Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, April 13, 1887, Image 2

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He $}arlwiUe #mj?ieet. j.^ v't: ^Sr";, ^^HHWp^^y ??5*^B^E8HR: ^HUHSB^J Y' ^^^HRg^yv * r "jfefcEWflB^RRBBMPil^sg" w"' -_ m/ > y'*^>nS^9HN i ? . AMK'.;^,> WEDNESDAY, APRIL IB, 1887. ;==^= PROLIFIC SOW. Mr. S. A. McElwee has a Jersey sow which on Sunday morning gave birth to a litter of I9 Pi&s. * NATIONAL REFORM. By appointment, Rev. Wm. Weir will deliver an address in the Presbyterian church at 8 o'clock this evening on the subject of National Reform, the principal topics embraced in which are set forth in a communication of Rev. J. C. Galloway, pubished in this paper. " PERSONAL MENTION. Miss Bessie Gist, of this place, is visiting In Charleston. Miss Carrie Erwin, of Guthriesville is visit' ing friends in Yorkville. JDr. R. Andral Bratton left here on last Mon as a delegate to the South Carolina Medical Association which convenes in Aiken today. TEACHERS' CERTIFICATES. In the recent examination of teachers of freo^ public schools there were45applicants forcer-* tificates?white males, 13; white females, 18 * colored males, 10; colored females, 4. To these certificates^were granted to thirty applicants as follows : F4rat grade, white males, 2; white females, 6; colored males, 1. Second grade, white males, 4; white females, 3; colored males, 1. Third grade, white males, 4; white females, 5; colored males, 2; colored females, 2. THE CHURCHES' LAST SUNDAY. - Appropriate to the occasion of Easter, the Methodist church was beautifully and tastefully decorated with flowers and evergreens -last Sunday. In the vestibule was a large rustic cross bearing the legend, "I am the way," and over the pulpit was a large floral cross Burmounted by a crown and the words "I am He that liveth." The altar and pulpit were handsomely decorated. The pastor delivered an instructive discourse from Revelations, 1:18. At the evening service Rev. Samuel Leard, of Chester, preached an able sermon from St. John, 19: 38, the theme being secret dlscipleship. There were no services in the Episcopal and Associate Reformed churches. At the other churches the services were unmarked by any observance of Easter. RELEASED FROM JAIL. Tha following Dersons. confined in jail since the Good murder, as accessories thereto, have been released by order of the Court, on motion of the Solicitor, on their own recognizances, pendng any future action of the grand jury : John Good, Leyl Wood, Dlclt Thomson, Wm, Craig, Scott Thomson, Wadis Bankhead, Dave Wilkes, Mose Roberts, Wm. McCluney, Wallace Reid, Sam Thomson, Owens Moore, Allen Good, Squire Thomson, Jack McCluney, Sam Good, David Craige. Adam Thomson was released as a State witness. Immediately after the discharge of Allen Good and Jack McCluney, they were arrested by Deputy U. S. Marshal Neely for the unlawful selling of spirituous liquors, and failing to make bond, they were returned to jail to await trial. . 4J1* CHURCH NOTICES. King's Mountain Mission, Rev. L. A. Johnson, Pastor. Services at King's Mountain Chapel next Sunday at 11 A. M. Baptist.?Rev. F. C. Hickson, Pastor?Services at Union next Sunday at 11 A. M., and at Yorkville at 8 P. M. Sunday-school at 3.30 P. M. No prayer-meeting this evening. Episcopal?Rev. E. N. Joyner, Rector?Services on Friday evening at 8 o'clock, and on Sunday morning, with the holy communion, at 10.30 o'clock. Evening service at 5 o'clock. Sunday-school at 3.30 P. M. Methodist Episcopal.?Rev. W. W. Daniel, Pastor.. Prayer-meeting next Sunday morning at 10.15 o'clock. Preaching at 11 A. M. and 8 P. M. Sunday-school in the afternoon at 3.30 b'clock. No prayer-meeting this evening. Presbyterian?Rev. T. R. English, Pastor. Services next Sunday at 11 A. M. and 8 P. M. Sunday-school at 4 o'clock P. M. At the regular monthly concert of prayer, to-morrow .evening at 8 o'clock, an address wil be delivered by Rev. F. C. Hickson. Associate Reformed Presbyterian?Rev. J. C. Galloway, Pastor. The sacrament of the Lord's supper will be administered next Sunday morning. Services in connection will be held Friday evening at 8, Saturday morning at 11, Saturday evening at 8, Sunday morning at 11, and Sunday evening at 8. The Pastor will beassisted by Rev. J. S. Moffatt. Sundayschool at 4 o'clock P. M. RAILROAD NOTES. There have been quite a number of men in town during the past few days connected with the construction department of the Charleston, Cincinnati and Chicago Railroad, and the indications are that work will be commenced in the vicinity of Yorkville at an early day. Mr. Peter Griffin, an experienced contractor, has the contract for grading the first five miles west of town. He is now here and will soon be ready to commence operations. A portion of Mr. Ross' contract, five miles east of town, was staked off on Monday, preparatory for him to begin work. , Mr. F. G. Powers, who has been appointed resident engineer for the residency of three miles pastand twelve miles west of town, arrived last Monday and will at once take charge of his part of the work. The Shelby New Era of last week has the following in reference to the completed portion of the work: The track of the C. C. it C. R. R. Iihs been completed to the Rutherfordton depot, together with the side tracks at that point, and the surfacing of the line is now nearly completed. Trains will run over the road as soon us the new locomotives and cars arrive. These have been shipped, but the trucks had to be somewhat changed at Jersey City to permit them to run over the Pennsylvania Railroad and this has occasioned some delay. The freight equipment continues to arrive daily. Mr. John M. McCarthy, of Hartford, Conn., who has been an old and experienced cond uclor, under Major Jones, on the Hartford and Oonnerftieut R. R., has arrived in Shelby. He will bo the first Conductor on the C. C. & C. R. R. The engines and cars above referred to were delivered at Black's last Monday. Johnson City, Tenn., voted last Saturday 445 to none against, in favor of a city subscription nf nm in airl of thft entemrise. and the Qcymet proclaims the result in a flaming extra. THE GRAND JURY'S REPORT. On Thursday last the grand jury made the following presentment and were discharged for the term: To His Honor B. C. Pressley, Presiding Judge : In the regular discharge of the duties devolving on the grand jury, we have appointed committees to examine the various public offices and to inspect the bonds of the various officers. As these committees have not yet reported, we defer our report on the same until a later time. We have examined ^the poor house and found it in good condition. The paupers are well provided for and humanely treated.' We find that the superintendent has on hand from last year's crop about 300 bushels of corn and 3,000 bundles of fodder. While inquiring into the condition of the paupers, we learned that in December last, one George Johnson, a colored laborer employed on the farm, made an assault with intent to kill on the person of Wesley White, pauper. A warrant was issued for Johnson by Trial Justice Barron. Johnson, however, was never arrested, and in some manner the case has been hushed up without bringing Johnson to trial. Wo recomKh;.w?uo;/1 XT10I1CI mat* mo ouiiuiiiur unvo sicps iv uuu^ o^u Johnson to justice. In accordance with the instructions of your Honor, the grand jury has fully investigated the lynching of certain prisoners who were confined in the jail, and beg leave to make the following report: On the morning of April 5th, abont 4} o'clock, the jail was surrounded by a body of armed men. The Sheriff was aroused by these men calling for the key^, of the jail, which demand ha,positlvely refuted to comply with, when the men proceeded to batter down the doors, four in number, leading to the cells in which the prisoners sought were confined. L I The Sheriff seeing that the force was too great | for him successfully to resist, attempted to arouse the town by firing his gun. Failing, he started up street to obtain assistance. When he had proceeded a short distance he discovered that the party was leaving the jail. On examing the jail he found that the following prisoners had been taken therefrom, viz.: Giles Good, charged with conspiracy; and Mose Lipscomb, Dan Roberts, Bailey Dowdle and Prindley Thomson, charged with murder. The Sheriff attempted to follow the lynchers, but was stopped by a guard. Coming back, he procured a physician, and going out on the Adair's Ferry road, about one mile from the Court House, he discovered the bodies of the five men taken from the jail suspended from the limbs of two trees. He cut them down and made every effort to resuscitate them, but life was extinct. We feel convinced that the Sheriff did his whole duty in the matter, and that no blame can attach to him. The grand jury deplore the occurrence, especially as Court was in session and the prisonwauM hovfl hfifln sDeedilv brought to jus tice in a legal manner. We take this opportunity to express our condemnation of the growing practice of lynching. In conclusion, we would state that we ordered the County Commissioners to put the jail in a proper state of repair, which, upon examination, we fiud has been done. Respectfully submitted. D. Hutchison, Foreman. THE STORY OP THE LYNCHING. The lynching of five men, in all the peculiar circumstances attending the atfair, in the suburbs of Yorkville on Tuesday morning of last week, is an episode seldom occurring in the history of any community, and isan event well calculated to attract the attention of the whole country. It is lor this reason that we have endeavored to procure all the facts attainable, and place before our readers a plain, unvarnished story of the last chapter in this eventful tragedy. It is safe to say, we think, from the most diligent inquiry, that the excitement and desire for vengeance first caused by the murder of Johnnie Lee GoQd had auout suosiueu, penuing the incarceration of the prisoners in the Columbia jail, and that it was only the insanity of the father of the murdered boy, which was fully developed and unmistakable in its character about the 1st of the month, that again awakened a desire for summary punishment. We have beard that on Sunday, the 3rd of the month, the malady of the elder Good having become generally known in his neighborhood, mutterings were heard, but it seems that the sentiment did not cyrstalize before Monday, when friends and neighbors of the unfortunate man sadly witnessed his departure from Yorkvllle?a raving maniac?for the Insane Asylum at Columbia. It was not until thon, and late on that day, that the decree was written, by whom we know not, and preparations hastily made for the consummation of the final act. Thkorganization, though hurried for immediate and desperate action, was quietly made, and this time lacking the outward display of direful threats. It can now be seen and remembered that Monday was an unusually quiet day for sales-day and the first day of the Sessions Court, and so quietly were the plans formed, that there was no suspicion, outside the chosen ranks, that ere the next rising of the sun five men would be ruthlessly launched into eternity at the hands of infuriated citizens. The company consisted of not less than 75, and one estimate deemed reliable places it at fully 100 chosen men, not confined, as might be supposed, to the western side of the county. While, as we have said, the organization was quietly effected, precautions were taken also to keep an eye on movements at the jail, and videttes were posted charged with theduty of informing the approaching column of any preparations for securing the prisoners from the wrath to come. The place of rendezvous was a point about four miles from town on the Howell's Ferry w.n/4 uOar tha man hftfl oomfi together. a leader was selected and it was understood by all that his orders were to be implicitly obeyed. Men were also assigned to certain duties, each man being apprised in advance of what he was expected to do, and the order of its performance designated. It was tacitly understood that the mode of punishment was to be hanging, though an erroneous belief prevails that it was at first contemplated to put the prisoners to death by shooting. This idea originated from the fact that many were armed with guns, and all presumably with pistols, and the further fact that on perfecting the plans it was found that this vast crowd had assembled for the purpose of hanging five men, and yet not one of them had thought to provide himself with the simple requisite for this interesting ceremony?a rope! Ropes were soon procured, however, by stealth; they were not stolen, nor did fl:.y one become particeps criminis by furnishing them, albeit a man in the vicinity of the rendezvous missed all his plow lines next morning, though their value in cash was deposited near the pegs from which they were taken. Ropes procured, the word was given to march, and the column moved in the direction of the jail, riding quietly and orderly, there being no intoxicating liquor in the crowd, and all under the discipline of a chosen leader. . On the nearer approach to town, a bright light was observed, and sighted to be at the jail, when it was at once supposed that the intention had been discovered, and that Sheriff Glenn was making a grand effort to thwart this second attempt to take the prisoners from his custody. More slowly the column moved, expecting to meet a vidette with word that the posse comitatus had been ordered out; but as no word of warning was received, they continued until nouring town, when it was discovered that the light was from the burning of brush or something of the kind, in a wood south-west of the jail. Apprehension now being removed, the horsemen, riding three abreast, struck into a lope and soon reached the jail. This building is on the south side of West Liberty street and the last house on that street.. It is a three-story brick structure, and regarded as a very secure building. In front is a vestibule, from the centre of which leads to the apartments provided for the residence of the Sheriff's family. At the west end of the vestibule is the door leading up to the cells, the one in which the prisoners were confined being on the third floor. The five taken, and also John Good, were securely locked up in a cell on this floor. Of those assigned to secure the prisoners, only one knew them sufficiently well to iden tify each of the men warned, viz.: uues i.oou, Bailey DowdlerPriudley Thomson, Mose Lipscomb and Dan Roberts. There were persons in the crowd who wanted eleven, whose names we could not learn, all implicated in the conspiracy, and at the jail a parley was had in regard to taking Jack McCluney, but it was decided to take only the five named above. The door on the west end of the corridor, leading to the stairs, was the first to otter a feeble resistance to the infuriated men. The tramping of th? norses, loping on the hard grouud, accompanied by no demonstration, had awakened nearly all the prisoners in the jail, who, startled from their slumber, thought the noise was the premonition of an earthquake, and terror-stricken, they were soon on their feet. But by the time they were fully aroused, the muttered words, and ominous blows of axes and sledge hammers 011 the door gavo warning to some at least of their impending doom. The Sheriff hastened from his bed to the corridor where he met those who had dismounted. The keys of the jail were demanded and refused. In his stentorian voice the Sheriff vainly pleaded with the men, but besides impatient demands throughout the crowd for the keys, the only answer he received was, "Sheriff, we have 110 desire to harm you ; it is only the keys of the jail we ask." This is supposed to have been said by the leader. The Sheriff peremptorily refusing to deliver the keys of the jail, the corridor was entered, and through it the men, not more than a dozen, rushed | for the third floor. The door on this floor, j which opens to the cells, offered the most serious resistance. While the blows upon it from sledge and axe reverborated through the house, Giles, by this time fully awakened to the sense of the danger to himself and his fellow prisoners, spoke to them, imploring I all to light and resist to the last. Giles and | his live companions, who, with him had been returned from Columbia on the preceding Saturday, woro locked up in a cell on the west side of the passage, known as the dungeon, ^nd the third from the grated door closing the passage way between the two rows of cells. During the excitement below and the demonI strations on the door leading to the cells, all the : prisoners not locked up were huddled in this passage. To these, as well as his cell-mates, Giles addressed himself, imploring nil to fight, and especially to those in the cell with him he said, "It is death anyhow and you might as well die here defending your lives as to be hanged later." Entrance gained to the passage, the order was given, terseif not elegant, "Rats to yourholes!" and the affrighted prisoners scampered to their cells. The cell of the fated men was pointed out and the locks forced. The statement of a prisoner in another cell is to the effect that, inspired by the courage of Giles, a stout resistance was offered. Giles, who was oldest of his companions, struggled manfully, and as this prisoner says, so did Prindley Thomson. The prisoner says Prindley was not subdued and tied until he received a severe blow on the month from the handle of an axe. Other statements, however, are to the effect that no resistance was .offered and no injuries were inflicted upon any of the men while securing them with ropes. The men were identified by means of a dim light, and by mistake John Good was IIrst tied under the supposition that he was Prindley Thomson. As it had been decided to leave John Good, the rope was taken from his arms and transferred to those of Prindley. The pinioned men were marched down to the ground, the doors behind them being secured, and the keys handed to little Jimmie Glenn, the Sheriff's son. While these scenes were being enacted, the Sheriff" who has made his statement, was endeavoring to secure assistance, but before he could haye possibly accomplished anything in this direction the procession was moving quietly awav. The prisoners were not mounted on horses, but walked. Their demeanor is said to have been quiet and subdued. The opinion is expressed by a person w;ho thinks he had an opportunity of knowing, th& not a word escaped the lips of either of thel^ while on the other hand, it is said that they were inclined to be communicative. Anticipating their doom, they desired to talk, but were given little opportunity. Prindloy said Giles had advised him to assume the insanity dodge on his trial. Bailey, who seemed most overcome by the situation, said that Dan Roberts was the cause of all the trouble, and that neither of the others desired to murder Johnnie Good. Prindley and Mose made statements to the same effect. Giles Good denied having any connection with the murder, but it is said that he did not deny that he deserved hanging. They all seemed desirous to talk, but time was not given them. The procession of horsemen, moving in a rapid walk, was preceded by two or three furthftr in advance, whose duty seemed to be to select the traditional lowest limb of the nenresl tree. This was selected on a wooded knoll just a mile from the Court House on the Adair's Ferry road, not far from its intersection with the Howoll's Ferry road, within full view oi one dwelling, and not & great distance from two others. The tree, which had not been previously designated, is a large whiteoak with strong lateral limbs, immediately on the east side of the road. Here the column was halted, the light of the sinking moon being obscured by the tops of the adjacent trees. The men formed in a crescent facing the tree from the west, and a cordon was thrown across the road to prevent the approach of pursuers. The word "Ready!" was given and quickly a man ascended the sturdy oak. To the lowest limb extending towards the road three ropes wore fastened, a space of about two feet between each. Bailey Dowdle was mounted behind a man on horseback, and he rode under the limb, where he remained while the noose was tied ; Prindley Thomson was next mounted behind another rider, and with him, as also Mose Lipscomb behind a third horseman, the same ceremony was repeated, and after the third knot was tied the three horsemen simultaneously rode from under the limb. There was not the conventional "swish" which the conscientious reporter always attributes to the prison gallows when the fatal trap is sprung, but as one of the party remarked, the poor wretches "got there all the same." While the ropes were being adjusted, one of the doomed men was heard to say to Giles: "Just as I told you, old man; we'll soon be together in glory." Giles was fourth in the order of the hanging. A limb just above that selected for the three who preceded him was selected. The rope was adjusted, Giles was placed behind a horseman who rode under the limb. This horse was restless while the rope was being adjusted to Giles' neck, and after the knot was partly tied it commenced a backward movement, thus choking him and at the same time drawing out the rope to a greater length than was intended. The consequence was that when the horseman spurred forward and rode under the limb, the feet of Giles, after the horse left him, touched the ground. This accounts for the manner in which his knees were drawn up and tied. Dan Roberts was the fifth and last victim. He was taken to a tree on the west side of the road only a short distance from the one on which his four companions were hanged. The same manner as in the others was observed in his taking off. But as in the case of Giles, his rope was too long, and in order to Bhorten it, a slip knot was made in the centre into which a stone was ingeniously introduced, thus giving space between his feet and the ground. Death resulted from strangulation. Only one hangman's knot was tied, time not admitting of thus tying the others. One man tied all the knots and the work of execution was entrusted to those who led the prisoners down from the cell. A feature of the affair was the entire absence of liquor, none being permitted, and though one or two persons were, met on the road as the crowd neared town, and about the close one or two approached near the crowd from a westerly direction, none of them were interfered with. After the hanging of Dan Roberts the crowd began to scatter away, some lingering near, however, to satisfy themselves before leaving that their work had been thoroughly accomplished. On the Sheriffs first attempt to approach the ground he was prevented by the cordon, when he hastened to town and procuring physicians, returned. The way then was open, but when he and the physicians arrived, the men were all cold in death, though the Sheriff hastened to cut the bodies down. After the bodies wore taken down and arranged on the ground, Mr. J. If. Parmentier, of the C., C. ifc C. Railroad, struck with the I novelty of the scene, engaged Mr. T. B. McClain to makea photograph of the dead bodies, including the tree on which four were hanged, and other surroundings. After the inquest the bodies of Dan Roberts and Bailey Dowdle were claimed by relatives and taken away for burial in their neighborhood. Giles Good, Mose Lipscomb and Prindley Thomson were buried on Tuesday night in one grave, on Mr. I. T. Parish's land, but on the followingday the bodies of Giles and Prindley wore removed by their friends for burial i at their homes, and tlio mound near the spot tc be famous in local tradition, now marks the resting place only of Mose Lipscomb. THE CIRCUIT COURT. The Sessions docket was ended last Friday evening, the following cases, in addition tc those reported last week, occupying the Time of the Court. State vs. Wui. and Sylvanus Thornburg; resisting a public oflicer and assault and bat tery with intent to kill. This was a rehearing of tho case in which there was a mistrial on Monday. Only William Thornburg was put on trial, Sylvanus not having been arrested. The following jury was impaneled: James Scoggins, foreman; A. H. Harnett, Jr., R. IT. Uilfillen, J. X. Roberts, B. H. T. llowen, J. W. Hambright, II. M. Stevenson, S. (1. Keistler, Isaac Pear, W. S. May, Thaddeus Holin, 11. H. Biggers. The State presented the same testimony as on the previous trial, and tho defend offered no testimony at all. The verdict was not guilty. State vs. Alexander Johnson, Rebecca Johnson, Vicey Johnson and Mitchell Dixon, all colored: burglary and larceny. Prosecutor, S. E. McFaddeu. Mr. Mason appeared for the defence. Rebecca Johnson was sick, and foi that reason not brought to trial. Alexander Johnson pleaded guilty. Mitchell Dixon went to trial and was found guilty. As to Vicey and Rebecca Johnson, a nolle prosequi was entered. State vs. EfTy Conner, colored ; arson. This was for the alleged burningof tho barn of Mrs. C. E. Matthews, near Clover, on the evening ol tho .'Ird of January last. Tho following jury was impaneled : Jas. A. Watson, foreman ; II. M. Stephenson, S. (1. Keistler, R. A. Parish, R. j H. Cilfillon, II, B. Wallace, J. K. Hambright, I Will. F. Dvo, J. X. Roberts, J. K. Castles, Win, *Hf S. May, Isaac Pear. The jury failing to agree a mistrial was entered. State vs. Elijah Sutton, colored ; assault and batterjr of high and aggravated nature -whipping his wife. Defendant pleaded guilty. State vs. Samuel Jackson, colored; burglary and larceny. Prosecutor, Joseph A Smith. Mr. Finley for the defence. Verdict, guilty of petit larceny. State vs. Mige McConnell and Taylor Warren, colored ; burglary and larceny. Mige McConnell was not tried. Verdict guilty as to Taylor Warren. State vs. David Darby, colored ; lardeny of a horse. Prosecutor, Dr. W. G. Campbell. The defendant pleaded guilty. State vs. James Clark, Frank Clark, Mary Clark and Minerva Clark ; forcible entry and detainer. Prosecutor, W. B. Allison. Hart <fc Hart for the defence. Verdict not guilty. This case, which ended the docket, was concluded on Friday evening and Court adjourned. On Saturdav morning the Judge pronounced the followingsentences: Daniel Chambers and Andrew Yarborough, carrying concealed pistols. In pronouncing sentence in these cases, the Judge said that the crime of car ying concealed pistols, like the crime of lynching, seems to be one that the law cannot prevent. As each of these prisoners has been in jail for some time, the sentence was simply that they should forfeit their pistols to the county. Charles Brown, for the same offence, but who had been committed to jail more recently than the above, to forfeit his pistol, and imprisonment in the county jail at hard labor for thirty days. Thomas Robertson? larceny of a horse; to the penitentiary for three years, i Henry Whisonant, assault of an aggravated character. This offence was committed in the town of Black's, and it was shown that at the time of its commission the defendant was under the influence of liquor. Aai affidavit was presented to the Judge in behalf of the dei fendant, and also a petition signed by the frtwn ./-!!!nml nf Ttlnflr'n nravinif that the i court would be as lenient towards the defendant as the circumstances of the case would peri mit. Referring to this memorial, the Judge expressed regret that it was not the town council of Black's instead of Mr. Whisonant before him for sentence. He said he would i take greater pleasure in sentencing a town council who would permit liquor to be sold in . their village, than the victim of liquor sold under their sanction and by their authority, i Mr. Whisonant was sentenced to pay a fine of ; $25 and cost of prosecution, or imprisonment [ at hard labor in the county jail for ninety i days. He paid the fine, i Mitchell Dixon and Alexander Johnson; ' burglary and larceny. Five years each in the penitentiary. Isaac Jackson and David Floyd ; larceny of i a hog. One year each in the penitentiary. ; Samuel Jackson; petit larceny. One year in the penitentiary. Taylor Warren, burglary and larceny. It was shown that this prisoner was an escaped i convict from the North Carolina penitentiary, having served four years of a five-years'seni tence. According to the Judge's rule in such incorrigible cases, on conviction for a second i offence, the term of the first sentence was doubi led, which gives the prisoner ten years in the South Oaroliua penitentiary, i David Darby ; larceny of a horse. Five years in the penitentiary. Edward Crawford ; petit larceny. One yoar in tho penitentary. . Elijah Sutton; wife beating. At hard labor i in the county jail for ninety days. On Monday morning the Court of Common Pleas was opened. The venire for tho second ; week of the term was organized as follows : Jury No. 1?Wm. Thomasson, J. C. Jones, TXT Ti n TTn KfSnrKf ? W . jtl. OlUttlti, VY . IJ. iUUlllc, VI. iiaui ui " F. Reid, E. B. Mitchell, S. L. Latimer, R. T. ' Gillespie, Jack Adams, J. A. Dickson, John Williams. R. T. Gillespie was elected forci man. Jury No. 2.?J. C. Lock, W. N. Abernathy, C. M. McKnigkt, W. S. Henry, A. F. McConnell, Frank H. Brown, L. J. Crawford, James Nance, L. N. CulpjftW. P. Roddey, J. W. Fewell, E. S. Campbell. Frank II. Brown was 1 elected foreman. i Supernumeraries.?A. K. Sherer, R. A. , Whitesides, A. C. Stroftp, Scott Ragsdale, S. N. True, J. H. Mintz, W. C. Reid. The jurors were discharged at 10 o'clock yesterday morning, no case of interest coming before them. The Court will adjourn to-day. Correspondence of the Yorkville Enquirer. THE A. R. PRESBYTERY. 1 The First Presbytery of the AssociateReformed Synod of the South, convened at Smyrna, York county, on Monday, April 4th. ? For several days preceding the meeting, i great congregations gathered and the t preaching was universally able and poweri ful. The crowds on Sabbath were so large j as to require an arbor in addition to the , church. Presbytery was opened on Monday | morning with a sermon by the retiring Moderator, Rev. C. B. Betts, of Richburg, S. C. Revs. R. M. Stevenson, of Clover, and \V. A. M. Plaxico, were nominated ' for Moderator, and Rev. Plaxico was elected. ' The Subject for Conference was the [ "Deaconship," and for one hour elicited an ' interesting and spirited discussion. Rev. T. K. Boyce.of Mecklenburg, N. ! C., a student of the Presbytery, preached i a trial sermon for licensure. The sermon > was very able for a young man, and was s warmly praised by the audience, t One of the most notable features of the - worl of this Presbytery was brought out by the report from the "Ladies' Missiona1 ry Societies." There are twenty of these in the Presbytery, and they pledged thern. selves for ?1,05G for missions for this year, ! and have nearly raised this amount already, and this is only a third of what , they raise during the year. Much of Tuesday was consumed in hearing the report of the Conrmittee appointed to investigate tne aimcuuy uetwetju ivev. It. G. Miller and Mr. Thomas P. Mitchell. It appeared that the difficulty grew out of unfounded reports carried by tattlers from one of the parties to the other, and accepted by the other without investigation. The report of the committee resulted in the ? settlement of the trouble and the reconciliation of the parties. There were eighteen ministers and as many elders and commissioners present. A movement was set on foot for a coni vention of all the Deacons of the Presbyi tery, during the month of August. Rev. R. M. Stevenson, of Clover, accepted a call to Bethany Church, in York county, and will be installed as pastor at an early day. Rev. J. S. Moffat, of Charlotte, severed his connection with the church in that ( city, and accepted a call to the church in Chester. ! Rev. R. G. Miller, now of Chester, accepted a call to Sardis and Thyatira churches in Mecklenburg county, N. C. The Presbytery adjourned on Tuesday afternoon, to meet in Yorkville, on the 1 Monday after the first Sabbath of October, ! 1887. G. Correspondence of the Yorkville Enquirer. LETTER FROM FORT MILL. Fokt Mill, April 11.?Accept congratulations for the Enquirer in getting ' ahead of the dailies last week. Being so near the tragic scene, the Enquirer made 1 use of the opportunity and gave us a detailed account of the lynching before the masses had ever heard of its occurrence. It is now to be hoped that the evil band i has been terrified and dissolved by real1 izing the certainty of the terrible retribui { tion in cases of such inhuman outrage, i] The weather now is delightful, and farmers are busy in the lields. Work has . progressed well on the farms. Nearly evprv hrulv isnhreastnf the season and wait j ing for the ground to get warm enough to | receive the seeds for another crop. This week another delegation from the . "cut off" attends your Court. We hope they will not be long detained. ' Most of the peaches in this section are said to have been killed by cold, but there I are still enough left for a few pies. The "cut-off" is looking out for the is! sue of a paper in their midst. Its name is _; not yet known; but a job press 10 by 15, ? j and some body type have arrived. The ! enterprise is in the hands of Mr J. S. Drakeford, our assistant postmaster. The merchants are very idle just now, except those who are kept busy trying to pay debts. Anon. WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT IT. # PRESS COMMENTS ON THE YORKVILLE LYNCHING. [Charleston News and Courier.] | In November last John Lee Good, a young white lad, the son of a well known farmer in York county, was murdered under circumstances of peculiar brutality. The preliminary legal investigation of the affair was searching and thorough, and the finding of a coroner's jury was that Good was killed because he had accidentally detected his murderers in the perpetration of a robbery. The negroes who committed the crime, it was also proved, 1 .1 X XI I ? 4-^ I were uounu lugeuier uy u suicmu uiuu iu rob and plunder, and to "murder all persons who might detect them in their lawlessness." They were formed iutoalodge, had a regular place of meeting, were under the leadership of desperate men, and each man was bound by oath to perjure himself in case any of his fellow-conspirators should be arrested and brought tc trial. An innocent child was the firsl victim of the conspirators, and it was ascertained by the preliminary investigation of the case that other murders had beer freely discussed and planned. Before the coroner had concluded his work twentysix neerroes were arrested and lodged in jail at Yorkville for complicity in the killing of Good. It was established beyond doubt, by the confessions of the men themselves, or by the circumstance of theii having been actively connected with the conspiracy, that at least three of the prisoners were guilty of murder, and, together with two of their principal accessories these were sent to the Bichland county jai! for safe keeping and to prevent then from being lynched. At the time of these occurrences th( News and Courier protested against lynch ing or violence of any kind, upon th( ground that the crime would be fullj ana promptly estaonsnea in a v^uuri u Justice, and that outraged society shoult condemn the wrong and punish stern ly the wrong-doers through those chan nels by which alone society can effect ively speak and act. It was believec and hoped that all the proceedings woulc be in conformity with law, and, indeed there seemed to be no room for the ex ercise of popular violence in this case, sc complete was the evidence upon whicl the prisoners were to be put upon trial fo their lives. The prisoners were taken to Yorkvilh and were there lodged in jail to awai speedy trial. There was no possibility o their escape. The Court is now in sessioi and they would have been tried in reg ular form this week. Yesterday morning however, without awaiting the action o law, the jail at Yorkville was forcibly en tered by sixty men, who seized the pris oners, and having taken them outside th< corporate limits of the town, strung their up by their necks and left the corpses o the five miserable wretches dangling it the air. The murder of young Good was bat enough, but the lynching of the murder ers wa.^ worse. It is a sname to the Stat* that such a tragedy should take place any where within her borders. It is an of fense against the law and an outrag* against the peace and good order of society No apologies, or excuses can be urged foi this latter and greater crime. It is th< darkest of the deeds of blood which stand: out in great red clots upon the pages o of our recent history. It is a sign, more over which shows' how rapidly we ar< drifting into a condition of lawlessness and, unless something be done to checl our progress, the time will soon com< wnen eacn man's nana -win ue agams every man and every man's hand wil be against him." We owe it to our selves and our children, to the majesty o outraged law and to every private ant public interest, that no stone shall be lefi unturned to discover and punish the per petrators of the monstrous crime which was committed at Yorkville yesterday All the machinery of the court should b< set in motion, and all the power of th< State should be exhausted in the effort t( hunt down those who have sacrificed the lives of five helpless and defenceless pris oners to an insane desire for vengeance It will not do to dismiss the matter with the verdict of the coroner's jury that the deceased came to their deaths at the hand: of persons unknown to \..e jury. Then were sixty men in the squad of lyncher who broke down the door of the cell ir which the prisoners were incarcerated They were seen by the sheriff of the coun ty. They were not disguised. They wen about their horrible work without any at tempt to conceal their identity. It is no possible that they could have escaped ob servation, and it is due to the law tha they have violated that they should be in dieted and punished. They may cal themselves lynchers, but they are, in fac and in deed wholesale murderers, and ai such they should be treated. We are sun that the sentiment of the law-abidinj people of York county will not sustaii them, and the officers of the law will b< recreant to their duty if they do not mak< a determined effort to remove this darl blot from the history of a county whicl has ever been distinguished for the peaci and good order that have prevailed withii its borders. The Yorkville lynching may perhaps b< traced to the defective manner in whicl the criminal law has been administeret in other parts of the State. But whatev er the condition of things from which i has resulted, it is time for the C'hristiar people of the State to protest against th< commission of such outrages. A few news papers here and there throughout the State cannot successfully contend agains the suppression of violence unless they b< supported by the best elements of a wel organized society. The Christian senti ment of the State must, take an active par in the crusade against all forms of vio lence. The pulpit should give the pres; the touch of the elbow, and all who hav< any love for the State should unite in t strenuous and continued effort to establis! the suoremacv of the law. [Columbia Register.] The lynching of the five prisoners ir York, as we expected it would, excites i howi of holy horror from our Charlestor contemporary. No body who has any regard for wel ordered civilization can endorse or con done lynching. It is too plain for argu ment, that under an organized govern raent there is no room for red handed reg ulators, or those arrogating to themselves the right to seize upon their fellow-man and dangle their dead bodies from th< trees by the way side. It is no use to say that'such is not ar outrage on civilized society. Nevertheless, we cannot go so far as t( say with our contemporary, "The murdej of young Good was bad enough, but tin lynching of his murderers was worse.' * * "No apologies or excuses can be urged for the perpetration of this later and greater crime." We do not think with our contemporary that the lynching of this brutal band o murderous thieves, who put to death the innocent child who caught them in the plunder of his father's fields, was worse than or even comparable to the crime thai these diabolical thievescommitted. Whal prompted these murderers of the child but to hide their felonious taking of theii neighbor's property, which if pursued would end in the utter ruin of the hones! producers everywhere in the State? lie we not see that it was their felonious lusl for another man's honest earnings which led them up to the murder of this peaceful child? Was it not the result of an iniquitous disregard of all the restraining rules of society, tending to jeopardize the life of every innocent looker-on, man woman or child, who might happen to be i a witness of such plundering acts? Well, then, there was an atrociousness ! in this first act, from beginning to end, which left every man's property and family in York, if not in the State, who would have occasion to leave his home,at the mercy of these thieving scoundrels, prepared to break through and steal whatever they could lay their hands on, and to put tc death any member of the family whc might catch them in their nefarious work, or innocently happen to see what was going on in the absence of the head of the family. Does not this considerations ol the case plead extenuation of the violence exercised by the Yorkville lynchers ? As to the lynching of these murderers being worse than the murder of the boy Good, along with its concomitant felony, who besides the News and Courier can think i so? If any of us were so unfortunate as to have to choose between the commission j of the one or the other offense, by ope near and dear to us, who would not choose that he might be one of the York lynchers rather than one of the murdering thieves? Can there be doubt of it? If there be rea, | son in roasting an egg should there not be , ; reason in judging between offenders j against the law ? I Do we not all know for ourselves that ' there are offenses in every civilized com! ! munitv thatso inflame thenassionsof men . | that they are crazed by a desire for sutn. mary vengeance. Now, when these prisoners were return1 ed to the Yorkville jail, and it was learn| ed that the unhappy father of the bright , and innocent child, slain by the thieves, ! had lost his reason in his grief for the child , of whom he had been bereft, to say the ; least, was it not nature that his honest . neighbors should put themselves in his , place and strike for him that summary t blow, which if it did nothing else, would ? teach such would-be perpetrators of such ! a crime that swift unerring vengeance l would follow on their heels? Of course it is all wrong. Of course it is I much better to let the law take its course. . Of course such acts have no limit but the angry passions of men who would take ? life without perchance due consideration, ! to find when too late that they had but . added crime to crime in their anger. We who -are sitting at our desks a hundred [ miles or more away from the brutal slay, ing of the bright little boy of the immediate acquaintance, if not of the kindred i of these York regulators, can coolly say, it [ is all irregular and demoralizing, and, if } you please, "a shame to the State" and r "an offense against law and an outrage f against the peace and good order of soJ ciety," but, after all, do we not know that . human nature is human nature, and that . | sometimes the best of men, under certain {>rovocations, win DreaK me oounus 01 aw and wreak their vengeance, swift and i sharp, on just such men as swung stark and stiff from the true limbs in York in 1 the early morning air of April the 5th V j As our contemporary says, these sixty i men are doubtless unknown to many men, r and the coroner's inquest doubtless shut its eyes when it pointed to men unknown ; as the perpetrators of the hanging to death t of the five wretches. It is doubtless so, f too, that these men can be hunted down 1 so as to 3pot the last man of them. But, after all, what are you going to do aboutit? What jury in all South Carolina f will convict? Who expects to see a man ol . them expiate the so-called "greater crime" . which our contemporary claims has been i committed? With the greatest respect for )" the plea for law and order put up by our f conservative contemporary, the Register, i nevertheless, feels that we may as well face the plain facts of the case in this se1 rious deplorable matter. [Columb ia Re.cn rd. ] 3 The News and Courier, very properly - condemns the lynching in Yorkville, and - suggests that "all the machinery of the 3 Court should be set in motion, and all the . power of the State should be exhausted, r to hunt down those who took part in the 3 affair. The same paper thinks that "the 3 officers of the law [in York county] will f be recreant to their duty if they do not - make a determined effort" to bring the 3 offenders to justice. , This is all true enough. The lynchers : in York acted outside the law. They 3 are, in the eyes of the law, guilty of murt der. But it is rathera waste of rhetoric to 1 talk about bringing this crowd of men to - trial. Admitting even that some of them f are known, it will yet be impossible, in I the state of public mind necessarily prot duced by the shocking murder of young - Good, to punish anybody. Abstractly, i the negroes hung were entitled to a trial. . Especially were they entitled, while in the 3 jail of York county, to be protected from 3 violence of any sort. The real trouble is ) that everybody thinks they ought to have 3 been hung, and few people care much - about the style in which the hanging was . effected. This is certainly an unfortunate i state of public sentiment, but here it is 3 anyhow. This state of feeling, right oi 3 wrong, must render futile any efforts to 3 punish the lynchers. 3 The frequent exhortation given by newsi papers to "officers of the law," to hunl . down criminals and bring them to justice, - lead us to inquire whose duty it is tc t do the business. Unfortunately, no pub lie officer is charged with any such duty, t We have our Trial Justices, but they can not properly move till there shall be t complaint on oath. Who, in a case like - the Yorkville lynching, is to make oath 1 against the suspected criminal?? The cort oner can issue his warrant only upon the 3 finding of his jury. Who is to give in3 formation to the jury, so as to put them r in possession of the names of offenders'.: i The grand jury may be called upon tc 3 present the parties, in order to an indict3 ment and atrial, but who is to give in: formation to the grand jury ? The solici) tor may be ever so willing to prosecute, 3 but there must be somebody indicted bei fore he can do anything. He is not expected to play either detective or inform3 er. The Governor may issue his proclai mation, but everybody knows that in a 1 case like the Yorkville lynching it will be - a mere waste of words. t We may expect if the grand jury ol i York fail to indict somebody for the 3 lynching of the negroes on Tuesday, that . body will be severely lectured by certain 3 newspapers. In advance of such critit cism, we hesitate not to say that one 3 source of lynch-law in South Carolina has i been the wanton reprobation of grand ju - ries because they did not institute proset cutions against certain classes of persons - whom the newspapers thought could have 3 been brought to trial. To inform the peoi pie that the grand juries have been inefi ticient or inert or indifferent, is'to invite i the people to redress their grievances outside of the law. The difficulty of prosecuting anybody whose offense has not affected some particular individual, and the greater difficul* ty of bringing out all the facts in important cases, has in some States suggested . the appointment of an officer specially charged with instituting prosecutions and with aiding the State's counsel in bringing out all the facts of the case. In the absence of such an official in South Carolina, it is useless to indulge in gener* alties touching the duty of "officers of the I law." In the present state of the law, it i happens that no official is charged with hunting up evidence against them. 1 There is indeed great need of a special effort to prevent lynchings. One means ) is the infusion^of a public sentiment that [ shall prevent a resort to mob-law in any ; form. Another, not less difficult, lies in taking such precautions as shall enable : the custodians of prisoners to resist any attack upon the place of their confinement. If when lynching is feared, the Sheriff can r. get a posse of citizens willing to protect [ the jail, let him do so. If he must run off 5 with his prisoners, let him at all events I take them back to their lawful place of * confinement. And then let the whole I power of the State be employed, if it be J necessary, to render that jail safe against ? any attack whatever. [Augusta Chronicle.] t The lynching affair at Yorkville is to be > regretted, not that the negroes who suf; fered at the hands of the avengers did not . deserve death as punishment for the crime | which they committed, but that the law . I hn? hepn violated and cood order and ; peace endangered. Let it not be under! stood, we repeat, that we are of opinion i that the fate of those negroes was unde! ' served. They were a band, organized and j officered, for the purpose of robbery and i assassination, with a mutual understand, ing that the cause of one was the cause of all, and sworn to kill those who detected t them in their acts. A boy, Johnnie Lee Good, discovered them stealing cotton 1 and gave information in regard thereto. ' They'killed him. The boy's father was > crazed, and the mind of his mother un> settled. They deserved death, but not , by mob violence. The majesty of the i law should be upheld. Through the law ! and by the law should justice be adminisf tered. The day of Judge Lynch and his ! court should long since have passed away. i If order is to be had, if good government is to prevail, if society is to be preserved, then the law?created by the people for the people?should take its course. k [Cheater Bulletin.] The lynching of the five negroes in i Yorkville on last Tuesday morning by a 1 blood-thirsty mob, was an outrage of the | direst kind. The perpetration of such a ; foul deed is a reproach to the State and a j crime that can admit of no palliation or I excuse. It is murder of the most dangerj ous kind and should be condemned by all I good and law-abiding citizens. The evidence against a band of thieves who so brutally murdered little Johnnie Good, was sufficient to have convicted them, and they would undoubtedly have been convicted and hanged in a legal manner, thus preventing another great crime. Besides Court is now in session, and ere this the brutal murderers would have been tried and convicted. For well ordered civilization and enduring good government, it is far better to let the law take its course. Lynch law is extremely hazardous under any circumstances, and if winked at or * * -'i 14. !n condoned in any community win rt-auimi a state of lawlessness, jeopardous to the peace and good order of society, and if not condemned by public sentiment and curbed by the Courts, personal property will be insecure and the sancity of human life imperilled. [Greenville News.] There was no good reason for the lynching of the five men in York county. That kind of thing is going too far. The prisoners were in the hands of the law and their confessions insured their punishment in a legal and orderly manner. Public sentiment should be trained to the belief that there is only one crime for which lynching is justifiable and that the peculiar cir. cumstancesin which we live give the justification in that case. [Laurensville Herald.] While such an occurrence as the Yorkville lynching is much to be regretted as a | dangerous precedent at least, and while we think it much better to allow the law to take its course, we are not prepared to condemn in every instance. This case, it seems, was oue of great aggravation. Lynching, however, is becoming too fre quent. There should be some check to it. Perhaps one way to do this is for juries to discharge their duty with more firmness. There is room for reform in that respect also. [Spartanburg Herald.] The deed is to be regretted, but hardly wondered at. It is hard to conceive a more revolting, atrocious murder; but the law would have vindicated the right as fully and with more power than did these " self appointed hangmen. The judge in his charge to the Grand Jury throws the blame of this thing on Spartanburg county. [ Winnsboro News and Herald.] The slayers of little Johnnie (iood ought to have been, and in all probability would have been, executed under the sanction of the law. As it was, they were simply murdered, and each man engaged in the business may have 'the proud satisfaction of knowing, as long as he lives, that he meets exactly the law's defi! nition of a murderer, i There was no reason to suspect that there would be in this case a miscarriage of jusi tice. So far as we can learn, it was the ! general opinion that conviction was a foregone conclusion. The lynching, there; fore, stands absolutely without palliation i or excuse. Only two views may be fairly taken of i it?the act was either utterly flagitious, or it was a bold declaration that the law is irretrievably impotent in South Carolina. ? But the .best citizens of the State, after i making all due allowances, do not think that we have yet reached that point where we are obliged to relax allegiance to law and order. It was simply the ungoverna ble rage of ignorance, of that ignorance , that can never realize the beneficence of law until it is itself placed in the dock, s The peculiar atrocity of the crime chargi ed cannot in this case be invoked as any i sort of excuse. It was not one of those i cases where to bring the victim into Court were more heartrending than Ja repetition of the offense. All the testimony in i the case was available. The Court was in i session and showed no symptoms of paralysis. i The lynching is simply a disgrace to our civilization. JUIKiE PRESSLEYTSENDS HIS POSITION. , The Charleston News and Courier hav? ing adversely criticised Judge Pressley's ' charge to the grand jury in reference to [ the recent lynching, the venerable jurist k has written to that paper the following i reply: i To the Editor of the News and Courier: The supposed fault of my late charge to - _ ? - a -\r?1_ x? it ! me granu jury 01 iutk is greater uiuu has been reported. When I said to them i that the courts of justice were powerless ' to repress or punish the horrible crime of ? lynching, that charge was not limited to York, or to South Carolina, put plainly and expressly included the whole United States. There would be hope for the , country, I said, if in only two or three States that crime was unpunished, but now I could find no remedy in the weakness of the courts. Let not the Pharisees of any section "thank God that they are . not as other men are, or even as this pubi lican." That worship is hypocrisy until they can call to mind one solitary case ' in which a band of lynchers has been i punished by any Court in any section of the whole country. Is it wrong to proclaim and publish, and repeat and repeat again, this disgrace to our civilization, when only that course i can save the the country? Listen to a tale of simple, sad truth: When Moore was lynched at Spartani burg, eight years ago, I earnestly reminded the grand j ury of the oat hs they had j ust taken; warned them that they would violate their oaths if they failed to search out and bring to trial the persons who killed Moore. All that I could do was done to make them sensible of danger to the State if such crimes were not speedily punished. And yet, despite all my warnings, that grand jury not only refused to pursue the lynchers, but also justified the crime in their final presentment. That rebuff did not silence me. Ever since, until the acknowledged failure of the Edgefield prosecutions, I did not cease to charge, urge and warn grand juries to bring lynchers to trial. Now, I am unwilling any longer to use the expensive machinery of the Court to enact a farce. The only remedy is to rouse the people to a proper sense of their danger and their disgrace. My warnings tjius far have been poured into deaf ears, and hegin to sound like an idle tale even to nmyself. If pulpit, press anil and all good people would persistently unite to make lynching hateful, then the Courts could punish and crush it out. Until that be done we can only play Cassandra?warn in vain. T ,v->r\ c-.i.t fr\* H-m rrronrl inr\r nf "Vnrlr JJCL IIJC oa%y JV/I liiv J^*J Avr***. that they added to their final presentment much earnest condemnation of the lynchers. That "little crumb of comfort" is more than I ever before got from a grand jury. Very respectfully yours, B. C. Press ley, Judge of First Circuit. Correspondence of the Yorkville Enquirer. LETTER FROM ROCK HILL. Rock Hill, April 12.?Considerable excitement was created here, when the news of the recent lynching in Yorkville was received by telephone. Every one was anxious to hear the particulars, and on Wednesday morning at 8.45 a placard was placed in front of the Indian Cigar Store, "The Yorkville Enquirer, containing a full account of the lynching just received." A rush was made to receive copies of the paper, a supply of extras in addition to those for regular subscribers, having been sent by special messenger. i t? u^i ir i c ai ti i j.u ueimu ui inc uuuiy reauera ui me j^n! quikek at Hock Hill and vicinity, I exi tend to the enterprising publisher their thanks for his thoughtfulness in furnishing . us with the Enquiueu at so early an hour, 1 thus showing that he is anxious and willing to place before his readers the details of any important local event regardless of trouble or expense. Appropriate Easter services were held in the Episcopal church on Sunday. At the morning service, the rector being absent, the junior warden read the service.