The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-07-22
Lynching in the County
Was Narrowly Missed

readily consented to talk, proclaim
Ing his absolute innocence through
out his conversation.
Yarbrough gave his age at As, say
ing that he was As years Of age about
month ago. He said that he was
born in Montgomery county, North
Carolina. He left home when he was
about % years of age. While at home
he had been engaged in farming and
mill work. After leaving home he
spent some years in North Carolina,
working in the mills in Charlotte and
Wilmington. From Wilmington he
came to Darlington, in this State, and
worked in Darlington year or more.
From Darlington he went to Charles
ton, where he was engaged at work
in the navy yard and other places for
about two years. From Charleston
he went to Clinton, where he worked
in the Clinton cotton mill for four
years. From Clinton he came to
Newberry and worked in the Mollo-
hon mill here three or four years,
leaving here in February of this year
to go to farming. He rented farm
from Mr.. Walter S. Spearman, in the
Spearman section of the county, near
Silver street. He was running one
horse farm, and said that he had
! about 81 acres in cotton and about
nine in corn.
Yarbrough said that he knew moth
ing of the charges against him until
he was arrested, and that the child
lived in about half mile of him, and
that she had always been friendly to
him, and that he had always liked
her, and had frequently played with
her, as would a man his age with a
girl of seven years, but as to any
criminal intent, he said that such a
thought had never entered his mind.
Yarbrough has now his third wife.
His first wife died soon after mar
riage, leaving no children. By his
second wife he has one child, boy,
about II years of age. By his third
wife, who is still diving, he has four
children, two boys and two girls, the
Oldest of whom is eight years Of age.
The five children have been living
with him and his wife.
Before leaving for Columbia yes
terday afternoon Yarbrough had Sher-
iff Buford to send a message to his
home telling his wife to come to Co.
lumbia to see him. He said that he
knew nothing Of the alleged letter
written by his wife to the mother of
the alleged victim, which it is said
brought on the trouble. He said,
however, that he had heard his wife
say that the girl had been using
bad language in company with her
children, and that she wanted this
stopped. He said that he could as
sign no reason for the charge except
prejudice
| At the time the representative CT
The Herald y q News talked to him
yarbrough tai not secured a lawyer.
He was cnti' ely willing to go to Co.
iumbia, saying he had no doubt that
as soon as the feeling subsided his
innocence would be realized.
The advices upon which Sheriff BIZ
ford acted in communicating with the
governors office and in taking the
prisoner to Columbia. included, as
stated above, not only the phone mes
sage from Magistrate Hendrix, acting
upon which the sheriff went to Spear
mans and arrested Yarbrough, but al
so a letter from the magistrate after
Yarbrough was lodge in jail, in which
the magistrate said that be thought
in view of the feeling Of the commu-
nifty, following the happenings o1
Wednesday night, he felt that it would
not be advisable to keep Yarbrough
in Newberry.
1t is not alleged that Yarbrough &C
comp1ished his purpose.
Under a recent act Of the legisla-
ture the crime charged is capital
offence in this STATE, unless the jury
should recommend to mercy, in case
of conviction.
The crime being charged to have
been committed on July 2, and moth
ing having been done in regard to
it until Wednesday night, has started
an inquiry as to the reason for the
delay. 1t is stated that it came to
! light through an Investigation result
! ing from Mrs. Yarbrough's letter tc