The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1902-08-28
MILITARY GUARD PRISONERS.
Gordon of Soldiers TO Protect jail
From ALLEGED Mob Violence.

. Citizens of Henderson were very
much indignant Saturday morning
upon learning that the Vance Guards
had been called out the night before
to guard the negroes confined In JAM
for completely in the shooting affair
on the train near Middleburg, from
lynching. There had been no danger
of lynching at any time since the oc-
currence and such reflection upon
the town was strongly resented. Our
people were righteously indignant
and subsequent light thrown on the
matter did not help to change the
situation any.
There was no excitement III the
town and as far as the people of Hen
derson were concerned there was not
the slightest danger OF lynching.
Barring members of the Vance
Guards and some young people who
were at dance in the Opera House
that night, land but for the sending
of details there for some OF the sol
diers, they would not have known
anything about it in all probability
it is doubtful if two dozen persons
knew that a lynching was feared or
the soldiers had been called out until
next morning. And yet false and
exaggerated reports were sent out
and with the public at large the PEG
pie of Vance county are credited with
being about to engage in a lynching
and the only thing that prevented
was the presence of the military.
The first intimation of anything
OF the kind that Sheriff Powell had
came from the Adjutant General s
office in Raleigh. 1t was reported to
him that a crowd was being made up
| in Raleigh and along the line OF the
railroad and they were coming down
on the train, raid the jail and take
the prisoners out and lynch them.
| 1t was also said that men were com
ing from Oxford, while the South
bound train due here at 2:25 a. m.
was expected to bring numbers from
| points between Portsmouth and
Henderson.
These were the reports sent out
from Raleigh and still the Sheriff was
inclined to discredit them. Hewould
not take the responsibility of asking
| for the military and it was only upon
receiving instructions to that effect
from the Adjutant Generals office
that he did so.
In the meantime Col. F. A. Macon
Quartermaster General, and Capt
w. X. Sturges, of the Vance Guards
had been called up and were in com
munication with Sheriff Powell. As
soon as the call was madeu upon Capt
Sturges he took the necessary steps
to get his men together. This was
between 10 and II o'clock. Thu
Vance Guards were assembled at thei
armory in an incredibly short TIM
and by II o'clock they were at tn
| jail. Mai. P. T. Jones, of the Thir(
Regiment, was with them.
Several strangtrs were in tow
that night but whether they wer
here for the purpose OF being particl
pators in lynching bee is no
known. The town was perfectl
quiet, absolutely devoid ofexcitemen
or incident save the rumble OF pass
ing trains, or the sonorous snore {
, the deep sleeper as he PEACEFUL
, slumbered, ignorant and innocent {
the dreadful things threatening {?
to take place all about him and b
not a-knowin' of it.
But the expected-not OF Hende
, son folks, though-didn't harper
There was no lynching, although
r is now thought by some from deve
: opments since that there would hay
r been an attempt made had it nc
il been for the presence OF the militar.
0 Had the facts been published wit
:. out exaggeration we would have ha
u nothing more to say. AS it is tt
impression goes out that these (su
posed) would-be lynchers were Van
/, county people, whereas they were {
from distance-if indeed any mt
u was formed or likely to be form
- anywhere.
y The jail was again guarded Satr
' day and Sunday nights, and ait
the preliminary hearing Monday
was thought best to guard the
again that night. Tuesday tn
s were taken to Raleigh and contin
Or =, +bo S+oto Y,r;cnp until nnyt cOn