The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-08-04
1T WAS VERY NEAR
TO A LYNCHINC
Clever Work Of Sheriff Sum.
mers in OutWitting
the Mob.
Especial 10 The Tirnes-Dispatch.)

Especial 10 The Times Dispatch)
SALISBURY. N. c.. August s.-The
town Of statesville came near witness
ing a genuine lynching yesterday after
noon.
VIII Rosebro, the negro who brutally
assaulted and afterwards murdered Mrs
Dolph Beaver, in Cool Springs township,
Iredell county. on last Friday morning.
was arrested by Sheriff W. A. Summers
on Saturday, near Melrose, Polk county.
and was brought to Statesville at l0:40
Sunday morning, and lod ged in jail. About
six hundred people. most OF whom were
from the Cool Springs neighborhood. had
been watching the incoming trains during
Saturday and Sunday for the purpose or
capturing the negro culprit and lynchins
him. Knowing the sentiment which mad
been aroused by the crime, Sheriff sum
mers anticipated trouble OF this kind, and
left the train at point west Of States
Vile and brought his prisoner TO the coun-
ty Jail by back way and thus avoided
the crowd.
It is reported. however that small
company Of bystanders who CHANGED to
see the officer entering with the prisoner
ATTEMPTED to take him from the sheriff
who promptly drew his pistol and dis
persed the crowd. 1t soon became known
in the community that l2oseboro had been
placed in the Jail. and the sheriff soon
realized that trouble was brewing. With
some difficulty he quietly slipped his pris-
oner from the jail at P. NJ. Sunday and
left at once in private conveyance for
Mooresyille, where he caught train Tor
Charlotte, where Roseboro was placed In
jail.
At about S o'clock a crowd Of several
hundred persons went to the 1redell jail
in search of Roseboro- The deputy in
charge of the prison admitted number
of the would-be lynchers who searched III
vain for the murderer. Sheriff Summers.
who has accomplished a fine piece of ON
cial work. returned to Statesville by way
of Salisbury at $3.50 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 iynched the
negro. and which was prepared to DO the
work without disguise or the attempt to
conceal their Identity.
Mrs. Beaver was most estimable
young woman. Her husband had left
home early Friday morning for bust
mes trip to Statesville, and upon his re-
turn late that night could not find any
trace of his wife. Her mornings work
was yet unfinished. A searching party
was organized and the body soon found in
an old we'll which had not been used for
SEINE time. The head had been beaten
into jelly on the back and had been
crushed on the right side. The hands We're
badly scratched In an evident struggle
with the murderer.
The physicians testify to evidences OF
unspeakable cruelty. Roseboro, who
stands charged with the crime. lives only
a short distance from the Beaver home.
and 1t is believed that he saw Mr.. Beaver
leave 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 Statesyille next
week 1t Is hoped by the conservative peo-
pie of Iredell that the law will be allowed
to take Its course.
"