The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-03-15
LYNCH THREE NEGROES
FOR USING THE TORCH
BAMBERG MEN WREAk VEN.
GEANCE ON PRISONERS.
On Way From 0lar, Scene OF Attempt.
ed lncpndiariSm, Trio OF Confess
ed FirebugS Meet Death.

Olar, March 13.-Three negroes in
charge of two constables on their
way from Car to Bamberg to be lodg-
ed in the county jail were taken from
the officers by a mob at Odom's bridge,
seven miles from this place, and shot
to pieces this afternoon. The mob Of
IS to 100 men surprised the two con-
stables and quickly securing the three
negroes finished their work in short
order. The negroes are: Alfred Dub
lin, 25 years of age; Richard Dublin,
80 years of age, and Peter Rivers, 40
years of age.
All three of the negroes had con-
fessed to attempting to burn the
house of J. E. Cook, mayor Of Olar,
early yesterday morning. On Feb
ruary q a destructive fire occurred in
the business part of the town, result
ing in much loss.
Found the Fire.
A fortunate circumstance prevented
Mr.. Cooks house from sacrifice to the
flames. By the merest chance he
came from his house to the porch yes
terday morning about $50 o'clock, He
was surprised at a glow coming ap-
parentIy from the beneath the floor
and on investigation found a pile of
t'fat" splinters burning and an empty
bottle that had contained the oil used
to start the fire. With several buckets
of water he was able to extinguish the
blaze before serious damage had oc-
Cured.
A rigid investigation followed the
attempt to burn the mayors house.
In view of the fact that indications at
the February fire pointed to incendiary
origin, the search was even more de-
termined than might otherwise have
been the case. BIoodhounds we're used
in the pursuit, but to little avail, One
negro was arrested last night, how
ever, and the other two today. With
out being allowed to see or communi-
cate with one another they were close
ly questioned and finally confessed,
the three telling the same story.
All Bad Negroes.
All three are know locally as bad"
negroes. All had had trouble with Mr..
Cook. Peter Rivers had been convict
ed of,illegally selling whiskey and Mr..
Cook, as mayor, had fined him s100.
The two Dublin negroes had been
discharged from the employ of Mr..
Cook.
The negroes were held in the guard
house at Olar until the confessions
were obtained and then it was decided
to send them to the county jail at
: Bamberg. Two constables started this
afternoon about o'clock on the 12-
mile journey with their prisoners.
Olar was in a state of comparative
quiet prior to the departure Of the Of
fcars with their prisoners and no
violence was anticipated although the
necessity for speedy trial had been
appreciated by number of citizens
and such request had been commun-
icated to the solicitor.
Just what happened when seven
miles of the trip had been safely trav-
eled is more or less conjecture. 1t is
only positively known that at Odom's
bridge a determined crowd, number
Ing from IS to 100 men, dispatched
the thre2 "fre-bugs," using bullets as
the means of execution.
An inquest will be held over the
bodies of the three negroes at Olar .
tomorrow morning at 10 O'Clock.
Sheriff Got News.
Sheriff Hunter, of Bamberg county,
said over the long distance telephone
from his home at Bamberg last night
that he was advised of the arrest OF
the three negroes and was about to
start for Olar when he was advised
that the negroes were already on the
way to Bamberg. He then abandoned
the journey and shortly afterwards
was notified of the lynching by Magis-
trate o. J. C. Lane. A deputy sheriff
had gone to Olar, but did not travel
the road used by the Olar officers and