The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-07-20

lot beng according to contract. xor-
ried Dir. Lyerly. who spoke to Meas,
and was. in Urn cursed. Finally. how
ever. the matter was settled b. Mr.
Dellinger. the saw mill owner. agrsrln-
20 pay house rent for Gillespie. Notn,ng
ore was heard OF the whea. until
some time ago. when il lad h@sa an.
by Lyerly. who was preparing to aav.
IL rhrashed.
Monday Sease Gillespie went dowu
10 Ar. Lyeriy's home and asked him
what D. vas going 20 do xsth the
wheat.
Why. am going 10 thrash il and
Use Ii" said Mr.. Lyerly.
You will not" declared Nease.
Hot words followed and Mr.. Lyerly
ordered the negro out OF his yard. l.
was here Gillespie told his landlord
that he would Kill him or die in III.
attempt II he used the wheat without
giving him a share OF -
Il was after this thai Nease told
Mr.. Webb that Mr.. Lyerly nigh; cut
the wheat. but he would never eat or
sell Il. Gillespie had been very luSo-
lent TO Mr., Lyerly,
The crowd which gathered Al the
Lyer.y home heard Of this threat ~
Gillespie and went 10 hi~ house a. ~
rest him. The negro had gone .
work. q mile or more away. but his
wife became frightened and ran II he
home - Mr.. Dick Files. a farmer. ANA
begged him TO protect her. saying hat
she would be hanged Tor killing th>
Lt@r-y> when she had nothing 70 1o
with IT,.
SAID GILLESPIE KNEW Or THE
CRIME
4 don't know nothing about il. 5u.
my husband does said Gillespie's
wife.
Near the home OF Gillespie was I
freshly burnt spot. where a straw bed
and other things had been fired since
daylight Those who graveled in the
charred place found pieces Of clothing.
and g spoonful OF scOrChed blood. Some
PAGES form the house a bloody shirt.
which had been boiled and was Still
wet. was discovered III IA weed patch
These bits Of evidence, when put TO-
Sether, make an interesting and c0a-
vincing story.
G~illeSpie's wife was hysterical and
wild. She talked TWO ways. but tn
officers believe that she gave her nus
band away 10 Mr.. Files. Gillespie Is
described as a fusSy negro.
One Of the ladies told the officers
Of a conversation that their father had
with Dillingham;, one of his hands. HI
had been after Dillingham; for being
trifling when the negro told him that
he was going to leave and go TO work
ut the saw mill. Mr.. Lyerly answered:
Yes, If you 20 there and work five
days right straight along | will set
you up This seemed to rile Deli
ingham. for he told some one that,
except for the reason that he lived
on the old mans place. he would have
given him 4 cursing.
Friday Mrs. Lyerly had trouble with
Dellingham's wife. who was taken to
task for leaving dirty water in II WASH
tub which had been loaned TO her. The
negress became mad and abusive.
Those who were looking for motives
thought that Jack Dellingham and his
wife shauld be arrested.
SHERIFF ON THE SCENE EARLY
Sheriff D. r. Julian and his deputies.
who were on the ground early in the
morning arrested the following named:
Nease Gillespie and son, John; Jack
and wife, and Geo. Erwin
and Henry Lee and carried them TO
Salisbury.
Dr.. Z. R. Dorsey with the following
named jurors held the cOroner's IN
quest yesterday: Messrs. B. A. kaoX.
W. F. Thompson. VI. F. PIyler. r. B.
Harris, eco. r. Anderson and Arthur
Thompson. The verdict was to
the effect that the Lyerlys were muir
1ered with axes in the hands of Nease
Gillespie. his son. John. Jack Delling-
ham and wife and George Erwin ard
Henry Lee.
Revenge seems 10 have been the
for the bloody murder. There
were more than $3.50 IN the house, and
not a cent of il was taken.
BARRIERS Junction, July 14-Henrv
Gillespie. a young son Of NeaSe Giles
pie, this evening made a confession To
the effect that his father and JOHN
Gillespie committed the crime and that
ne other negroes arrested We're lmpli-
Henry Gillespie was at the scene
Of the killing all day and on being
questioned this evening he became
and made Il confession II
E. 4. Barber. constable. and in
the presence OF W. 4. Thompson and
others. He was then taken into Gus
ody. He said the elder Gillespie ana
his son John killed Mr.LyeTly his wife
and the little boy. Johnnie. and fatally
the little girl. who died This
evening, and that the other negro-s
arrested were implicated in the COM
mission of the tragedy. He told a pIaiu
70 how they entered the house
1t an early hour in the evening. caray-
ng with them Two axes 20 do the
bloody work with. After committing
he deed they sat fire 20 the bed cloth
ne by pouring kerosene oil on the be3
rom a lamp. and leaving IN" Eou-
% De burned with the dead parents
and children. Their expectation was
the remaining three children wh0
we're asleep up stairs would De burned
Bur. as formerly stated, tnet
were awakened By surocatlon and de-
,ceuding the stains. e~xtinguished tn
danes with water which the hal 20