The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-09-09
CROWD TRIED TO TAKE
MURDERERS FROM TRAIN

manned very quiet, but now pandem-
onium broke loose. Almost before the
men could be got through the gate
the row saw them and made a rush
for the gate. but it was quickly closed.
Seeing this means of entrance was
closed they began TO scale the encios-
ure and some one called the yar1
gate! the yard gatei" referring to a
gate on one side of the station tina.
Is nearly always open. Quickly the
large crowd surged through this gate
and in a few minutes the car was sur
rounded by the angry o The Of
ficers, for all who ACCOMPANIED the
prisoners had been sworn in as depu-
ties, had placed the negroes in the
apartment in the second class car pro-
vided for negroes. SeSveral of the de-
puties stood on the platform to keep
the crowd on.
The scene was one Ions to be re-
membe-ed. Under the long shed was
that uncertain light which comes in
the evening just before darkness set
ties down, and gathered around the
train a bowling mass of humanity
eager for human victims. Fresh in
their minds was the horrible deed OF
the criminals who sat within a few feet
of them. and hey thirsted for re-
venge The rope had been secured;
everything was in readiness: all they
wished was to secure the fiends.
Around the car The row surged.
One man picked UP a coupling Dir
and hurled it through a window in the
end of the car where the negroes
were. In a few minutes practically
every window in the car had been
smashed. Several men succeeded in
climbing on to the platform and were
e~ndeavoring to enter the door when
Sheriff Lyon began firing in the direc-
tor of The door and this caused them
to halt. In the other end or the car
another shot rang out. A member of
the mob had attempted to drive Depu-
" Sheriff Harvey Cox from his post of
duty and he fired on The man, who in
return fired twice at the deputy. but.
fortunately all balls went Wild of the
mark and no one was injured.
In the car the two negroes were
lying between the seats trembling
with fear as the scream of the mob,
thirsting for their blood, came to their
ears.
w. l.. 1. Arrives.
The mob was becoming more deter
mined and were pressing closer when
the rattle of arms were heard and the
Wilmington Light Infantry rushed on
to the scene of action, about thirty
strong. For a moment the crowd hest
tated. TO see what meant this rattle OF
arms, and then with jecrs they began
30 crowd the soldiers. Before them
stood young men, some of them mere
boys, but they were no longer boys;
they were soldiers. sworn to protect
the law and obey the m of
their superior officer, and the crowd
reckoned wrongly when they expected
them to give way. Their hearts might
have been with the mob. but they
were soldiers, and in their mind was
fresh the S~tatesboro affair and the part
played by the troops, and they had
determined that h hand of obloquy
should not be pointed at them: they
would do their duty and keep the oath
they had taken, And we'll did they
keep that oath, and in the future h
citizens of Wilmington will ever be
glad of the fac thar q lynch1ng was
prevented. Some of them may now
feel differently, their blood is hot, but
when they look at it in a cooler mood
they will feel quite different.
Walking through the crowd trying
to pacify them was Colonel L. c.
James, and Captain w. F.. Robertson,
of the W.. L. l.. mounted the platform
and urged the men to refrain from
violence and to let the law take. its
course. The talks of these two officers
did much to pacify the crowd.
UncoupIed the Train.
It was nearly time Tor the train to
leave when the prisoners arrived, but
considerable difficulty was exper-
lGIC0u III SelliHS l1O lIdIl Oul.
the mob ~uncoupled the car and when
the engine started forward it had only
the baggage car. The train was re-
coupled and a second attempt made to
leave, but this time the
brake was put on and the giant engine
could not move the rain. After some
minutes this was remedied and at last
the train was ready to depart Aboard
were many passengers, but none, with
the exception of the officers, soldiers
and prisoners could be found in he Sec
ond class ar. Captain Robertson and
about twenty members of the w. L. /.
went on the train besides SheriffS Ly-
OH and Stedman and a number of de-
puties. The mob yelled and shrieked
as the train rolled from under the
shed. They had been defeated in their
purpose and they were angrier than
ever. About a hundred yards from
the station the train appeared to stop
and the mob rushed up the track. but
the train glided out of sight. Near
the edge Of the city limits a man
dl ew a u on the engineer and or
dered him to stop the train. but he
the train rolled on. kilograms We're
sen to all the towns along the road.
The mob wanted the negroes lynched
and they eagerly hoped the train would
be stopped at some station and the
men taken off and 1ynched.
Very Quiet Trip.
In spite Of the numerous kilograms
very few people were at any of the
stations to see the train pass. At Bur-
gaw a right large crowd had gathered
but they did not attempt to enter the
train. When the train was pulling
through Mt. Olive some one threw a
rock in the car where the negroes
were. but no one was struck. Not nalf
dozen people We're at the station at
G0ldShOrn and the prisoners were
quickly transferred to the Raleigh
train.
The prisoners were accompanied to
Raleigh by Sheriff Lyon and several
deputies. They reached Raleigh about
11:SO. A. force of police had been or
dered to be at the station, but it was
not necessary, as few people knew any
thing of their being brought to Raj
eigh. They were placed in a closed
ca rria ore and by u O'clock were inside