The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1906-08-10
Mob of Three Thousand
Men Defied the Militia
and Broke Open the
Jail for Negro Prison.
ers.
North Carolina Citizens
Take Law Into Their
Own Hands in Efforts
to Avenge Murder Of
Lyerty Family.

Lyerty Family.
Salisbury, N. c., Aug. GA mob Of
5000 men shortly before II o'clock to-
night, forclbly entered the Rowan
county jail here, removed therefrom
three Of the six negroes charged with
the murder Of the Lyerty family at
Barber Junction July 1a, and lynched
them. Nease and John Gillespie and
Jack Dillingham;, supposed to be tho
principals in the crime were the vic
Tins Of the mob. The remaining ne
Bella Dillingham;, were not molested
and later tonight officers hurried them
off to Greensboro.
MOB GATHERS.
The mob began gathering at sun
down. Mayor Bowden promptly order
ed the saloons closed and with other
prominent citizens United States SEM
ator Overman, who was holding a spe-
cial term of court to try the negroes
and Solicitor Hammer, gathered on
the Jail steps and addressed the
crowd, which at that time numbered
two thousand There were howls and
cat calls from the mob, but for a
time there was no move as the mob
lacked leader. While citizens were
appealing to the mob, two men slipped
through the crowd and were enter
ing the Jail with hammers. They were
discovered and arrested The mob
continued its yelling, but there was
still no concerted movements.
MILITIA CALLED.
About o'clock Mayor Borden call
ed upon the local military company,
the Rowan Rifles. for aid. They as
sembled quickly, but were supplied
only with blank cartridges, having no
Tendon, of Charlotte, Southern rail-
way employe, was shot in the stom-
ach by bullet said to have been
fired by member of the mob. He
was fatally wounded VIII Troutman,
negro drayman, was also seriously
shot at about the same time. Both
are said to have been accidental, oc-
casioned by some of the stray shots
fired by members of the mob with
the intention of frightening citizens.
At ten o'clock there was a stir in
the mob. 1t was augmented by full
ly 500 men. who came it is said from
Whitney, where the Whitney Reduc-
ton company is developing the Yad-
kin water power.
BREAK FOR THE JAIL.
1t was but few minutes after their
arrival when crowd of fifty, forming
a sort of flying wedge made break
for the Jail doors, overpowered the
officers and effected an entrance. The
great crowd surged in behind the lead
ers and in a few moments emerged
from the door with their victims. The
negroes were quietly marched toward
Spencer but halt was made at the
Henderson ball ground. on the edge of
town. The negroes were given time to
confess. They refused to either deny
or confess the crime.
RIDDLED WITH BULLETS.
John Gillespie wept piteously and
begged for his life. firing of their
efforts to secure statements from the
negroes, the ropes we're quickly
brought forth and adjusted and the
three were strung up to the limbs of
one tree and with howls and curses
the crowd riddled the dangling bod
les with bullets.
By IL o'clock it was all over and
half an hour later nothing remained
of the immense crowd that packed
the streets shortly before the lynch
ing.
George Erwin was taken from the
Jail with his associates and closely
questioned. Then the mob led him
back to his cell.
Nease Gillespie maintained inno-
cence to the end.
THE CRIME
The other two would neither confess
nor deny the crime.
Ed. Barber, a relative OF the MUIR
dered man followed the mob with
the prisoners to the scene OF the
lynching and pleaded with them TO re-
turn the negroes to the Jail and let
the law take its courst, but the mob
was blood thirsty and needed him
not.
The crime with which the negroes
we're charged was for murder Of the
Lyerty family near Salisbury, July
1S. Negroes went TO the Lyerty home
at night and killed father wife and
two children. splitting their heads
open with an axe. Lyerty was prom
inent farmeR