The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1908-02-16
NEGRO TAKEN
FROM SOLDIERS
AND LYNfHED BY ANGRY
MOB.
BODY R!lnLED WITH BULLETS
e Fgots Accused Of Assault ng
Miss Williams at Ruth Neighbor
hood. Near Brookhaven, Meets
Just Deserts. -

Broolchaven, Miss. Feb. Io.-Eh
Pigot, a negro who assaulted Ms
Williams, was taken from the Cap
toll Light Guards, Jackson milatar
Company, riddIed with bullets, anc
strung to a convenient telegraph polk
by mob OF 1000 persons, at z:3c
o'clock this morning.
The soldiers at first repulsed chs
mob, but a second and better organ
lied attack was made and the milit,
was routed, LEAVING he prisoner with
their assaiants.
The negro had confessed his guilt
and had said ali along that he ex-
pected To forfeit his life for his pas
sion. judge Wilkinson, who was
have tired the negro, Witnessed tbs
Ivrc4sing. but was powerless. Johr
iCc,e received a bullet in the jaw and
an unknown farmer was shot in the
head.
Many believe there would have
been no lynch5ng had it not been foI
a soldier striking down the father OF
the assaulted girl The father was a
The depot to see the negro brought
in, and when the train pulled in
crowded close 70 get look One oi
the soldiers, probably not knowing
VINO he was, struck him down. Tbs
enraged the crowd and the soldier:
were set upon.
Fer several days there had beer
veiied threats and officers asked Gov
Noel to send a battalion of solder:
here to project the negro when thu
trial came off Pigot had been kept
AZ Jackson for safe keepink. judge
Wilkinson reached here last night
and notified Gov. Noel by telephone
that one company would be enough
Accordingly Sheriff Greer, under
the protection of the Capitol Lign'
GharEs. brought rhe NEGRO krornE.
Jackson this morning
When the girls father was struck
down the crowd surged around, arc
a fierce hand to hand fight ensued
The fight lasted FIVE minutes, many
say, but the soldiers managed to re
tain possession OF their prisoner, and
resumed their journey TO the cour
house. When within 100 yards of the
court house, the mob, which had BY
this time been whipped into asemb-
ance of an organhza con, made an
other attack. The soldiers failing IL
use theirguns soon lost their prisoner
and Pigot was soon dead rbddled wit
bullets, The body was dragged fifty
yards and swung from elephone
pole, beng cut down a half hour
later.
People began to gather here at
daybreak, farmers coming to town o
horseback, on foot and in wagons
Most every ablebodied' citizen of the
Ruth neighborhood where the assault
occurred nearly month ago, was ir
own. No attempt Of any kind was
rnembers of the mob was masked and
some cd the foremost citizens of the
county were in the gathering Few
of the townspeople took any part
AT che courthouse all was in readi
ness for the trial.
a SPECIAL vendre had been sum
raoned from which Judge Wflkinso
intended to irnpanel grand Jury anc
select a peit Jury to put the tr a
through with as much speed as pos
ssbie. and had it not been for ths
iynching, Pigot would have been sen
fenced.
According TO current rumor severa
members of the venire took part i,
the iynching. Pigot had made a con
fession of the crime and had saie
he was ready to be hanged. but beg
ged pateously when his time came
Capt A L. Farley, Rommandec
the Jackson company, which had
about thirty men in the ranks. HI
has filed a report with Gov Noel ant