The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-06-08
.LYNCHERS SH)T down
GEORGIA SHERIFF PROTECTS Me-
GRO MURDERER AGAINST ARMED
AND DESPERATE MOB
BATTLE IS FOUGHT IN JAIL
OND OF THE MOB Is SHOT DEAD
AND TWO ARE SERIOUSLY
WOUNDED
STATE MILITIA CALLED OUT

CARROLLTON, Ga. June The
nerve of Sheriff Joseph Merrill TODAY
upheld the law of the sta.e and saved
the life of a negro from a mob. In pro-
tectinG the negro. who was saved from
the gal!ows only a few nours before
through the efforts Of his lawyers. one
life was lost ana two men wounded The
arrival of the skate militia averted
threatened trouble tonight, and at 3
O'Clock q special train bearing the negro
was speeding towards Atlanta under
guard. The man killed in attacking the
Jail was George Bennett, of CarrolIton,
and the wounded men are Thomas Smith.
also of Carrollton, and an unknown man.
presumably farmer. Thomas S. Word.
father of the murdered boy. who was in
the front rank Of the would-be Iynchers.
was not nit
Williams, the negro who caused tho
trouble, was tried and found guilty OF
numbering Otis Word Jan /, 1901. and
sentenced to be hanged today. He vas
tbs morning refused a new trial by
Judge Harris, but his attorneys fled a
bill of exceptions and carried the case
to the supreme court
ATTACKED THE JAIL.
large crowd of people had come to
town to witness the hanging, and when
it was learned that an appeal lad been
taken to the supreme court, delaying the
execution, there was much excited talk,
which crystaliized soon after I'm the for
nation of mob. At noon the mob
made an assault on the jail They bat
tered down the outside door. DESPITE the
warning of the sheriff, and entered the
building. Taey made a demand on tho
sheriff for the key to the negro's cell.
but were refused. The mob then ad-
vanced upon the sheriff and mis- deputies.
Phey were told to stop or they would
be fired on, but the order was not
obeyed
AS they advanced down the corridor
towards the sheriff the order was given
to tire. Bennett fell, dying almost in
stantly. Thomas Word, the father OF
Williars' victim, who was in the front
Of the mob. was badly shot, as was also
an unknown countrymau.
MOB REITERATED.
the Unexpected fight Of tho sheriff
and his little posse frightened the mob
and they retreated outside OF the jail.
Here they broke and ran and were soon
divided into little groups discussing the
event Sheriff Merrill at once consulted
Judge Harris. of the county court, and
it was decided to call upon Gov 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 teIe-
phoned the situation to friends in tho
adjoining towns of Villa Rica and Tenn
pie and made an appeal for more men
to get possession Of the negro.
GOVERNOR ACTED PROMPTLY.
This was communicated to Gov. Can
dler also, and the governor soon wired
a proclamation to the people Of the
county. 1t was read from the steps OF
the court house at o'clock by tho
mayor The governor commanded the
people to dispersc, and said the entire
military and civil forces Of the state
would be used to enforce order II neces-
sary. The reading Of the proclamation
apparently had a good effect as many
people were seen to mount their horses
and leave town. The sheriff then de-
cided to take the prisoner out Of the
county for safe keeping The Atlanta
militia, under command Of Mai Barker
arrived tonight and escorted the negro
and Sheriff Merrill to the train which
was soon speeding southwark to AT
lanta.
SAFE IN ATLANTA.
ATLANTA Ga. June THE special
train bearing the two companies Of state
militia which Gov. Gambler sent to Car
rolton to preserve order returned to At
lanta tonight, having in charge the ne
gro Williams The convicted murderer
was quickly taken to the Fulton county
jail.