Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-08-07
MOB AvENCES DEATH
OF LYERLY FAMILY
- r.ra
5000 Determined Men,, Despite
militia On Guard, Break Into
Jail and Lynch Negroes.
THREE OF THEM ARE HANGED
Soldiers Go Out to ou.Ii Uprising
with Blank cartridses-Nesro and
White Man, Spectators Are Shot
Brother Of Murdered Farmer Pleads
In Vain For States Honor.
(By Associated Press.)

CHARLOTTE, N. c., Aug. ga
mob of 5000 determined men. short.
ly before IL o'clock tonight forcibly
entered Rowan county Jail at Sails.
bury, removed therefrom three of the
six negroes charged with the murder
of the Lyerly family at Barber juno,
ton, July 10, and Iynched Nease anu
John Gillespie and Jack Dillingham;
supposed to be the principals In that
crime. we're the victims of mob VIC.
lence.
The remaining negroes, Henry Lee.
George Erwin and Belle Dillingham;,
were not molested and later tonight
officers hurried them off to Greens.
boro. The mob began gathering at
sun down.
Saloons Ordered Closed.
Mayor Boyden promptly ordered
the saloons closed and with other
prominent citizens, United States
Senator, Oyermen, Judge Gary, who
was holding the special term OF
3, court, to try the negroes. and Soil.
citor' Hammer gathered on the Jail
steps and addressed the crowd. which
at that time numbered 1000. There
were howls and cat calls from the
mob but for time there was no
move-the mob lacked a leader.
While citizens were appealing to
the mob two men slipped through
the crowd and were entering tho
jail with hammers. They were dis
covered and arrested. The mob coli
timed yelling but there was still no
concerted move.
Militia Called Out.
About 8 O'clock Mayor Boyd called
upon the local military company and
the Rowan officials for aid. They
assembled quickly but were supplied
only with blank cartridges, having
no orders to shoot to kill.
Fireman McLendon. of Charlotte, .
Southern railway employee was fa.
tally shot In the stomach by bullet
said to have been fired by member
of the mob. Will Troutman. ne.
gro drayman was also shot.
Both are said to have been woun
ded accidentally by shots fired By
members of the mob. with the eyi
dent intention Of frightening citi
,zens.
Mob Gets Recruits.
AT o'clock there was a stir il,
the mob-it was augmented by fully
300 men who came, II Is said from
Whitney, where the Whitney Reduc
ton Company is developing the Yad
Kin water power. 1t was but soor
afterward crowd of fifty, forming
a. sort Of flying wedge, made a
break for the Jail doors, overpower
ed the officers and effected an EN-.
trance. The great crowd outside
surged In behind the leaders and In
few moments more the leaders
emerged from the door with their
Al
Negroes Refused to Confess.
The negroes were quietly marched
northward towards Spencer, but a
halt was made at Henderson's ball
grounds. at the edge OF the town.
There the negroes were given time to
confess the crime. They refused to
either deny or confess and were so
thoroughly frightened as almost to
have lost the power of speech.
John Gillespie begged for his life.
iTireing OF It's efforts to secure
statements from the negroes the
ropes were brought forward and adj.
tusted 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.
Work Quickly Done.
aBy 1890 o'clock It was all over
and half hour later nothing re.
.tt 4 49, ''% ssat.