The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-08-21
ALL STILL QUIET
ABOUT HENDERSON
Two Negroes Used Pistols in
Railroad Murder.
NO ATTEMPT TO LYNCH
Two Arrests of Negroes Who Went on
to Louisburg.
STILL ASSERTED THAT TWO ESCAPED
John Mitchell, the Colored Porter, Lies Near
Deaths Door. The Seaboard Air Line
Offers Reward For Capture
Of Men Who Escaped.
(Staff Correspondence

Henderson, N. c., Aug. 2O,-As the
north bound Seaboard train pulled into
Henderson shortly after three o'clock
this morning there was a crowd of some
thirty people at the depot.
1t was sad gathering, for as the
train stopped there came with solemn
tread a body of men bearing a case
within which was the casket containing
the mortal remains of the brave Road
master Fred Stevers, brutally murdered
while striving to make peace.
The body was sent to Stevers, Va, his
home, where a bereaved and heart broken
wife and three children were disconso-
late gecause of a husband and father
gone, sent to his death by the hands of
an infuriated negro. The body will be
brought back from Stevers to Suffolk for
interment. The mute symbol of the
tragedy of the previous day carried deep
pathos with it,
There had been rumors of a possible
lynching in Henderson sent to Raleigh
but about the depot was no sign of
angry men. but of saddened ones. The
city was quiet and as the train with its
lighted windows passed away the people
dispersed and a small group gathered at
the hotel
There the various incidents of the
tragedy was being discussed as was the
talk of possible lynching. 1t was learn
ed that there had been talk of such by
a few, but that there had been no at
tempt to organize a party of lynchers.
That offers of assistance in case there
was an attempt to lynch had come from
various quarters is true, and it was re-
ported that word had been received that
two parties, one of fifteen and another of
thirty-ive, were coming from the direc-
tion of Oxford, but no such parties ar
rived.
Just before daybreak there was re-
port that lynching party was being
formed and several visitors to the city
were awakened as they had requested.
A party of six or eight men walked in
the direction of the Jail, but there were
no lynchers and the quiet of the night
was not broken by an attack on the
Jail. Day broke, and the night was past
Again was Vance county's proud record
of mo lynching ever done in this county"
unblotted.
THE NEGRO PRISONERS TALK.
Early this morning a visit was made
to the county Jail, where the three cap
tured negroes are confined. 1t is solid
looking building, on the edge of the town.
Once within the enclosure two doors had
to be opened before the steel cells were
reached in which were the prisoners.
conversation was had first with the
rtwo younger negroes, confined in the
lower tier. These are Joe Cole, the son
of Joe Cole who shot Mr.. Stevers, and
John Jones, alias Charles Ferguson.
The younger Cole simply declared he
knew nothing about the affair and that
when he had been told to go to the
colored coach he had gone and sat down.
He acknowledged hearing the shots, but
said he saw no one shoot.
The second negro, who said his name
was John Jones, said that he bad follow
ed young Cole into the colored COACH and
that with them were Willie Mitchell, Joe
Cole, Sr., Willie Dabney and Henry Gar
rett. He said that ,he saw the elder Cole
put his pistol to Mr.. Stevers' head and
shoot. AS to whom had shot Joe Mitchell,
the porter, he declared he did not know.
The two negroes appear to be about
twenty three years old. Cole is a dark
while Jones is nearly black
Both protested their innocence and
Jones declared he had made no attempt
to escape after the shooting.
Joe Cole, the older. was found in the
upper cells. He was crouching against
the door and appeared half human, half
beast in the dim light. Being asked
about the trouble he began by exclaim-
ing:
Before God l shot nobody. was not
in the colored coach. Hope | may die
and sink to torment if l ever saw it,"
Continuing, in answer to questions. he
declared that six men had gone into the
colored coach. These he said were his
son, Joe Cole. John Jones. Jim Payne.
Willie Mitchell Willie Dabney and Henry
Garrett Dabney he said had cork leg
while Garrett was without his lower legs
these having been cut off in a railroad
accident at Wilson. Il heard the shots. -
he said land ran out of the second
class coach to the platform. There l.
was grabbed and the men said. shere
is one of them" They took me and tied
me. In my pocket they found a pistoI
had taken out of pawn for John Jones
as he calls himself. but his name is
Charley Ferguson. l paid S5 cents for 1T
Continued on Fifth Page.)