Evening star., 1902-08-02
INQUEST ON CRAVEN
Witnesses Who Saw the
Negro Lynched
TESTIFY TO C0RONEB
GIVE NAMES OF MEN IN The
MOB.
Leaders All Seem to Have Been Rec
ognized-one of Them in
Jail
TESTIFY TO CORONEB
Special from a star Correspondent.

Special from Star Correspondent.
LEESBU RG, Va. August 2-Scott Brad
ley, whose name was so prominently mem
toned by witnesses during the hearing
yesterday, was tired last night I'm the may
or's court. He was charged with being
drunk and disordcrly and was fined 81 80
and costs. His fine was paid but Conn
monwealth Attorney Garrett had him held
In custody To await the result Of ihe in
quest.
When the hearing was resumed this
morning the attendance OF spectators was
even smaller than it was yesterday. T II.
Nandeventer, county treasurer. gave an in
teresting account OF part OF the affair and
mentioned the names Of three men who
were in the crowd when the asssul, on tho
jail was made. one Of them Scott Bradley
who was wearing a Mosby badge th. VIII
ness SAID was rather conspicuous in the
crowd, and DIR. Weaver of Sterling ne said
was also In the crowd and was the man
who pushed the Rev. Mr. Kinks
witness told Of seeing the prispne being
taken along the street. after he was ont ~
the Jail He saw Mr. LoweubacE and Scott
Braaley have their hands on his shoulder
A man named Williams was also I'm the
party. Witness did all In his power to pre-
vent the lynching and thought the a ffai-
would not occur, when he heard one of the
norStnen say, Fall in. boys, for Fairfax"
he dld all he could to protect the good
name OF Loudoun county. advising the mon
II they were determined TO lyrch the negro
to wait until after dark When the men
returned from down the road" said wit
ness pleaded " tn them TO POSTPONE
me ahar. when one of them said the
militia had been called out"
Effect of Order to Militia.
Witness thought the men would have
waited until night If they had not heard 81
the request for the militia Under the cir
cumstances the county officers did what
they could to prevent the lyuching. Cecil
ConnoT. member of the Loudoun county
bar. was called and he declined 10 testify
on the ground that lie was privileged Ia de-
cline because OF his profession Il have
peen consulted by some Of the parties whose
names have been mentioned i'm the case"
The attorney said, and / must decline to
testify. Coroner Clagett said he could not
excuse Mr. COnr1r on any such grounds
Il decline to testify" repeated Connor.
Then don't leave the court" the coroner
told him. Mr. Sheriff, take charge OF
Mr. Connor for contempt of court" What
shall | do with him ?" the sheriff inquired
Hold him until he testifes" The witness
reconsidered the matter and was sworn
He testified that he witnessed the assault
upon the jail, telling the large number OF
armed horsemen and footmen who were
about the prison.
Witress saw Craven brought from the
Jail and witnessed the IynchinE. The peo-
pie of LCesburg who were about the place
with three exceptions We're trying to pre-
vent the lynching. one Of these he stated
was Samuel Grimes. Witness heard Grimes
say that three murders had been COM
mitted in Loudoun county and the murder
ers had escaped. Grimes expressed the be-
lief that Craven was guilty and remarked,
Go on boys; take him out and kill him"
Another man who was not very loud In
his announcement was Mr.. Thomas Fisher,
said the witness.
Hes liar shouted Mr.. Fisher, who
was in the audience. The witness resum-
ing said he heard Mr.. Fisher say. That's
right, boys. go on ana bring him out"
Mr. Scott Miskel, he said, was also in
citing and encouraging the mob, ana he,
too. the witness stated. called: GO on,
boys, and take him out and hang him"
Another Leader Identified
One OF the leaders Of the men on horse
back. the witness said, was Jno. Lefevre.
and another was a younger brother Of Le-
fevre Marvin Wilson a nephew Of the
murdered man. was also che Of them. Mir.
Summers had a rope in his hands. Il would
like to say now" said Mr. Connor. that this
NAV be of mistaken identity all the
way through. as other gentlemen who were
there as well as 1 saw them and have
stated they could not recognize them.
Charles Lowenback had hold Of the man,
but | may be mistaken about him now
Other names mentioned by the witnesses
were Mr. Bradley and a man whose name,
men. he said. were actively engaged in
stringing the man up.
There were other men who were con-
sidered as being among the best citizens
OF Loudoun county actively encouraging
the mob. One of these, he said, DIR.
Weaver. He also mentioned the names OF
Moses Wren, Nixon Shryock and Tyler
Moffatt. Two men named Williams and
man named PaXon were also mentioned by
the witness.
Are you satisfied now" asked Mr.. Com
nor as he left the witness stand
Rev. Selwin Cockrell, who breaches at
the church where William II. Wilson. who
murdered. attended services. gave tes-
timony He reached Leesburg after Craven
was lynched and his body dangling
from tie tree in the cemetery.
Thomas n. Fisher. who witnessed the
affair. was unable to give the names of the
participants. Similar testimony was given
by Brooke Survick. He recognized faces
but could not give names. J. II. Weaver
witnessed the assault upon the jail. but
was unable to give any names. Frank
Heffin saw Craven being led off down the
road, but recognized one who partici-
pated I'm the affair.
Moses Webb was the first colored witness
examined. He said he saw Scott Bradley
have the rope In his hand and his other
hand was on Craven's arm. Webb knew
nothing more about the affair. r. Z. Elgin,
col red, testified that he recognized Mr..
Charles Lowenback, who, he said, had botn
hands on the colored man when he was
brought out of the jail. He said he heard
Lowenback say, Lynch him." Scott Brad
ley also had hold Of Craven, the witness
stated. and was pushing him along.
Did you follow the crowdT" asked the
coroner.
Feared for His Life.
mo, sir. l was afraid, for thought IL
they would kill one niger they would kill
two" Another man whose name he thought
was Dipple, he said, was in the crowd.
James Solomon, coored, also testified that
he saw Mr. Lowenback and Mr.. Bradley
bring Craven out of the jail. He said he
followed down the pike and saw Bradley pull
Craven up. Charles Lowenback, he said,
lifted him up. Solomon said he saw Mr..
Lowenback and Allen Darnes shoot at Cra-
ven. The former had a pistol and the latter
a gun
Testimony Heard Yesterday.
Additional testimony was heard yester-
day afternoon after The Stars report
closed. At o'clock Coroner Claggett ad-
journed the hearing until this morning at