The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1906-08-09
Three Negroes Taken From
Jail, Hanged and RiddIed.
MILITARY is INEFFECTIVE
Victims Had Just Been ArraIgned at
Salisbury, N. Co., Charged With
Murder Of Lyerly Family. :,
Other Suspects Unmolested.

A mob of 5000 determined men,
shortly before II o'clock Monday
night, forcibly entered Rowan county
jail at Salisbury, N. c., removed
therefrom three Of the five negroes
charged with the murder of the Lyer-
ly family, at Barber Junction, July
13, an lynched them.
The mob began gathering at sun
down. Mayor Boyden promptly or
dered the saloons closed and, with otn-
er prominent citizens, United States
Senator Overman, Judge Long, VINO
was holding the special term OF court
to try the negroes, and Solicitor
Hammer, gathered on the jail steps
and addressed the crowd, which At
that time numbered 1000. There were
howls and cat calls from the moD'
but for time tne:- was no move
the mob lacking a leader. While citl-
zens were appealing to the mob, two
men slipped through the crowd and
we're entering the Jail with hammers.
They were discovered and arrested.
The mob continued it's yelling, but
there was still no concerted move.
About 9 o'clock, Mayor Boyden 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
orders to shoot to kill.
Fireman McLendon Of Charlotte,
Southern railway employee, was shot
in the stomach by a bullet said to
have been fired by a member OF the
mob. He was fatally wounded. VIII
Troutman, a negro drayman, was also
seriously shot at about the same time.
Both are said to have been accidents,
occasioned by some OF the few wild
shots fired by members Of the mob,
with the evident intention of fright
ening citizens.
At 10 o'clock there was stir in
the mob-it was augmented by fully
five hundred men, who came, it is
said. from Whitney. where the Whit
ney Reduction company u developing
the Yadkin water power 1t was but
a few minutes after their arrival,
when q crowd of fifty, forming
sort of flying wedge, made break
for the Jail doors, overpowered the
officers, and effecte;. an entrance. The
great crowd outside surged in behind
the leaders. and in a few minutes
more emerged from the door with
their victims.
The negroes were marched north
ward toward Spencer, but halt was
made at Henderson's ball grounds in
the edge of town. There the negroes
were given time to confess the crime.
They refused to either deny or con-
fess and were 50 thoroughly fright
ened as almost to have lost the
power Of speech. John Gillespie wept
piteously and begged for his life. Tlr-
ing Of it's efforts 20 secure state
ments from the negroes, at midnight
the ropes were quickly brought for
ward and adjusted and the three were
strung up to the limbs Of one tree
and with howls and curses the crowd
riddleG the dangling bodies with bull
lets.
Governor Glenn was at 11:1O O'Clock
Monday night told of the moo by
Judge Long over the telephone. He
at once wired orders to the military
companies at Charlotte, Greensboro
and Statesville to Aurry by special
trains to Salisbury. Finding these
were too late he countermandel the
orders He states that some tic:e ago
he offered the sheriff the service OF
the militia, but the offer was declined
as unnecessary. He declares the
lynching blot on the state. and SAYS
he will at once to. steps to dis
cover and bring to justice the guilty
parties.