Hattiesburg daily progress. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 18??-1909, 1902-06-09
WALTER
BANKHEAD,
The Rapist, Narrowly
Escapes Death
At THE HANDS OF A MOB.
Only Saved by Cold Facts Present.
ed and Strong influence
The Conservative Citizens Had
Over Mob--To be Tried at
Special Term.
AT THE HANDS OF A MOB.


prospect for n war between the Hat.
tiesburg Invincibles and those who
composed the mob bent on lynchlng
the negro Walter Bankhead charged
with assaulting Mrs. Ed. Gardner
was inevitable. Had the crack of a
pistol been heard when the crowd
surged up against the rope used as
dead line, there would have been
general shooting and men would have
fallen like beeves. The Invincibles
were there to uphold the law, a sworn
duty, and they were determined to
do so at all hazard.
At an early hour Saturday evening
after the arrest of the negro people
began to gather on the streets and by
dark about the courthouse there was
such q crowd that one could hardly
pass. The later in the night the
more dense became the crowd.
| Knots of men were seen gathered in
every corner near the courthouse and
in the stores discussing the subject
pro and con. The more conservative
were trying. to convince others
who wanted to put the negro to death
/ that it would be better to let the law
take its course and thus save the
stain that would naturally be upon
HattiesburS, but the hot-headed ones
seemed to care nothing for the stain
by his act the negro had left a
stain on the community and ruined
the happiness of one family,
Later in the night it was proposed
to hold meeting which was called
to convene at the court house. Capt.
J. 2. Carter, one of our honorable
and conservative citizens, was made
chairman-one of the best men OF
the city made chairman of meb
meeting. The meeting was addressed
0y some of the most poninent men
of the city in a NEST reasonable and
conservative way, persuadlng the
mob to desist from the intention
which was very plain. of taking the
law into its own hands and hanging
the negro.
Right here q sharp trick was
played on the leaders of the mob
They We're taken to enc side by som,
of their most influential friends anC
reasoned with and persuaded to de
Sist, promising that they would SCI
that there was a speedy trial of thu
negro. This promise was alss mad
before the meeting. This action o
) the friends of those who wanted t,
see the negro lynched had wonder
full effect-in other words it took tn
leadership from the mob, and having
2, no one to lead it was powerless t.
t act. However, vote was taken AM
: the yeas prevailing on account of tn
2 many boys and young men presen
5 voting who had no idea of takini
) part in the lynching, break wa
made for the jail, but was met at th
dead line by the soldiers who posi-
lively and very earnestly informe
the mob that the first man who at
tempted to cross the line would b
r shot down IN his tracks-that the
e had positive orders to protect tn
j negro, were sworn to uphold the law
and would do so at the end of thei
f Winchesters.
: The mob saw the earnest express
t ion and the firm determination Pict
e ured OH the face of the blue coats an,
i hence the plot fell through. Their
|. was no leader, no enc who was will
a ing to risk his foet across the line
with no leader nothing could b
done. They finally gave it up an
\ slowly dispersed, still declaring ven
: geance on the negre.
) 1t is hardly believed, however
: that the soldiers would have bee
5 able to have protected the negro an,
saved his hide had the crowd no
E been positively promised that Their
: would be a speedy trial of the negro
With this object in view and &
: carry out the promise Judge Enoch
. was autographed to ceme and h
{ arrived here this morning. OF cours
| all he can do is to order a specia
! term Of the court, which he Will dc
= bnt that will require, at the shortest
: twenty days. 1t is very likely th,
. Judge viii order the special term t
. be held on the first Monday in July
To those who do not know to thu
contrary, it may be stated that it re
quires twenty days t. hold specia