fence rails were piled
about the burning body and soon life was
extinct. The negro made no outcry at any
time and died as stolidly as stole.
At least 5000 people witnessed the horri-
BILE fate Of the negro. Many remained until
body was entirely consumed. They then
departed for their homes quietly.
Charles Williams found his young wife
lying on the floor Of the family room her
face splashed with clotted blood Friday
afternoon when he returned to his home.
A bullet had gone through her head, life
was extinct and her two baby children were
crying in grief and fear. The Oldest boy,
aged five, told what had occurred. The
young mother had been shot and killed by
Henry Noles. a negro hand upon the Will
Jams place. AS the mortally wounded wo-
man sank to the floor Noles shot at the boy
the bullet grazing the child's head. Then
he fed to the woods. Williams neighbors
were stirred to the pitch of exacting merci-
less and SUMMARY Justice. Hearing of the
crime. Sheriff Stewart departed for the
| scene with blpodhpnnds. A posse Of deter
mined citdzeps. v ell armed and provided
| with rope. was also on Noles' trail
It is reported that the motive was rob-
berry and $40 was obtained by the murderer.
Mr.. Williams is farmer. well to do. and
section OF FbankIh county. The dead wo-
man was nsgmber g Of one Of the oldest and
most respected families In the county. The
two childrenes then older just five wears al
age. were thaonly witnesses OF the tragedy.