The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-12-02
LYNCHING IN TENNESSEE.
Another Outbreak OF Lawlessness I'm
RcelfOOt Lake Section.


Reelfoot lake, which has been the
scene of many stirring incidents the
past month, witnessed the lynching
late this afternoon of three negroes
who were arrested this morning for
numbering Special Deputy Sheriff
Richard Jurruss and fatally wOunding
John Hail. a deputy sheriff.
The negroes names are: Marshall |
Stinebeck, Edward Stinebeck, Jim |
Stinebeck.
These brothers created distur- |
bance at & religious meeting near Tip
tOnville Saturday night and when the
officers attempted to arrest them a
fight ensued in which the negroes
came out victorious and made their
escape.
1t was barely daylight Sunday
morning before posse Of citizens
from Tiptonville and the surrounding
country were In pursuit Of the negroes
but they successfully fought the white
men until 8 o'clock this morning when
they were surrounded and captured
in a little swamp near the village of
Ridgely. The vicinity is known as the
Old River Bed canebrake. Once cap.
, tured, however, the negroes, covered
by a hundred guns, were quickly land.
l. ed In jail at Tiptonville. The negroes
|, when arrested had two guns in their
Z possession, but had run out Of ammu-
: milton.
n The news of their capture spread
1 rapidly to the surrounding territory
= and In addition to the members of the
Il posse people began arriving by every
d road and soon the Jail was surrounded
q by q mob which had no hesitancy II
e threatening lynching quickly ant
l. surely. In fact, 1t was feared at moor
n that the best township people coult
% not prevent the lynchihg from takinl
10 place in broad daylight
One OF the first citizens to noun
ID the steps Of the Jail and make an ap
ss peal to the mob was j. T.. Burnett
r. we'll known lawyer. He recalled tn
at recent night-rider outrages which ha
o. d!sgraced the vicinity He admonishe
he his hearers not to do anything des
perate, and to let the law take II
N, that full justice would be done tn
of three black men. This met With
e long growl of disapproval and M
,e, Burnett, evidently seeing that his r.
marks were of no avail, pleaded wit
the men that II they were determine
N. to lynch the negroes to at least wa
until night had fallen.
I'm Taylor Hall, a brother Of the woun
Ill ed deputy sheriff, followed Mr.. Blu
nett. He said In effect that a pos
ponement Of the lynching until mig
IN would be satisfactory to him. I
re- mob, however, was very restless a
ay. / It was soon seen that 1t would be II
m possible to stem the tide Of feeling.
ion AS last resort, S. j. Caldwell,
the townsman and Sheriff Haynes we
and before Justice Lee Davis and expla
ned ed the situation, telling Of the men'
nc ing attitude OF the crowd VIII
ten thronged the streets leading to
Dos Jail. Justice Davis at once agreed
open his court and at o'clock su
on moned a jury Of IL men and ALLOW
,een the negroes, after all evidence t
wise could be adduced was heard, to
ould duly sentenced to death.
and Meanwhile Gov. Patterson was
ma vised by telephone Of the situation
ouse ordered a company Of militia in
here city to proceed with all haste to
vote cure the negroes and conduct then
pol place Of safety. The troops
this started at once, but failed to arriv
onal time to prevent the lynching.
The AT the trial only the evidence
Y. at those who had seen the killing
Itself heard, and in an incredibly short
ange the case was given the jury, wht
CO." few minutes returned verdic
guilty and fixed the penalty at de
The sentence had barely been +
ed On the three negroes when the I
Free with a whoop and yell, swarmed
the court room and seizing the
groes rushed them to large
has near the edge OF town and ha
plicn- them, firing vOlley after volley
,reme the air as the bodies were draw
n was from the earth.
Jones.