The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-08-04
.LYNCH|NG WAS MAR
ROWLY AVERTEO
SheriffSummers EvadedL Lyn-
chers by Fine Work.
CROWD VISITED The JAIL
The Negro Was Taken 10 Charlotte Jail for Safe
Ksepirg---Wil bs Tried at lrt-
dell Court Mkt
Week.
Especial to News and Observer J

Especial to News and Observer
Salisbury, N c., August 3.-The town
Of Statesville came near witnessing n gen
une lynching yesterday afternoon.
Will ROseboro, the negro who brutalls
assaulted and afterwards murdered Mrs
DolLh Beaver, in Cool Springs township,
Iledell county, on last Friday morninh,
was arrested by Sheriff w. A Summers
en- Saturday, near Melrose, Polk county,
and was brought to Statesville at 1910
Sunday morning, and lodged in Jail. About
SIX hundred people, most OF whom were
from the Cool Springs nelghborhood, had
been watching the incoming trains dur.
ing Saturday and Sunday for the pur-
pose of capturing the negro culprit and
lynching him.
knowing the sentiment which had
been aroused by the crime Sher-
IF Summers anticipated trouble of this
kind and left the train at a point west
OF Statesville and brought his prisoner
To the county jail by a back way and
thus avoided the crowd. 1t is reported
however, that a small company of by.
ISLANDERS who chanced to see the officer
entering with the prisoner, attempted to
take him from the sheriff who promptly
drew his pistol and dispersed the crowd
1t soon became known in the community
that Roseboro had been placed in the Jail
and the sheriff soon realized that trouble
was brewing. With some difficulty he
quietly slipped his prisoner from the jail
at p. m, Sunday and left at once in a
private conveyance for Mooresville, where
he caught q train for Charlotte where
Roseboro was placed in Jail. At about 5
O'Clock a crowd of several hundred per
sons went to the Iredell jail in search of
Roseboro. The deputy in charge of the
prison admitted number of the would
be lynchers who searched in vain for tis,
murderer. Sheriff Summers, who has ac-
complished a fine piece of official work,
returned to StatesvIlle by way of Sails
bury at $50 last night without having
taken food or rest since Friday.
The crime is one of the blacklist in the
history of the State. Your correspondent
has just returned from the scene of the,
trouble. and many leading citizens were
found to be in sympathy with the crowd
which would have doubtless lynched the
negro, and which was prepared to do the
work without disguise or the attempt to
conceal their identity.
Mrs. Beaver was a most estmable
young woman. Her husband had left home
early Friday morning for 4 business trip
to Statesvlle and upon his return late
that night could not find any trace Of his
wife. Her mornings work was yet unfin-
ished A searching party was organized
and the body soon found in an old well
which had not been used for sometime.
The head had been beaten into u jelly on
the back and had been crushed on the
right side. The hands were badly scratched
III an evident struggle with the murderer.
The physicians testify to evidence OF un-
speakable cruelty. Roseboro, who stands
charged with the crime, lives only short
distance from the Beaver home, and it is
believed that he saw Mr.. Beaver leave at
about daylight on Friday morning and
that he at once committed the awful deed.
A pistol which was missing from the house
was found in his pocket when arrested. He
is now in jail at Charlotte. and as court
convenes at Statesville next week, it is
hoped by the conservative people of Ire
dell that the law will be allowed to take
its course.