The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1906-05-31
Taken from Jail and Done to
Death By Mob
AWFUL SEQUEL TO A MISTRIAI
Mob Batters Down Doors of North
Carolina Jail Drags J. ". Johnson,
Alleged Murderer of His Brother
in-law, Gwinn Johnson, From His
Cell, Strings Him to a Tree and
Riddles His Body With Bullets.

W~adesboro, n. c., Special.-A mob
composed of so to rs men battered
down the Jail doors shortly after z
o'clock Monday morning and lynched
John v. johnson, a white man about
40 years old, the killing of his broth
e~r-in-law, Quinn johnson, on Deem
Der IL, last. The mob, it apears came
from Mcfarland, Morven township, a
small place on the South Carolina
line and, largely under the influence
of whiskey and treated the prisoner in
a most cruel manner, while taking him
out of town. One story is that they
told him to run for his life and then
filed his back with bird shot. This
may or may not be true, but in tax
ing Johnson out of Jail one wrist was
almost severed and the trail of the
mob out of town was easily traced by
bloody splotches.
About 1.45 o'clock two or three
men, partially disguised, appeared at
the back door of the jail and told
Sheriff J. A. Boggan they had a pris-
oner and displayed a commitment pa
per. The sheriff came out and the
door was bolted behind him. He tried
to get the men to levae, but instead
dozens more swarmed in and took
hold Of the officer and began to bat
ter in the door, at the same time fir
ing several shots into the jail, one
load from a shotgun at close range
making an inch hole in the door franz
ing and a pistol bullet burning a
mark on the j%ailer's collar.
Gaining admission to the Jail after
about half an hour; the men swarmed
up stairs, breaking down two other
doors. When the cell was reached
several attempts were made to break
down the iron door and the mob put
a number of shotguns through the
bars and threatened to kill Johnson
there, when a member of the sher-
ifs family, fearing harm to that of
fetal, opened the cell door and John
son was dragged out barefoot and
scantly dressed. He, attempted to
hold on to something, when he was
badly cut on the wrist. The doomed
mans appeal for mercy were met with
abuses as the mob dragged him out
into the street. Here the crowd was
divided into three squads, with the
prisoner in the center, and amidst vol
ley after volley from a number OF
shotguns and pistols and many shouts
wendell its way out the Morven road
In the direction of the scene of the
offence for which Johnson was in
Jail.
j. V. johnson was tried at the
April term of Arson Superior Court
for the murder of Quinn johnson
the jury failing to agree on a verdict
Judge Shaw, who presided at the
trial, reprimanded the jury for it:
inability to reach a verdict and &
mistrial was ordered, the prisoner be-
ing remanded to Jail for second
trial at the next term Of court. The
trial was vigorously contested on both
sides. Solicitor L. D. Robinson. was
assisted in the prosecution by Nh
John A.. McRae, of the the Charlotte
bar, and Mr.. III. III. McLendon, o.
Wadesboro, while the defence was alb
ly represented by Messrs. T. L. eau
die, J. A. Lockhart, Jr., John T. Ben
nett and Henry Began. The evidence
showed that the two men were engag
ed In an alteration when the fata
shot was fired.
After a trial which occupied near
j ly a week, the jury took the case
The first ballot was eight for muir
der in the first degree, three for muir
der In the second degree and one fo
acquittal. After being out three day
n the final ballot was eleven for murde
in the second degree and one fo
manslaughter. A mistrial was the
ordered by Judge Shaw and the sec
ond trial set for the July term o
court.
Judge Neal to Scene.
II Raleigh, Special.-Governor Glen
has ordered Judge Neal to the seen
of the lynching to assist in an inve:
tigation. The governor is. severe i
his condemnation of this act of Law