The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-08-08
The State.

Inc SCaGe.
Charlotte, n. G., Aug. Ga mob OF
3, 900 determined men, shortly before
ii O'Clock tonight forcibly enteren Ro-
wan county jail at Salisbury, removed
therefrom three of the five negroes
charged with the murder of the Lyer-
ly family at Barber Junction, July IL,
and lynched them. Nease and John
Gillespie and Jack Dillingham;, sup
posed to be principals in the crime,
were the victims of mob vengeance.
The remaining negroes, Henry Lee,
George Erwin and Bella Dilllngham,
were not molested and later tonight Of
fcers hurried them off to Greensboro.
The mob began gathering at SUM-
down. Mayor Boyden promptly or
dered the saloons closed and with 9TH
er prominent citizens, United States
Senator Overman and Judge Long,
who 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 catcalls from the mob, but
for q time there was no move-the mob
lacked leader. While citizens We're
appealipg to the mob, two men slipped
through the crowd and were entering
the Jail with hammers. They were
discovered and arrested. The mob COD
tinued its yelling, but there was still
no concerted move. About y O'CLOCK
Mayor Boyden called upon the local
military company, the Rowan Rifles,
for aid. They assembled quickly but
were supplied only with blank car.
tridges, having no orders to shoot to
kill. Fireman McLendon of Char
lotte, q Southern railway employe, was
shot in the stomach by bullet said to
have been fired by member of the
mob. He was fatally wounded. Will
Troutman, a negro drayman, was also
seriously shot at about the same time.
Both wounds are said to have been ac-
cidently, occasioned by some Of the
few wild shots fired by members of the
mob with the evident intention of
frightening citizens.
At 10 O'Clock there was stir in the
mob-it was augmented by fully 5OO
men, who came, it is said, from Whit
ney, where the Whitney Reduction
company is developing the Yadkin
water power.
1t was but few minutes after their
arrival when q crowd of so, forming
sort of flying wedge, made break for
the Jail doors, overpowered the officers
and effected an entrance. The great
crowd outside surged in behind the
leaders and in few moments more
emerged from the door with their vic
Tins. The negroes were quietly
marched northward towards Spencer,
but halt was made at Henderson's
ball grounds on the edge of town,
There the negroes were given time to
confess the crime. They refused
either to deny or to confess and were
80 thoroughly frightened as almost to
have lost the power of speech. job
Gillespie wept piteously and begged
for his life. Tiring of his efforts to Sc
cure statements from the negroes, at
midnight the ropes were brought for
ward and adjusted and the three were
strung up to the limbs of one tree and
with howls and curses the crowd rid
died the dangling bodies with bull
lets.
By 1890 o'clock it was all over and
q half hour later nothing remained of
the immense throng that had packed
the streets but few groups of citizens
discussing the lynching.
George Erwin was taken from the
iail with his associates aud closely
questioned. Then the mob led him
back to his cell.
Nease Gillespie maintained his in
nocence to the end, The other two
would neither confess nor deny the
crime. Ed Barber, relative of the
murdered man, followed the mob with
the prisoners to the scene of the lynch
ing and pleaded with them to return
the negroes to the Jail and let the law
take its course, but the mob was blood
thirsty and needed it not. Fireman
McLendon, wounded by stray bull
lat from the mob Twill die. His home
is in Charlotte. He was simply an in
terested spectator of the scene.
ASSURANCES OF THE JUDGE.
Charlotte. N. c., Aug. 6-Nease and
John Gillepsie, Jack Dillingham;,
Henry Lee, George Erwin and Bella
Dillingham;, the negroes charged with
the murder of the four members of
the Lyerly family at Barber Junction
on the night of July 18th, were put on
trial for their lives in Rowan superior
court at Salisbury today. Judge
Long, presiding at this special term,
devoted most of his charge to the sub
ject of lynching, declaring that the
drisioners would be protected at all
hazards and that any interference with
such intent would be summarily pun
ished. Ex-Congressman Theo F.
Kluttz, and w. G. Lynn of Salisbury
are Assisting Sol. w. G. Hammer in
the prosecution and the court appoint
ed J. F. Newell and J. H. Williams
of Charlotte and Concord to defend the
negroes. The negroes were taken to
Salisbury from Charlotte last night
without military guard, the authori-
ties seeming to fear little that any
violence will be done them. Salisbury
is crowded with visitors and hundre de
could not gain admittance to the
court house.