The Savannah morning news., 1901-06-08
WAS NO LYNCAING
CARROLL CoUNTY's SHERIFF STOP
PED THE MOB.
HIS SHOOTING WAS DEADLY.
A SERIOUS STATE OF AFFAIRS AT
CARROLLTON.


White Boy-A Mob Immediately
Organized and StOrmed the Jail,
But sheriff Merrill and His Depu-
ties Drove Them Back With Hot
Lend-Onc Man Killed and Two
WOunded-Mob Would Have Re
newed Attempt But for ProcIama-
ton of Gov. Gambler and Ordering
Ont of Military - The Prisoner
Taken to Atlanta Last Night.
Carrollton, Ga, June 7.-Sheriff Joseph
Merrill of Carroll county to-day upheld
the law of the state and saved the life
Of negro from a mob. In protecting the
negro, who was saved from the gallows
only few hours before through the eff
forts of his lawyers, one life was lost
and two men were wounded. The arrival
of the state militia averted threatened
trouble tonight, and at o'clock a spe-
cial train bearing the negro, whose crime
vas the murder of a little white boy
whom he found fishing alone, and his
guard was speeding towards Atlanta
The man killed in attacking the Jail was
George Bennett of Carrollton and the
wounded men are Thomas Smith, also of
Carroton, and an unknown man, pre-
sumably a farmer. Thomas S. Word, fa-
ther of the murdered boy, who was in the
front rank of the would-be lynchers was,
strange to say, not hit. After Bennett
fell Mr.. Word jumped upon the window
and exclaimed dramatically:
Shoot me, Mr.. Sheriff, would as soon
die now any time!'
Only nine shots were fired and the walls
of the Jail show the marks of the bullets.
None of the sheriff's posse was hit.
Williams, the negro, was tried and
found guilty of numbering Otis Word,
Jan. /, this year. and sentenced to be
hanged to-day being refused a new trial
by Judge Harris this morning.
His attorneys, Reese, Smith and Boy
kin, fled a bill of exceptions and carried
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 ex-
ecution, there was much talk, which
4 crystallized soon after in the formation
Of a mob
At noon the mob made an assault on
the jail. They battered down the outside
iron door despite the warming of the
made demand on the sheriff for the key
to the negro's cell, but were refused.
Vita the refusal they began their ad-
vance upon the sheriff and the few depu-
ties which he had been able to summon
10 his aid. They were told to stop or
they would be fired on, but the order was
4 not obeyed
We're Met With Bullets.
As they advanced down the corridor to-
wards the sheriff the order was given to
nre Bennett fell, dying almost instant
~. Thomas Word, the father of WILL
lams victim, who was in the front of the
mob, was badly shot, as was also an In-
known dountryman.
Ihe unexpected fight of the sheriff and
ms posse frightened the mob and they
reueated outside the Jail. Here they
Drohe and ran and were soon divided IN
TO A'tle groups. discussing the event
sherif Merrill at once consulted Judge
Harris of the county court and it was
Ge'lded to call upon Gov. Gambler for al l.
inc governor was communicated with
O! telephone and said he would send two
companies from Atlanta as soon as they
could De assembled
The Governors Proclamation.
During the afternoon the mob tele-
pHohed the situation to friends in the ad-
N'Hlhs towns of Villa Rica and Temple,
%"l S made an appeal for more men to eff
wv the capture of the negro. This was
.toHIhunicated also to Gov. Gambler and
."e "oVernor soon wired a proclamation
~ lHe people of the county 1t was read
Hom the steps of the Court House at 4
ov'ocK by the Mayor The Governor COM
.l"ndea the people to disperse and said
s.s entire military and civil forces of the
''e would be used to enforce order If
"pe'eSSary. The reading OF the proclama-
uuu apparently had a good effect. as
lazy people were seen to mount their
'%.Ses and leave the town.
rt "ueh apprehension was felt for the
n@ s"t ana the sheriff and city and county
.u'oeFs' after a consultation. decided to
tahe the prisoner out of the county for
.e keeping. The Atlanta militia un-
Command of Maj. Barker arrived
- O'Clock and one hour later es-
,tel the negro and sheriff to the train,
Am was soon speeding southwark for
eh TO Atlanta for safekecpinE.
,Alahta, June 7.-When the troops ar
',Su IN Carrollton, the mob had dispersed
h,G Ner|thing was quiet. Maj. Barker
H" oFlef conference with Judge Sam
r'S' ana 1t was decided TO send the
NJ 81 once to Atlanta for safe keeping
u,. Goops marched to the jail a Gordon
c... 'otmed around Williams. and he was
So 10 the train without difficulty
,.e'n Merrill and his deputy brought
tbs negro to Atlanta and lodged him in
s,,5 "e mad hard siege" Sheriff Merrill
o,,- ! had only two men with me- SEN
IN. pamriok and l.. y. Fletcher. When
lICWd broke open the door with a
W. a. hammer and started up the steps.
on ea shots We're also fired on the
ana soc c. w. Bennett was killed,
ssor,, man named Tom Smith, shot in the
noon S learned late TINS AFTER
O. f me shooting, the mob backed out
Of jan but Charley Word the father
ttsnal BOY who was killed, remained
To- 's on the steps. and said XIII me
ums naa rather die now than at any
Ile va course We did not fire on him.
M "nnas soon called him and he left
t,ar 'o'hR Then we barricaded the
BAD u'l no more attacks were made.
Tss ss crowd gradually dispersed"
d h "slo' Ike Williams, persists that
idg, Innocent OF the crime charged.
49,. harris had refused him new trial
fems ana the case is to go to the su-
hor,,s ,ourt under the supercedoas
"~hiFF MERRILL TALKS.