The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1906-07-19
AN AWFUL TRAGEDY
fam Members OF Family Are
Butchered i'm Their Beds
FIRE SET TO DESOlATED HOME
Ike Lyeriy. His Wife and Two Wild
rem Murdered IS They Slept in Their
Home by Unknown Hands. Sever
Al Negroes Arrested TO. the Crime


Greensboro. y. c, Special.-one
of the most horrible trage-
dies in the history OF Row
an county occurred near Bar
ber's Junction. about 10 miles from
this city Saturday morning. Between
the hours of and o'clock an un-
known person or persons entered the
home of Ike Lyerly, a well known
farmer, while its occupants were
asleep, killing Mr.. Lyerly, his wife
and two of the youngest children and
fatally wounding the third.
The parents and the three children
were asleep III the front room on the
first floor, there being two elder
daughters sleeping up stairs, who
were unmolested and were awakened
by the smoke from below. The girls
descended the stairs to awaken their
father and mother. On reaching their
room they beheli their father and
mother and three youngest children
lying on the bed, their heads were
crushed and their faces badly dis
figured.
The two older daughters, Mary and
Addie, aged Is and 16 respectively,
managed to carry the dead bodies
from the house and extinguish the
flames. Then they ran to the near
est neighbor, w. B. BARRIERS, and told
the story of the awful tragedy. There
being no officers of the law at this
place, r. r. Mulliken. train dispatch
er on duty at that hour, was notified
and promptly wired the news to the
sheriff at Salisbury, who started at
once to the scene with bloodhounds
and a posse of armed men. Blood.
hounds were also sent from Winston
Salem to assist III the pursuit of the
guilty.
Mr.. Lyerly was a highly respected
citizen and we'll connected and it is
inconceivable that any one should
have anything against him or his fam
lily.
Three negro men and negro wo-
man-George Erwin, Jack Dillingham;
and Mitchell Graham and his wife
have been arrested and put in Jail
at Salisbury on suspicion of compli-
city in the case.
Excitement is intense in the neigh
borhood and there is talk of lynching,
if the criminals are caught.
Charged With the Crime.
Charlotte, Special.-Sheriff Julian
Of Rowan county brought to this city
for safe keeping, Neal Gillespie, his
son, John Gillespie, Jack Dillingham;
and wife, George Erwin and Henry
Lee, colored, charged with the mur-
der of Isaac Lyerly. his wife and
two children near Barber's Junction.
There was nothing to indicate a lynch
ing at Salisbury, but the Sheriff
thought best to move the prisoners.
The coroner's jury fastened the crime
upon all the prisoners.
Negroes Made Threats.
Mr.. Matt L. Webb, a white man
who had worked with Nease Giles
pie. large mulatto, about 40 years
old, reported that he had heard the
negro ust the following language:
"Old man Lyerly can cut that wheat
and thrash it but he will never eat
it or get the money for it. -
This recalled something that Mr.. J.
G. Lyerly, a son be a former wife.
had heard his father say. Nease Gill
lespie. who is saw mill hand for
NJ john Dellinoer, moved into one
of Mr. Isaac Lyerly's cabins last fall.
Ee, his son and stcp-son agreed to
ro"k 50 much land If they took the
house. A section Of wheat was laid
Of The Gillespies sowcd part of this,
out finding that they could get plenty
Of work at good wages did not sow
the entire lot. This, not being ac-
cording to contract. worried Mr.. Lyer-
ly, who spoke to Nease and was, III
turn, cursed. Finally, howeve, the
matter was settled by Mr.. Dillinger,
the saw mill owner, agreeing to pay
house rent for Gillespie. Nothing
more was heard of the wheat until
some time ago, when it had been cut
by Mr.. Lyerly, who was preparing to
have it thrashed.
Monday Nease Gillespie went down
to Mr. Lyerly's house and asked him
what he was going to do with the
wheat.
why, 1 am going to thrash IT and
use it," said Mr.. Lyerly.
"You will not" declared Nease.
Hot words followed and Mr.. Lyerly
ordered the negro out Of the yard. 1t
was here Gillespie told his landlord
that he would kill him or die in the
attempt if he used the wheat without
giving him share of it.
1t was after this that Nease told
Mr.. Webb that Mr.. Lyerly might cut