Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1910-01-06
JUDGE LYNCH
TRIED THIS CASE
sRTagsd Citizens Of Buchanan County Swing
Henry Pennington TO Steam Pipe and
Riddle His Body With BuIIets--
Had Killed Samuel Baksr.

The little town of Hurley, in Buchan-
an county, leaped into the limelight
again on Christmas Eve with tragedy
almost the equal of that enacted there
one night last September, when an en-
tire family of six was wiped out and
their bodies cremsted in their BURNED
homo by the murderer On this occa-
sion one man was killed outright, anoth-
er lynched while three others were
more or less seriously wounded.
From what we can learn concerning
the affair it seems that a dance was
going on in the Hurley neighborhood,
and great many Of the people of that
community bad gathered there to par
ticipate in the affair. Henry Penning-
ton was there, and is said to have be-
come very boisterous from the too free
use of mountain dew," and was doing
all he could to bring on quarrel with
some one. Sam Baker, who was not on
very friendly terms with Pennington
anyway, attempted to place the latter
under arrest, when he whipped out
pistol and shot Baker dead. Penning-
ton continued to fire, and when quiet
lad been restored and the smoke had
lifted it was found that Riley Lester,
Wyatt Meadows, Mrs. Samuel Baker
and Pennington himself had all been
wounded. Pennington then made his
escape, but on the following day was
surrounded by officers, and after bat
tie, in which he was severely wounded,
vas taken prisoner, and was placed in
oae Of the houses belonging to the Rit-
ter Lumber Company under a strong
guard to remain until his condition
would permit his removal to the Jail at
Grundy. About midnight on Saturday,
the 25th, mob of about 100 men over
powered the guards, took Pennington
out to the steam-pipe running between
tee engine room and machine shops of
the Ritter Company, where his swing
ing body was riddled with bullets.
Baker. who was killed by Pennington.
was a son-in-law of Mrs. Betsy Justis,
who WIS killed and burned in her home
a. Hurley along with George Meadows
end family last September, and had long
been counted bad man. He came to
buchanan county from Minnesota sew
G al years ago, and was at the head of
TIE mob that went from Hurley to Leb-
slon during the fall for the purpose of
l. lching Howard Little. He was made
G special guard during the trial, aud
was one of those appointed to take Lit
tie to Roanoke after his conviction.
Mrs. Baker, who was shot in the
neck, is daring little woman, bold and
dauntless, and has often been seen with
pistol standing by her reckless hus-
band when he was engaged in one Of
his many skirmishes.
Wyatt Meadows is brother of Geo.
Meadows, who with his family and
mother-in-law, Mrs. Betsy Justis, was
murdered in his home at Hurley last
September, supposedly by Howard Lit
tie.
Riley Lester is a constable, and fig
ured prominently in the Little trial.
Pennington is said to have been a
close friend of Howard Little, and it is
thought the talk of a new trial for Lit
tie in Roanoke-had much to do with his
seeking quarrel with Baker, as well
rs for the sentiment which provoked
the lynching that followed. However
this may be, we learn that the sequel to
the tragedy lies in the fact that bad
feeling had existed between Baker aud
Pennington for quite while on account
Of a little .'moonshine" affair, and it is
more than probable that this was the
direct cause OF the trouble.