The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-07-15
.SPARNELL RELEASED
Was Tried as One of the
Lynchers at Salisbury.
After Sending Him to Jail Judge Shaw Change
His Mind and Orders His
Release.
Especial to News and Observer. }

Salisbury, N. c., July 14.-Thomas
Sparnell, who was arrested here Satur-
day night on a bench warrant issued by
Judge Shaw, which charges Sparnell
with participating in the lynching of the
two Gillespie boys here in June. was
brought before Judge Shaw here today.
The judge and Solicitor Hammer ar
rived in Salisbury this morning for the
purpose of thoroughly investigating the
lynching. About twenty witnesses were
examined, among them Mayor Boyden,
who stated that he thought he recog-
MED Sparnellss voice in the body of
masked men who stormed the JAIL
All the details of the lynchng were
gone into and it is quite certain that
other warrants will be drawn. The in
vestigation will be continued here next
Friday by Judge Neal.
Mr.. Sparnel1 was represented by Hon
Lee S. Overman and Walter Murphy,
Esq. Judge Shaw remanded him to Jail
without bail until Friday.
Salisbury, N. c., July 14.-Sheriff Ju-
liam received a telegram at O'Clock
from Judge Shaw, who returned to
Greensboro at three o'clock, au-
thorizing him to release Sparnell from
custody. 1t is supposed that he held
that the evidence was insufficient
The events leading up to the
trial and final release of Spar
nell today are as follows: Judge
Thomas j. Shaw late Saturday afternoon
issued bench warrant for the arrest
of one of the men in Salisbury charged
with aiding in lynching the two negro
boys there for murder of Miss
several weeks ago. The charge against
the party was for murder, and Solicitor
Hammer, who came here Immediately
from the Congressional convention at
Monroe Saturday morning, took the war
rant over to the Rowan sheriff on last
night 8 train, and it is learned here that
he was arrested last night and placed in
Jail. The warrant is returnable before
Judge Shaw today at 10 O'clock. The
arrest of this particular part was de-
cided upon a week ago, but Judge Shaw
was absent in Virginia and only returned
home Wednesday. Owing to the pres
ence of the solicitor at Monroe that day
and his enforced presence there until
Saturday morning. the warrant was not
signed until last night, returnable Mon
day. The solicitor preferred Tuesday
but Judge Shaw was to hear a case of
habeas corpus on Tuesday, hence the
examination at Salisbury today. That
this case is going to "stir up a row
there can be no doubt in the world.
have it from the best authority that
there are eleven other men known to
have been in the lynching, one of them q
county officer, or rather a sub officer
and that it is expected soon to have
enough legal evidence to justify their
arrest. The solicitor is naturally reti-
cent about it, and when asked about this
last piece of information declined to
deny or affirm it's accuracy, but said that
it was the hardest matter in the world
to get n shred of legal testimony against
any man but the man arrested. He said
lie could find out all about who was in the
crowd until the probe of evidence was
put into the reports, when all basis of
legal fact would Danish into thin air.
My information is that not a single one
of the better element of Salisbury people
was directly implicated in the lynching,
but that a great many know who was
and won't tell.