The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-09-09
LYNCHINC OF NEGROES
NARROWLY AVERTED.

which operates lumber camps in this vi
cinty lived. 1t was also known that two
of these negroes-SeIiars and Brown
remained at the hut Saturday
morning while their companions went
to work. It vas apparent that the
Of the poor, outraged woman
must surely have reached their ears,
but no assistance had they rendered,
no alarm had they given. Then, too.
young Sam Russ, the boy cousin men,
toned, had observed Dave Brown in
the vicinity of the Packer house wash
ing clothes.
II was for these two negroes hat the
search at once commenced and Clark
tons leading citizens, including Messrs.
o. L. Clark, ]. W. Clark, J. NJ. Mcleod
and Bruce rne took hold OF the
helm and with courage and energy
ferreted out the mystery. Brown vas
found about 2 o'clock in the afternoon
working with a gang pulling up old iron
from a spun track about one mile and
a half from the scene Of the tragedy.
He was at once taken into custody and
from the offset his excited, scared de-
meanor strengthened the suspicion
against him. On the way to Clarkton
he admitted that Sellars was absent
from the hut about an hour and a half
in the morning. Shortly afterwards he
amended this statement by reducing
the absent time TO thirty minutes and
also stated that Sellars had left Clark
ton for Councils at 10 o'clock in the
morning.
AFTER SELLARS.
Upon seeing that Brown was
safely confined the search was con-
tinued. Four other suspicious negroes
were arrested-Mack McCole. Sam Nc
Cole, Hugh Garner and Cleve Kelley
and d wire was sent to Councils to ar
rest S~ellars. who was supposed TO be
at his home near there. This SUPPOSE
ton was correct and at his home ne
was captured. Messrs. O. Il. Clark and
Angus Kelly went after the brute and
at , o'clock brought him safe to Clark
ton. by this time the town was thick
with people and mutterings of a storm
were plainly evident. However, cool
heads prevailed and the mutterings
gave place to a calm, though there
only time alone could tell what was
in the minds of those fully five hun
dred people.
Il DID NOT DO IT."
Sellars denied most positively his
guilt and gave MI. Clark d detailed ac-
count of his movements. He told him
of leaving the hut and going to the
Clarkton depot; of stopping at the post
office and waiting room before leaving
and also of going to a nearby store and
procuring a watermelon. All this SEEM
ed trivial at the time, though of a ma
ture intended to help Sellars escape the
responsibility of the awful deed, but
later it acted as a deadly boomerang
and developed into important evidence.
BUOODHOUNDS ON THE SCENE.
While Selfar was being sought near
Councils bloodhounds were sent for
and when Messrs. Clark and Kelly re-
turned with their prisoner four Of the
intelligent animals, owned by Mr.. L. c.
Smith, of Maxton were on the ground.
TRACKED BY SCENT.
The man-hunters weSe taken to the
scene of the tragedy and placed upon
the scent. After shifting around for
several seconds they toOk up the trail
and started off, with a posse also in
their wake. The animals followed the
trail to the side of a pond, where they
lost it. Upon being carried to the OPP
posite bank they found it again and
ollowed il to the railroad track and
stood. To the logical mind it was plain
stood. To the logical mind it was plan
ly apparent that the man had jumped
into the caboose, but whether or not
he had remained there was the ques-
ton. To the other side of the car the
dogs were carried and they Immediate
ly regained the track, showing con-
clusively that the man had jumped into
one car door and out the other. Then
the animals followed the route as de-
scribed by Sellars. They visited both
the postoffice and watermelon store
and finally rested at the depot waiting
room
UP TO SELLARS.
Nor was this all. When carried into
the room where Sellars and Brown were
confined the dogs went direct TO Sell
lars and stood by him. shifting all the
time. Brown they would not notice.
FEELING RAN HIGH.
All this evidence only inflamed the
feeling against the negroes, but wise
counsel predominated again and Brown
and Sellars were permitted to remain
unframed but under strong guard all
night in Mr.. Clark's store, while the
other negroes were locked VI in the
guard house.
INQUEST AND BURIAL.
Sunday afternoon the inquest was
held and about the same hour the. re-
mains of the outraged woman were
laid tenderly to rest at Sandy Grove.
THE VERDICT.
The jury impanelled by ex-Sherif S.
G.. iWooten, acting coroner, was COM
posed of Messrs. Bruce Burney, G.. II.
Cromartie, Alexander Cromartie, II. r.
Cromartie, T. r, Thompson and J.. b.
Thompson. In the face of the evidence
n in the face of a confession which
Brown made the jury could return but
one verdict and that was that Sellars
committed the diabolical deed.
CONFESSION BY STRATEGY.
browns confession was obtained by
strategy. He was separated from Sell
lars and made to think that he (Sellars)
had been hanged. Then he became
badly frightened and told how Sellars
had wanted him to accompany him to
outrage Mrs. Packer and how Sellars
had left the house Saturday morning
to return a little later. shirtless and
excited, and stated to him that he had
accomplished his purpose, though he
had to kill the woman.
IN TEE SHADOW.
J. The news of the verdict and confess
sion frenZied the populace and both