The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1903-08-04
TRAIN HELD UP BY A MOB.
Two Hundred Men, After Two Ne
oroes. Fire Into Cars.

qroes, Fire Into Cars.
Fast express train No. on the Chesa.
peake and Ohio, Washington to Cincin-
natl. was held up near Clifton Forge, Va,
Friday night by 200 armed men, whose
object was to take a couple Of negro pas
sengers from the train and lynch them.
The attempt TO get the men was unsuc-
cessful.
The posse tagged the train with red
lanterns. and when the engineer brought
the train to standstill he was covered
with reyolvers and told that If he at
tempted to move on be would be shot.
The conductor on hearing the mob out
side quickly locked the door OF the front
coach, and as it was impossible for the
frenzied men TO enter, owing TO the yes
tibuled platform, they becamesO enraged
that they began firing into the front
coach, which was occupied by the prison
ers. Fully fifty shots were fired into the
car, but the prisoners and the few pas
sengers that were in this car lay on the
floor aud escaped uninjured. Almost
every window in the coach was broken
When the fusillad OF bullets began the men
who were on the engine leaped of TO par
ticipate, and Engineer Wise opened the
throttle and pulled out. Strange to say,
no one aboard the train was injured.
The negroes had been arrested near Lex
ington, Va, charged with fatally shoot
ing Will Rainbow, Chesapeake and
Ohio brakeman, on the James River d.
vision of the road. and were being taken
10 CoviDgton, Va, for safe keeping.
The United States authorities have been
notified Of the hOld-up of the train, which
was q fast mail and tits more than likely
that an effort will be made to arrest all
implicated.
INQUIRY INTO BOLD-UP
The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway has
ordered every detective in its service to-
gether with half dozen private detec-
tiyes, to Clifton Forge, Va. to ascertain,
il possible, the names OF every one con-
nected with the mob that held up one Of
their fastest express trains in that place
Thursday night for the purpose OF TAX
ing two negro passengers with a view OF
lynchiDR them.
The United States government also
has sent detectives there, as the train
held up contained mail car, and this
was punctured by a number OF bullets.
Will and Otto Green, the two negroes
who were in jail at Covington, Va, on
the charge Of shooting Harry Rudisill on
an excursion train last Wednesday night,
were brought here for sale keeping. The
prisoners were taken to jail at Lexington
Srst after having been arrested, and on
Thursday night were taken to Clifton
Forge for Identification by Rudisill. He
was not IN condition to see them, how
ever, and on Friday night they were
taken to Covington.
The negroes were landed in Covington
jail, but the excitement did not subside.
The deputy sheriff there learned that
another large mob was forming at Clifton
Forge, and that it would be recruited
in Covington. He then asked Tor mil
itary assistance, and the Clifton Forge
Rifles were ordered out. IL was then de-
termined to take the prisoners TO Lynch
burg. A special train was secured Tor the
purpose. -.
The prisoners were in charge oil Sheriff
Turner and a deputy, with the military
company as guard. The sheriff and
soldiers returned to Clifton Forge.
Later Sheriff Huddleston, OF Bedford
County, arrived and took the pris-
oners with him to Bedford City, the
shooting having occurred on an excursion
train at Albert, in that county. The ne
groes have not yet been identified by
Rudisill, who is at Clifton Forge in
precarious condition.