The sun., 1901-09-15
INNOCENT NAN LYNCHED.
Csuid Have Proved Himself Not Guilty
Of Assaals HAD Tine Been Allowed.

nashville. Tenn. Sept, <-Investi-
CATION has Developed that Charles Davis.
white, was In all probability innocent Of the
crime for which he was reoently lynched
a smithviile. Tenn. and there is trouble
ahead for the seven men now In jail mere
for safekeepinx. charged with the lynch
ing Friends Of Davis threaten that they
will attempt TO lynch the prisoners II taken
to smithville. while the followers Of the
lynchers dsclare they will release the -"ven
men from Jail n they have half a chance
to do 80. Threats Of this character oaused
the pri-oners' removal to Nashville
The new sensation Of the affair is the
report Of a COMMITTEES of leading citizens,
Who by appointment thoroughly investi-
gated Ia vis's alleged crime The report
.ays that had Davis had an opportunity
he could have established hi- Innocence
He was accused Of having assaulted a Miss
Hughes The report says:
we have been requested by large
number Of townsmen and countrymcn
from various placs- to thoroughly investi-
gate this case and give a true report, and
after thoroughly investigating and inter
viewing q large number Of different par
ties. we. as investigators, are now fully
able 70 give a true and honest report. which
will he found TO greatly differ from what
has becn recently stated In different papers,
which. carefully tracing, We have found
90 be false reports. The tris statement
OF tho cass Ia A. follows
.On Sunday norning, July -. Misc Kate
Hughes and parents, residents OF smith
ville, Tenn. but formerly of Hollands
worth, went 20 church at Whorten Springs
near HollanCsworth, where Miss Hughes
met some Of her former acquaintance
and asked her mother to let her accompany
a daughter OF a man named lentz, home
for dinner She gained her mothers con
sent by earnestly promising not To talk 10 a
young man named Charles Davis, who also
lived near hollAndsworth. and whom Miss
Hughes seemed greatly 90 admire
After church Miss Hughes got into a
buggy with a young man named Bing. who
took her 20 MIR Dentz's home. where she
stopped for dinner After they had teen
there some little time Davis and Mlre
Driver drove 10y the gate In a buggy and MiFs
Hughes called for them 10 wait and went
out 20 the gate and held n hong converSa-
tion with them After dinner Mise Hughes
got into ths buggy and waited for Davis
IL little while he got into the buggy and
they drove OF.
.they slowly ypa..ed the nei shborS' houses
without Mis~ Hughes making the least at
tempt to get out Miss Hughes talked and
laughed and seemingly enjoyed Davis's
company They were met by different
parties but ps-sed on without her making
the least outcry when they came hack
they both stopped in at the plac" where the
Mi-.s~ Driver and Lentz were visiting and
STAYED awhile After supper Miss Hughes
with several other young folks walked tn
night meeting at Whortcn Springs, "A dis
,ance Of about a mile Miss fIughcs stated
that she and Davis had been To a hotel
at sulphur Springs. n distance ~ about four
miles, that evening. She seemed In the
highest Of spirits and seemingly enjoyed
the evening immensely. After church
-h. was seen by a nunber OF the congrega-
ton 20 meet Davis In the aisle where che
held A friendly conversation with him
1t is the general belief OF all the people
throughout the entire county that Davis
would have been cleared Of the charge
against him had he been allowed trial.
for Il u stated that he and the girl both
said that that was not the first time they
had been together for undue purpuee~-
We a. Investigators are not able Ia hnd
one nice young lady IA the entire county
that was acquainted with Davis who does
not say sha was always treated with tho
greatssst respect while in his company.
Davis made friends wherever he went.
He seems 90 have hosts % friends who
are very sad over his untimely death. but
are very hopeful that his soul has gone to
rest with his Maker
Tn,, lvnchar- will he taken % Smithvils
In a few DAYS for Anal trial and there Ia
every indication Of serious trouble. II not
OF bloodshed There h a great deal OF
feeling over tho affair and frequent threats
ara heard