The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-06-05

VestjSating Recent Lynching OF j. V.
Johnson-Number Of Witnesses Ex-
amined-Governor Glenn Spends
Day in Wadesboro-Some Side
Lights on Anson's Horrible Tragedy.
II 49,
Especial to Charlotte Observer
WadesborO, May Ex-Governor
Glenn has been here today, his pres
ence being due TO the %lynching Mon
day morning of John V. Johnson by a
moo. / asked the Governor why he
came. "In coming to Wadesboro," ne
replied, Il had no intention Of in
terfering with any judicial investiga-
ton, but | came at the earnest re-
quest of the solicitor of the district,
who felt that my presence in Wades-
bOrO at this time would conduce to The
better enforcement of the law and to
the bringing to justice of the partici-
pators in the mob that lynched john
V. Johnson. l feel that a blot has
been cast on the good name, not only
Of Arson county, but of the entire
state. There was not a shadow of
excuse for individuals taking the law
into their hands. John V. Johnson
had been tried. Only one man was
for manslaughter, with II for a higher
offense. There was no reason to be-
lieve justice would miscarry in a sec
Ond trial. The commissioners, wish
ing a speedy trial of JOhnson's case
and others, had requested a special
term of court and | had ordered same
for July 18th; therefore, it cannOI be
urged that justice was unnecessarily
delayed. The excuse offered by the
friends of the lynchers themselves is
that they were simply furnishing a
man who had committed murder.
CRIME OF MOB WORSE THAN
JOHNSON'S.
But, in my cool, deliberate judg-
ment, when they conspired together to
go to the Jail and take d helpless pris-
oner out of his cell, drag him half u
mile, he begging all the time for mercy
and hang him to a tree and shoot his
body full of holes, they committed a
murder, in the sight of both God and
man, more heinOus than that of their
victim, who slew a man in anger.
When a has been dishonOred,
robbed OF her virtue, we have cOndOn-
ed 70 a certain extent the father, broth
er or husband, who, with others, lynch
ed the fiend. for We have respect fo-
his feelings, knowing as we do that
he does wrong. But this was no such
case. There was no u for this
Iynching and every good citizen of
Arson county should call it what it
is, murder. /, therefore, call upon
every good citizen in the county to
tell what he knows and do all in his
power to ferret out this matter and
bring the wrongdoers to justice. They
may be assured that, as governor of
the state, | will aid them in every
way | can, even if necessary putting
the whole state of North Carolina be-
hind them, in order to see the laws
properly executed. Nothing would
have brought me to Wadesboro ex-
cept the fact that | want law-breakers
to know that it will not be my fault
if they are not arrested, and punish
ed"
Governor Glenn addressed a letter
to Sheriff j.. A. BOggan, which, after
setting forth the substance of the
foregoing statement, continues, This
mob must be brought to justice. To
ignore their crime and to screen them
would be an outrage. AS governor Of
the state, | will render you all the aid
in m power, whether it be in employ
ing able counsel to help the solicitor
Or, in case of need, in ordering out the
state militia to aid you in enforcing
the law. Neither time nor expense
should be considered in prosecuting
the perpetrators of this horrible crime.
ALL QUIET IN THE TOWN.
If Ray Stannard Baker had come
sent him to Statesboro, Ga, to see a
lyn>hing town, he would have found
the same situation as he described
there, Il perfectly quiet, almost sleepy
village, where courteous gentlemen sit
in the shady places and ladies daily
with ice cream. But the talk has been
of the l%ynching. That the governors
presence and influence n the solicit
tors zeal are timely IS evidenced by
the fact that almost everybody Is re-
Numbering that the lynched man was
Of a violent, unruly, dangerous charac-
ter, and that he was not insane. but
normal. Those who recall this, how
ever, admit that it makes nc differ
ence whether he was a raven or a
dove, when the guilt of the mob comes
to be considered. All day the solicit
tor and Judge Neal have carried on
the examination of witnesses behind
closed doors, together with Mr.. Gull
ledga and Mr.. John Bennett, whom
the governor employed on behalf of
the state. | know what they did, but
l will not tell. Tomorrow l nope
they will take the gag off. The de-
tails of the lynching are absolutely
horrifying. There are new panels in
the lower door of the jail. The old
door was shot to pieces and battered
in with sledges and crowbars. The