The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-11-25
Strange Happenings in
 Tennessee. SENTENCED TO DEATH
 BY JUSTICE OF PEACE Quickest Trial and Execution. of Sentence on Record. The Mob Acted ss HasEsmen sad Ex. esuted the order of the Court Without Deiay-Governsr Patterson Ordered Out
 MIIftia.

., Union City. Tenn. Nov. 24.--The life 1e town or Tiptonville. bordering on Heeifoot Lake. which has beenH fha scene of many stirring incidents the past month. witnessed the fynchIne azes this afternoon of three negroes Wno were arrested this morning for murdering special Deputy Sheriff Rich ard Burruss and fatally woundine Johu Hall. a deputy sheriff
 The negroes names are MarshaII stineSeck' stine' Edward stinebeck and Jim
 These brothers created a disturbance at religious meeting near Tiptonviile Saturday night and when the ofIieers attempted to arrest them. light en- sued in which the negroes came mi victorious and made their eseape. It was barely daylight Sunday morning before a. posse of citizens from Tip- tonviHe. and surrounding country were successfully eIuded the white men un- LII 3 o'clock this morning. when they were surrounded and captured in a little swamp near the village of Ridge- ly. The vicinity is known as the ofd river bed canebrake and 1t is a difI- cult matter to trace man or beast through It's tangles. once captured. however, the negroes. covered by hundred guns, were quickly landed in jail at Tiptonville. The negroes when arrested had two guns In their pos- session, but had run out of ammuni- ton. The nevs of their capture spread rapidly to the surrounding territory, and in addition to the posse several hundred men began arriving by every road and soon the jail was surround ed by mob which. had no hesitancy in threatening a lynchings quickly and surely. In fact, it was feared at. noon that the best townspeople could not prevent the iynching in broad day light.
 One of the first citizens to mount the steps of the jail aud make an ap- peal to the mob was J. T.. Burnett. well known lawyer He recalled the recent night rider oatrages which had disgraeed the vicinity. He admonIsh- ed his hearers not to do anything des- perate and to let the law take it's course, at the same time promising that full justice would be done the three black men. This met with a long growi of disapprcval. and Mir. Burnett, evidently seeing that his remarks were of no avail pleaded with the men that if they were determined to lynch the negroes, to at least walt until night had fallen.
 Taylor Hall. brother of the wound ed deputy sherin. followed Mir. Bur nett. He said in effect that post ponement of the iynching until night would De HaIlBLdCLOrY 10 nm. ho mob, however. was very restless, and 1t was soon seen that it would be im- possible to stem the tide of feeling.
 As a last resort s. J. Caldwell. townsman. and Sheriff Haynes. went before Justice Lee Davis and explain ed the situation and telling of the menacing attitude of the crowd which thronged the streets leading to the jail Justice Davis at once agreed to open his court at o'clock. summoned A jury of twelve men and allowed the negroes after all evidence that could be addueed was heard. to be duly sent enced to death.
 Meanwhile Governor Patterson was advised by telephone of the situation and ordered a company of militia In this city to proceed with all haste. to secure the negroes and conduct them to a place of safety. The troops were started at once, but failed to arrive Tn time to prevent the lynehing.
 At the trial only the evidence Of those who had seen the killing was heard and in an incredibly short time the case was given the jury, who In few minutes returned a verdict Of guilty and fixing the penalty at death.
 The sentence. had bsSely been pro nounced on the three negroes when the mob, with a whoop and yell. swarmed into the court room ana seizir E tne negroes rushed them to a large tree near the edge of town and hanged them firing voIley after volley into the air as the bodies were drawn up rom the earth.