The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-06-12
YOUNG NEGROES CONFESS
No Outr age Was Committed Upon Miss
Benson.
IT WAS A DEED OF FiENDIsH FERocITY
Sharply Reprimanded for 7respassing on the
Farm, the Young Tigers Attacked
Miss Benson With Stones Beat
ing Out Her Brains.

Especial to The News and ObServer.)
Salisbury, n. c., June 11.-At one
o'clock this morning a mob of fifty
masked men from the country took the
boys James and Harris Gillespie from
the jail here and after having them to
a tree outside the town limits riddled
their bodies with bullets.
The militia had been called out by
authority of the Governor about mid
night, but as everything was quiet they
had dsbanded when the mob suddenly re-
appeared.
but his words were without effect. They
rushed into the Jail and battered down
the doors in their fierce quest for the
young murderers. They found them at
last ir the attic of the building where
they had been concealed by the officers.
Roughly dragging them forth, the mob
bore them from the Jail and, as has been
stated, hanged both some distance out
side the town.
Harrison Gillespie, the elder, was
dragged up into the air with the rope
about his neck. James Gillespie was
force1 TO climb the tree and jump into
space. The mob then fired volIey into
Just before the fatally leap James Gill
lespie burst into tears. This was the
only evidence of emotion given by either
The older boy said that James had
knocked Miss Benson down and that the
two had then battered her head to a
jelly He said they did it becaue she
tried to make them leave the premises.
The crime for which these two boys
ad oh aCtI
one. Miss Cornela Benson, the victim,
was a highly respected young woman of
20 years of age. AS stated, she was at
work in field some distance from her
home when the deed was committed.
1t is said that there had been trouble
between the BensCrs and the bows on
account of the latte.s thieying propensi-
ties. The officers believe that the ne
groes were passing through the field
and that Miss Benson spoke to them
sharply for trespaSsing. Upon this one
of them knocked her down with a rock.
Then in an access of tigerish rage they
attacked her with stones, prostrating
her as she attempted to rise and beating
her head and face into a pulp. Near the
body several bloody rocks were found.
1t was Miss Benson's mother who
found the body. She had driven the COWS
to pasture and on her return stumbled
upon the mutilated corpse in a ditch.
The face was covered with blood and
from jagged wond in the head the
brains were slowly oozing Wild with
horror the mother fed from the spot and
in short while the entire neignborhood
was aroused and engaged in a stern
search for the murderers
When the officers and citizens arrived
on the spot where the crime had been
committed they began searching for a
blue. The ground had been freshly
broken and footprints were distinct on
the sod Suspicion pointed to Harris
and James Gillespie, two young negro
lcys. and they were Immediately taken
TO the spot. Their footprints fitted ex-
actly in the impressions left on the
ground and they were taken in charge
by the officers and brought to Salisbury
ON their way here they were followed by
about fifty Salisburians, who had left this
city Immediately on receipt of the news
OF the murder, armed to the teeth. No
attempt was made to injure the prisoners
but the frequent discharge of firearms so
terrified the older of the two that he
volunteered a confession to Deputy Ju
liam.
The examination OF the body showed
that the murderers had not attempted to
commit any outrage and this, at least,
bears Harris Gillespie out in his asser-
tion that the boys were involved in
words with The young woman 1t is be-
licved, however, that improper sugges-
tions were made and resented, culmi-
mating in the deadly assault of the boys.
The elder of the two was about 16
Cthcr was probably two years younger.