New-York tribune., 1906-08-07
LYNCH THREE NEGROES
MOB SHOOTS Spectators.
Storms Jail and Hangs Lyerly Mur-
der Prisoners.

Charlotte. n. c., Aug. Ga mob OF 5000 men.
tered Rowan County Jail at Salisbury removed
three of the six NegfOes charged with the murder
of the Lyerly family at Barber Junction. July
13. and lynched them. Nease and John Gillespie
and Jack Dillingham; supposed to be the prin-
cipals in that crime. were the victims of mob
vengeance. The remaining Negroes. Henry Lee,
George Erwin and Bella Dillingham;, were not
molested. and later tonight officers hurried
them off to Greensboro.
The mob began gathering at sundOwn. Mayor
Boyden promptly ordered the saloons closed.
and with other well known citizens. United
States Senator Overman. Judge Long, who was
trying the Negroes. and Solicitor Hammer.
gathered the Jail steps and addressed the
crowd, which at that time numbered two thou
sand. There were hOwls and catcalls from the
mob. but for time there was no mOve-the
mob lacked a leader. While citizens were ap-
pealing TO the mob two men slipped through the
crowd and were entering the Jail with hammers.
They were discovered and arrested. The mob
continued its yelling but there was still no con-
certed move.
About o'clock Mayor Boyden called on the
local military company. the Rowan Rifles. for
aid They assembled quickly. butiweTe supplied
with only blank cartridges. having no orders 70
shoot TO kill Fireman McLendOn. of Charlotte.
a Southern Railway emplOye. was shot in the
stomach by bullet said to have been fired by
a member Of the mob. He was fatally wounded
Will Troutman, a Negro drayman. Vas also
seriously shot at about the same time.
Both of the shOOtings said to have been
osNFT1 VF-716
by members Of the mob. with the evident inten-
tiOn OF frightening citizens.
At 10 o'clock there great stir in the
mob. which had been augmented by fully five
hundred men, who came, it is said, from Whit
ney, where the Whitney Reduction Company is
developing the Yadkin water power
II was only few minutes after their arrival
when crowd of fifty. forming sort of flying
wedge made a break for the Jail doors. over
powered the officers and effected an entrance.
The great crowd outside surged in behind the
leaders and in few moments more emerged
from the dior with their victims.
The Negroes were quietly marched nOrthward
toward Spencer, but halt was made at Hen
dersop's ball grounds, the edge Of the town
There the Negroes were given time 70 confess
the crime They refused to either deny or con-
fess. and were so thoroughly frightened as all
most to have lost the power of speech John
Gillespie wept piteonsly and begged for his life
firing of his efforts to get statements from
the Negroes. at midnight the ropes were quickly
brought forward and adjusted. and the three
were strung up to the limbs of one tree. and
with howls and curses the crowd riddled the
dangling bodies with bullets.
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 his innocence to the end. The other
two would neither confess nor deny the crime
Ed Barber. relative of the victims. followed
the mob with the prisoners to the scene OF the
Ivnching and pleaded with them TO return the
Negroes TO the Jail and let the law take its
course, but the mob paid no attention TO him.
The crime for which the three men were
lvnched was committed on the night OF July Is.
near Barber's Junction, about forty miles from
Greensboro Isaac Iyerly. well known FARMER
his wife and two children were killed Whie
asIeep a third child fatally wounded ana
the house set on fire