The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1913-08-15
NEGRO LYNCHED AT
LAURENS ON MONDAY
SHOT.RIDDLED BODY STRUNG TO
TRESTLE.
Victim of Mob Attacks Young Woman
at Lonely Spot as She was DrIV-
ing to LaurenS.

a speedy trial would be given, mob
Of 1000 men tonight at 1890 o'clock
lynched Richard Pickett, young
negro, charged with at >mpted Grim
inal assault.
After overpowering the sheriff and
his DEPUTIES the mob broke down two
doors, one to a steel cage, and secur-
ing the negro carried him to rail-
way trestIe near the passenger sta
ton. where he was strung up to a
beam. Several hundred shots we're
fred into his body. The mob then dis
persed. At midnight many were ar
riving in town from all sections OF
the Piedmont. Just before he was
killed the negro denied his guilt. Sher-
if John V. Owings said tonight that
the negro had confessed to him dur
ing the afternoon. The confession, it
is said was not made known to the
attacking crowd.
Attacks Young Woman.
At lonely spot on the road to
Laurens from Madden the negro this
morning at II o'clock attacked we'll
known young woman of the county.
He dragged her from the buggy as she
was driving to Laurens. The negro
was crouching under some bushes and
after she had passed he ran and or
dered her to halt. She called to her
brothers, who we're following in an
other buggy. The negro fled. She
drove on to Laurens and stopped at
the home of R. A. Cooper, solicitor OF
this acircuit. No general alarm was
given, but search was begun by the
officers. Solicitor Cooper aided in the
search. Going just beyond the place
of attack the officers found several
negroes at a house. Richard Puckett
walked away from the house and So
licitor Cooper directed that he be
held. When taken before the young
woman she could not positively iden-
tify him. The negro was carried to
Laurens and placed in jail under
heavy guard,
At 7 o'clock tonight bloodhounds
from the State penitentiary were
brought to Laurens and placed on
the trail The dogs trailed the negro
from the scene of the crime to the
house where he was found by the Of
hcers.
During the afternoon several hun
dred men from all sections of the
county arrived in Laurens. AS night
came on the crowd increased until it
was estimated that there were fully
1000 persons crowded into the public
square. Realizing that the crowd was
bent on violence several deputies were
sworn in by Sheriff Owings and
placed within the Jail
Advance on Jail.
At 9 o'clock about so men ad-
vanced on the jail Sheriff Owings re-
fused to give up the prisoner. The
crowd broke down a wooden door in
the rear and proceeded to the second
floor, where the negro was confined in
a steel cage. The door was soon bat
tered down. The sheriff and his dep
uties were overpowered
Taking the negro from the Jail the
mob proceeded to the union passenger
station. A rope was tied to one OF
the beams on the Charleston &
Western Carolina railway trestle to
the south, about II feet from the
ground, and the negro was hanged.
He denied several times that he was
guilty of the crime.
y Many Shots Are Fired.
When the engro had been strung up
several hundred shots were fire rom
the crowd of 1000. The mob then
dispersed and proceeded to their
homes. At midnight many from ad-
joining counties were arriving in the
city.
This is the first Iynching to occur in
Laurens county within the past 10
years and it is the first time that
negro was ever taken from the jail,
Just before the mob attacked the
Jail Solicitor Cooper made a speech
urging that the people let the law
take it's course. He promised to Sc
cure a speedy trial for the negro.
Several other we'll known citizens of
Laurens spoke to the crowd without
avail.
The boGy was left tonight swinging
to the beam of the trestle and the in
quest will very probably be held to-
morrow.