The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-08-10

Murderer af Foreman Eeachnann in
GufIford Jaii-He Makes Full Com
fcssion-Conspiracy To ASSAULT All
White Men I'm the Double Tracking
wofS.

s. franz negro anu SELL
confessed murderer Of R E. Beach
mann. whom he killed with a shotgun
al Hill Top. a flag station six miles
Of Greensboro. last Tuesday. is in the
. Gnilford ooanty jail.
Notice was received late Friday
night that Bohannan had been arrest
ed in DanviIle. Va. and was being
held there awaiting wore from Sheriff
Jordan.
Deputy Sherifs John Weatherly and
Geadge Crutchffeld were sent 70 Dan
vile yesterday. leaving On No. Sc. II
was somewhat problematical whether
or not the prisoner would be given up
without the proper papers. The Off
/ GERS had no difficulty Whatever in get
+, ting their man. There was an i'm
ulense crowd about; the Jail and b.
hannah was frightened nearly TO
death. He was ali mcekness and
needed no urging 70 make a clean
breast OF the whole affair, duplicating
others whom he claims are more
guilty than himself.
The officers report that the fellow
cried ali the wa: from Danville and
Kept Up a continuous string OF confes-
sions and charges az linst those whom
de claims urged him 10 commit the
deed.
Fear has all along been entertained
that IN attempt TO rescue the prisoner
might be made and every ]precaution
was taken 70 see hat If such al at
tempt Wee made il could be Circum-
vented. 1t was correctly suspected
that q large crowd would be at the
depot it beinG petty we'll understood
hat B~OhannOn would be brought in
on train No. % AS a matter Of fact
he was brought on that train. but the
sheri1 had ar ranged to circumvent
any effort on the part 81 friends of the
prisoner to set:ur his freedom. He
had the train stopped at Summit We
IL crossing and there with a buggy
he met the officers and the negro
Everything wa quiet and the party
proceeded az once to the Jail.
Deputy Sheriff Weatherly was seen
shortly afte. re had released himself
IF his charge and his story is one TO
excite even deeper feeling on the part
Of the ~citizers than has yet been eX-
perienced. M. Weatherly says the
prisoner could not humble himself
enough and between his sObs told how
he had been urged and fairly driven to
commit tho crime. In the deepest pos
sible way he duplicates the negro
kiser Cr7tchfield. his son, Oscar, and
hat other cOnspiratOr whom the
deputy JAILED to catch at the time he
arrested the other two. Mr.. Weatherly
would not give the name of the miss
ing nan for the reason that he fully
expects yet to round him up and fears
If MS name is given it nay increase
tt difficulties of the capture.
According to Mr.. Weatkerly, BOhan-
nan said he would never have short
Beachmann had it not been for old
man Crutchfield and his son 1t ap-
pears that their grievance was nothing
but a hatred of the whites generally,
augmented to some extent by the hard
treatment they accuse Beachmann and
other foremen Of having been guilty.
Bohannan frankly told the deputies
that the conspiracy contemplated the
murder of every white man on the job.
The prisoner stated that it had been
fermenting for weeks and only culmi-
mated when BeachInann had dis
charged him from the stable work.
The prisoner tells a story to make
The blood boil of how his feeling of
soreness against Beachmann was
wrought into the most intense hatred
and bitterness and the desire for re-
venge was excited to a degree beyond
control. He went on TO tell the Off
GERS how Crutchfield got him drunk
the night before the shooting and kept
him drunk. He related how Oscar
Crutchfield brought him into the city
and bought the shotgun with which he
did the killing. He claims that he
vas insanely drunk and only remem-
bers his strong desire TO kill Beach
nan He acknowledges that he
walked up and down as If on parade.
cuTsing and threatening every one in
sight.
NJ. Weatherly SAYS that Bohan-
mans main cry was of sorrow. and
that he felt this the N the deed
was cCmmittd. The deputy also said
that Bohannan was altogether too
much in fear to think of telling any
lies and that all Of his statements re-
garding the conspiracy and the con
spirators Were probably fully credible.
While it is true that nothing in the
way OF a hostile demonstration has
shown Itself. Sheriff Jordan exercised
the keenest vigilance last night. He
acknowledged that he felt this neces-
sary as numerous reports. more or less
vague. had reached him that led him
TO think there might be trouble at any
time. He stated that his prisoner was
fully guarded and that every precau-
ton had been taken. industrial
New.