The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-08-07
5000 MEN COULD NOT Be
CONTROLLED BY SHERIFF
Local Militia Is Called out and Or
dered TO Use Blank Cartridges.
One By-Stander Fatally
Injured.

Charlotte, N. c., August "a mob of
5000 determined men, shortly before II
o'clock tonight, forcibly entered Rowan
county jail at Salisbury removed there
from three of the five negroes charged
with the murder of the Lyerly family at
Barber Junction. July 1s, and lynched
them
Nease and John Gillespie and Jack Dill
iingham, supposed to be the principals to
the crime, were the victims of mob ven-
geance. The remaining negroes, Henry
Lee, George Erwin and Bell A. Dilling
ham. were not molested and later tonight
officers hurried them out of the city to
Greensboro.
The mob began gathering at sundown.
Mayor Boyden promptly ordered the
looms closed, and with other prominent
citizens. United States Senator Overman,
Judge Long, who was holding the special
term of court to try the negroes, and So
lcitor Hammer, gathered on the jail steps
and addressed the crowd, which at that
time numbered 1000.
Mob Lacked Leader.
There were howls and catcalls from the
mob but for time there was no move-
ment, the mob lacking a leader. While
!. litizsas were appealing TO the mob. two
fmen 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 concerted move.
n -
upon the local militia company, the Ro-
wan Rifles, for aid. They assembled
quickly. but we're supplied only with
blank cartridges, having no orders to
shoot to kill.
Fireman McLendon Of Charlotte, a
Southern railway employe, was sh9t In
the stomoch by a 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 are said to have
been accidental. occasioned by some of
the few wild shots fired by members of
OF the mob, with the evident intention of
frightening citizens.
Formed Flying Wedge.
At 10 o'clock there was a stir in the
mob 1t was augmented by fully 500 men
who came, 1t is said. from Whitney where
the Whitney Reduction company Is de-
veloping the Yadkin water power. 1t was
but a few minutes after their arrival
when a crowd of fifty forming a sort
OF flying wedge, made a break for the
jail doors. overpowered the officers and
effected an entrance.
The great crowd outside surged in be-
hind the leaders, and in a few moments
more emerged from the door with their
vic ms.
The negroes were quietly marched
northward to Henderson ball grounds in
the edge of town. The negroes refused to
either deny or confess, and were so thor
oughly frightened as almost to have lost
the power of speech.
Hanged to Same Tree.
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 deny the crime.
Firemen McLendon, wounded by stray
bullet from the mob, will die His home
is in Charlotte. He was simply an in
terested spectator Of the scene.
Killed Whole Family
The crime with which the negroes were
charged and for which they were placed
on trial at a special term of Rowan
county court was the murder on the night
of July 13 at Barber Junction of Isaac
Lyerly, his wife, and two children. Feel
ing ran high at the time, and an effort
was made to lynch the negroes. They
were hurried away and brought to Char
lotte where they remained until Sun
day night when they were taken to Sails
bury for trial