The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1910-08-17
MOB GATHERED TO HANG BRUTE
ARRESTED ON CHARGE OF MUIR
pER-HE WAS SPIRITED AWAY
TO THE MOUNTAINS AND A
LYNcHiNG AvERTEp BY THIS
ACTION.
BLOOD IS FOUND ON CLOTHES
QUICK WORK OF OFFICERS AND
CARE IN GUARDING PRISONER
ALL THAT KEPT SUMMERS
COUNTY FROM BEING SCENE
OF gLYNcHlNG.

HINTON. W. Va, Aug. 17.-After
an afternoon and night, of conflict be.
tween troops. officers and citizens on
one side and n determined mob on the
other, Thomas Wayne. negro, arrested
near Quinnimont. charged with the
murder OF Mrs. John Ailiss, was spirit.
ed away to the mountains in the Gus.
tody of Sheriff d. W. Wiseman and
two deputies.
The strategy of the officers, the
troops, and the better citizens, who
stood between the trembling negro
suspect and inglorious death, has
hardly parallel in its success. Last
night Hinton was in darkness, homes
were deserted, the city was overrun
with the bloodthirsty men clamoriag
for his life and many are yet unwlll.
Ing to believe that the object OF their
fury is beyond them.
After fruitless attempts to rush the
prisoner by the mob from the special
train on which he had been placed.
but which had been disabled, the mob
was given to understand that the ne.
gro was to be taken back to Jail, and
up the hill from the station the lead.
ers charged. Meantime the negro,
held tremblingly between the sheriff
and deputies was told to run for his
life towards the east. The mob ran
falling over each other to intercept
the sheriff. Tho troops also were GOV.
ering his retreat.
Wait in Vain.
In vain they waited but the last seen
OF the negro and his keepers was their
disappearing down the track, the re.
treat guarded by the Fayetteville Ma.
tional Guard. The sheriff and his
charge, with two deputies wel- seen
at the town of Avis. There they were
lost shight of and last night they were
camping in the hills ready when the
Charleston guardsmen arrived to be
escorted back to the railroad and to
safety.
From 2 o'clock in the afternoon
when Wayne was brought to the Sum.
mers county jail, Hinton was mob
ridden city.
Thomas Wayne was employed at the
power house OF coal works near Lau.
rel. Creek and was suspected of being
the negro who assaulted Mrs. John
Ailiss, after beating her husband into
insenslbillty. Ailiss had said when he
recovered sufficiently that he believed
the negro looked like n negro at the
power house whom he had asked to
take his wifo and himself to QUINN.
mont Sunday night on hand car. He
offered him dollar and the negro re.
fused. En- route on foot he was as,
saulted and left senseless. His wife
was ravished and murdered.
Negro Arrested.
With this incident as a clue Officer
c. D. Duke, Baldwin officer, and two
other officers yesterday arrested the
negro. There are rumors here that
they found bloody clothing and tina,
the negro declared the clothing be
longed to his brother. The negro was
placed aboard train and taken to
Hinton, where he was placed in jail
Last nights scenes when 1000 per
sons gathered at the false news OF ar
rest were multiplied. Hundreds gath
cred about the Jail and became 81
Threatening that Sheriff Wiseman and
his deputies became alarmed. The
executive offices at Charleston were
notified and meantime the Fayette
county company was ordered out
headed by Captain Samuel Walker
but before help came, even though
many citizens volunteered, the situa
ton became so aalrming that Sherlf
Wiseman feared he could no Longer
hold the fort. Some of the cooler
heads counselled for the time ant
made q, bargain with the mob for {
consideration of blood and life. II
was agreed that Wayne was to be tax
en- to the station from the Jail peace
ably.
Feeling Of Distrust.
That the mob leaders and the clti
zens and officers distrusted each othel
was evidenced by developments. The
car In which Wayne was placed wa!
attached to an engine and 1t was In
tended to make dash for Charles
ton or Fayetteville or other place o
safety. The mob fearing this hat
drained the boiler of the engine. Gu
of air brakes and generally disabled
the locomotives. Ailiss was brough
TO the Pullman where Wayne was {
prisoner. First two Hinton coloret
fellows were brought into the car ant
in each case Aldill was positive 1t wa
the wrong man.
When Wayne scared and trembling
! was ushered In, Aillss complained Of {
headache and said he could not stant
the strain longer. "My head. my head
he said and he would not look at tn,
negro.
II Is ibelIeYed that he knew II wa,