The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-05-21
THE DOORS BATTERED IN
But the Mob Quailed Before Detec-
tive's Determination.
NEGROES ARE FINALLY SPIRITED AWAY
The Cause Of the Outbreak Was the Murder
and Robb ry Of Yard Master at Con-
n.l.sHIe by William Fairfax
and His Wife.
lBy the Associated Press.)

ConnellsviIle, Pa, May 8.-5,ooJ
frantic white people surrounded the
fragile little lookout in the townhall
here tonight Behind the cell bars
trembles William Fairfax and his wife
BLACK Ell both colored and who muir
dered William Moore, assistant yard
master in the Baltimore and Ohio yards
here. and man we'll known in Fayette
and Westmoreland Railroad circles for
many years.
The tragedy developed so quickly
that it took the breath from the towns
people. The streets We're crowded
with the Saturday night throngs. VIII
liam Moore and Baggage Master Jonh-
ston, of the FairInont branch tram
walked down Main street and turned IN
towards the hotel on Water Street
through a rear alley. Johnson lett
Moore AMI the latter before he had gone
a moment was assaulted suddenly by
Fairfax and his wife, who threw stones
Several people saw the woman dart for
ward and the black man also. each
hurting the missiles. Moore was struck
with a brick on the head and fell for
ward Quick as flash Fairfax leaned
over the PROSTATE victim, jerked his
watch from his pocket, took his money
from his clothin and then with Wanton
brutality, took the unconscious body
in his arms and hurled it over stone
wall, distance of thirty feet.
Moore was not dead when he was
hurled from the stone wall, but the fail
broke his neck, and he died instantly.
In a moment the town was afire TIE
murderer was right in the heart OF the
city. The woman continued to stone
back the crowd which pressed upon her
? saairfax in the confusion fled. Police
man Charles Stillwagon took the wo-
man and hustled her to the lookup.
In the meantime search began for
Fairfax He ran up the rear stairs OF
vacant house and was there betrayed
by a woman, who saw him secrete him
self He was hustled up the dark al
ley, and before the crowd knew of it,
he had been placed in the lookup next
TO his wife. In a few minutes the lock-
mp was surrounded by bowling mob
of Infatuated men. In the midst Of
them were Moores three sons crying
and adding to the excitement and the
bitterness of the crowd. Inside with
the murderers were handful of Off
GERS, who blockaded the narrow aisle
leading from the outer door to the cells,
The men on the outside beat this IN.
But the police remained firm. The
crowd kept battering at the door, en-
treating the officers to give up the pris-
oners, shouting Bring him out to the
rope" Lynch him."
few minutes before 10 o'clock few
ringleaders succeeded in getting on the
inside and opened fire with revolvers at
the negroes through the cell doors. For
several minutes this fusilade continued.
The officers shot into the air to brighten
the people Suddenly down the street
came a crowd of men bearing telephone
pole which the crowd took ard using it as
battering ram, began to knock down
ahe walls of the building. In the meantime
Sheriff George A. Mccormick, of Fayette
county. had been notified and with a
large posse is being rushed to Connells-
willie from Uniontown on freight, the
intention being to take the prisoners I'M
der escort to the train and get them into
the Jail at Uniontown.
BY 1880 o'clock the Infatuated mob had
used the battering ram so effectively that
the outer wall of the building separating
lock broke through. Soon a giant hole
gaped. Exposed and showing plainly I'M
der the electric light within stood the
negro Fairfax. The sight was maddening.
The battering ram bent and twisted the
cell bars till the negro stood exposed so
that he could have been dragged out.
The officers headed by County Detective
McBeth stood before the man, thwarting
the work of the ram, standing on it with
their feet to stop its work. McBeth
calmly informed the men at the head of
the ram III you break through, the first
man that enters the cell dies" He held
his pistol in his hand. man appeared
with a rope, swinging the loop high over
the heads of the crowd but none were
brave enough to face death at the hands
of the officers.
shortly after midnight William Moore.
the eldest son of the murdered man,
mounted the steps in front of the lookup
and said. For my mothers sake and
for my own sake l ask the mob to dis
perse l do not want the negro dragged
out. and you should therefore not want
him.
Father John Burns, pastor of the I'm
TnacuIate Conception church, also spoke
10 the crowd and asked them to preserve
the good name of the town as did Burgess
Josiah B. Kurtz. The crowd listened at
tentively and respectfully, but renewed
the efforts to get the negro as soon as
the speakers had finished.
Later: AT 1:40 this Sunday morn
ing Sheriff Mccormick by clever ruse
succeeding Guiding the mob and plac-
ing the Fairfax couple on special train
and started for Uniontown jail with ms
prisoners.