February 5, 1886: Unknown Man

Today we learn about a lynching in Virginia by North Carolinians through the pages of The Leavenworth Weekly Times (Leavenworth, Kansas) dated February 11, 1886:

The North Carolina Way.

DANVILLE, Va., February 9.—Much excitement prevails among the people of Patrick, Henry and adjoining counties in North Carolina over the lynching, Friday morning last, of an unknown white man for mule stealing. About two weeks ago it is alleged the man stole a mule from a citizen near Patrick court house and took it over to North Carolina and sold it there. After receiving the money the man remained in the same neighborhood for some days and then stole the same mule again, but when running off further south was overtaken and captured by a party of North Carolinians, while a party of Virginians from the neighborhood of Patrick court house arrived and claimed the prisoner for the original theft of the mule. He was given up to them and the Virginians with the prisoner started to take him to Henry county. When they reached the neighborhood of the county line of Henry and Patrick counties they were overtaken by the North Carolinians who demanded and again took possession of the prisoner, when they dragged him into the woods near by and hanged him to a tree.

Thank you for joining me and as always, I hope I leave you with something to ponder.

October 9, 1885: Benjamin Little

Today we learn about a Texas lynching through the pages of The Times-Picayune (New Orleans, Louisiana) dated October 12, 1885:

TEXAS

MOUNT PLEASANT.

The Lynching of Little.

GALVESTON, Oct. 11.—A special to the News, from Mount Pleasant, says:  On Friday night, about 11 o'clock, a body of unknown men took Benjamin Little, a negro, from his cabin, on Austin's plantation, and hung him to a tree.

It appears that a few days ago, Little and another negro, named Charles Young, robbed a white man, who was asleep , of $1.60. They were arrested, but Little was subsequently released on bail.

On the back of the corpse was pinned a note stating that Little was not hanged because of the robbery but for slandering a respectable white family residing here. The note read:  "Furthermore, we feel that we have done a great and noble act for our country and as gentlemen."

"CITIZENS OF MOUNT PLEASANT."

An inquest was held on the body and the coroner's jury found that Little came to his death at the hands of persons unknown.

Thank you for joining me and as always, I hope I leave you with something to ponder. 

July 21, 1897: Ephraim Brinkley

Today we learn about a Kentucky lynching through the pages of The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Kentucky) dated July 23, 1897:

BY A MOB.

Ephraim Brinkley Hanged To a Tree Near Nebo.

THE HANGING NO SURPRISE.

Victim Had Been Accused of Assassinating Cyprian Troulias. [sic]

A MAN OF BAD REPUTATION.

Madisonville, Ky., July 22.—(Special.)—Ephraim Brinkley, who lived about four miles south of Nebo, was hanged by a mob last night.

The hanging was no surprise to a great many of the people who were acquainted with the circumstances leading up to the tragedy. About three weeks since Cyprian Trouillas, a near neighbor of Brinkley's, was shot and killed one evening while eating his supper. While it was not positively known who did the killing, suspicion pointed very strongly to Brinkley as the murderer. Since that time circumstances have occurred that strengthened the conviction that Brinkley was the guilty man. There have been mutterings among the people of the neighborhood that the crime was likely to go unpunished. For several days it had been known that threats were being made that the guilty man should be dealt with. These threats were put into execution last night.

Brinkley, it is alleged, was a man of bad character. He had been accused of stealing hogs and cattle from his neighbors, but from some cause he was always able to escape the penalty of the law. Since the night of the murder every one who knew anything of the surroundings was satisfied in his mind that Brinkley was the guilty man. As a result of this feeling the people of that community think it is a good riddance.

The hanging took place on a tree in front of the house of the man who, it is alleged, Brinkley killed. The body was left hanging to the tree until about midday, when Esquire Heschel Porter, the nearest magistrate, was called upon to hold an inquest. The inquest disclosed no evidence as to who were the parties composing the mob. There has never been a hanging by a mob in this part of the State where there was so much general approval as in this case. The people of that part of the county had been terrorized by Brinkley until forbearance had ceased to be a virtue. Brinkley was about thirty years of age and was married.

It is common talk that Brinkley and Trouillas' wife were on terms of criminal intimacy, and there is very strong feeling against the woman. On the night of the killing of Trouillas his wife went to Brinkley's and reported that her husband had been shot. Brinkley was in ? when she got there and said that he ? too tired and sleepy to go to see about the matter. The wife of the murdered man then went to bed and they all slept until the next morning. Then they went to the home where the murder had been committed and raised the alarm. Brinkley was one of the chief managers of the funeral. He went to Nebo and secured the burial clothes and also drove the hearse to the cemetery. His actions at every move aroused the suspicions of his neighbors. It is rumored that before hanging Brinkley the mob strung up Trouillas' wife and she confessed that Brinkley did the shooting. The woman was released. 

Thank you for joining me and as always, I hope I leave you with something to ponder.

May 1, 1884: John Wesley, Henry Brown, Ben Wheeler, and William Smith

Today we learn about a lynching in Kansas through the pages of The Atchison Daily Globe (Atchison, Kansas) dated May 2, 1884:

BANK ROBBERS LYNCHED

The Four Men Who Rob the Medicine Bank Captured and Lynched.

Two of Them Turn Out to be an Ex-Marshal and Ex-Deputy Marshal.

The Robbers Make a Stand, But are Surrounded and After a Short Fight Surrender.

KANSAS CITY, May 2.—A special to the Times from Harper, Kas., says:  The terrible tragedy at Medicine Lodge yesterday, caused by the attempted robbery of the Barber County bank, had a terrible sequel last night, when the four robbers and murderers were lynched by the excited populace, who followed them from the bank immediately after the killing of Mr. Geppert, the Cashier, and mortal wounding of Mr. Payne, the President. There has been great excitement at this point  since the news of the tragedy arrived by courier, and this morning a number of citizens went to Medicine Lodge to view for themselves the scene of the unfortunate and cowardly killing and to take part in the pursuit and punishment of the robbers if their assistance was needed. Long before they reached the seat of action, however, the four men who had planned the attack upon the bank, which resulted in the death of Mr. Geppert, had been tried, found guilty and  executed by Judge Lynch, and the verdict of the entire southern section of Kansas is that they only received

THEIR JUST DUES.

The latest particulars of the attempted robbery go to show that the affair was planned several days since at Harper, or some point east or south, and it was the work of the four men who so quickly paid the penalty of their crime. Their names are Henry Brown, at one time Marshal of Caldwell, Kas.; Ben Wheeler, ex-Assistant Marshal of the same place; John Westley [sic], a noted cowboy, desperado and dead shot, and William Smith, by occupation a cowboy. They reached Medicine Lodge some time on Tuesday, but did not show themselves together until just before the attack. The streets during Wednesday were almost deserted in consequence of the heavy rain which had been falling since the early morning. Watching their opportunity the four men approached the bank a few minutes past ten o'clock, and while two of them entered the remaining two staid [sic] outside.At the time the Cashier and President were alone. A third party who had been transacting some business, passing out as the robbers entered. Mr. Geppert looked up as the men came into the bank, and when ordered to throw up his hands, turned and tried to reach his revolver, but was instantly killed by one of the men, supposed to have been Wesley. Mr. Payne was also shot through the body and fell to the floor, and promiscuous firing ensued. The first intimation anyone had of the trouble was the report of pistol shots and cowboy yells in the bank, which was taken up by the two outside, who yelled and fired promiscuously. They quickly drew a crowd, who

RETURNED THE FIRE

with spirit, making it so hot that the robbers mounted their horses and quickly started for the Indian Territory. Instantly the citizens began arming for pursuit, first ten, then fifty and finally a hundred taking the saddle. The chase was short, however, as the pursued became convinced that flight was useless and so made a stand on the hill three miles west of the town. Here they were surrounded and a lively skirmish ensued until nearly two o'clock, when finding themselves completely surrounded and their ammunition gone the robbers held up their hands and surrendered. Upon being brought to town they were heavily ironed and placed in jail under a strong guard, but the sight of the murdered Cashier and dying President so exasperated the citizens that it was seen that nothing short of a genuine necktie party would satisfy them. After waiting a few hours the crowd began to gather at the jail, and a demand was made for the men. This was refused by the officers, but the crowd would not be put off, and suddenly a move was made upon the jail, the guard overpowered, the doors broken open, and a wild rush made for the cells holding the trembling prisoners, who fully realized that their hour had come. Wesley had in some way concealed a revolver about his person, and as the mob approached the cell he opened fire, but was almost instantly

RIDDLED WITH BULLETS,

and fell dead with a dozen bullets in his body. It was an easy matter to force the cell doors, and ropes being produced, the remaining three men were led out and nooses placed about their necks. They were then half dragged to a small grove a short distance from town and hanged to separate trees. Two of them died game, but the third begged for mercy, however, and he was hung with the the [sic] others. Before the lynching all the men were recognized, and Wesley was identified as a well-known desperado and one of the best shots in the State. By his resistance at the jail he met death more speedily and evaded the halter. Before death the men admitted nothing and offered no excuse. Geppert, the cashier, was shot in the head and breast, dying instantly. Mr. Payne was shot in the left breast, just above the heart, and is reported dying. He was proprietor of the Index, and one of the wealthiest men in this section. The robbers had with them wire cutters and powder with which to blow up the safe had they obtained the chance. Not a dollar was taken from the bank, however.

Thank you for joining me and as always, I hope I leave you with something to ponder. 

July 16, 1893: "Dub" Meetze (Mutze)

Today we learn about a lynching in south Carolina through the pages of the Logansport Pharos-Tribune (Logansport, Indiana) dated July 18, 1893:

SHOT A BAD MAN TO DEATH.

Mysterious Killing, by Judge Lynch Probably, in South Carolina.

COLUMBIA, S. C., July 18.—"Dub" Meetze, white, was killed in Lexington county Sunday night by persons unknown. He was regarded as a "wolf's head" in Lexington, having a most unsavory reputation. He was run out of the state a year ago for horse stealing and warned not to return. He did return, however, and dodged around in the woods to escape notice. He wanted his wife to mortgage her place in order to raise money for him. She refused and she threatened to burn her house. Last Wednesday night her house was burned to the ground and she and her children narrowly escaped death.

It was reported that Dub Meetze had threatened to kill one or two people, and to burn the house of several others who exposed some of his former villanies. The sheriff and a posse searched for him, but without avail. Sunday night the sheriff was at the house which Meetze had threatened to burn. He heard shots, and going to the barn of Mrs. Meetze found Meetze lying with wounds. He died shortly after being discovered without naming his slayers, and the coroner's jury brought in a verdict of death from wounds inflicted by unknown parties.

Thank you for joining me and as always, I hope I leave you with something to ponder.

September 1, 1894: Daniel Hawkins, Robert Haynes, Warner Williams, Ed Hall, John Hayes and Graham White; September, 1894: In-Ki-Wish

Today we learn about 2 different lynchings. The first is a mass lynching of six men and we find it in the pages of The Kansas City Gazette (Kansas City, Kansas) dated September 2, 1894:

A Deputy in Charge of Six Negroes Accused of Incendiarism Is Halted by a Mob and the Prisoners are Shot

SIX NEGRO FIREBUGS SHOT.

MEMPHIS, Tenn., Sept. 2.—For over a year the people in the northern part of the county about Millington have been kept in a continual state of excitement by incendiarism. Barns and dwellings have been burned and recently the buildings on the Millington fair grounds were destroyed. Suspicion finally pointed to Daniel Hawkins, Robert Haynes, Warner Williams, Ed Hall, John Hayes and Graham White, negroes, and yesterday they were arrested near Kerryville, in the western part of the county, by Deputy Sheriff Richardson.

The deputy started with his prisoners, all chained together, in a wagon for Millington. When they reached Big Creek, 2 miles west of Millington, somebody in the woods by the roadside called out:  "Don't try to cross there! The bridge is down—come this way." Richardson got down and taking the horses by the head, led them into a path that opened in the direction from whence the warning had come. It was dark in the woods, but suddenly Richardson saw two guns aimed at him and a stern voice said:  "Throw up your hands!"

"What does that mean?" demanded the officer.

"None of your business," was the reply, "throw 'em up."

The officer obeyed, and when the negro prisoners, divining the purpose of the unseen mob, attempted to leap from the wagon, a volley rang out from forty or fifty guns and they fell back, wounded and dying. A dozen of the mob leaped into the wagon, and threw them out. Volley after volley was poured into the struggling mass, and in a few minutes all was still. Hawkin's [sic] head was almost shot from his shoulders, and some of the others were terribly mangled.

The mob, after making sure all six were dead, mounted and rode away. Atchison, who was with the deputy, then mounted one of the mules and hastened to Justice Hill's house, some distance away and notified him.

The lynchers were not masked, but the officers recognized none of them.

An inquest was held on the bodies this morning and the jury, which included two negroes, found that the prisoners had come to their death in the manner stated "at the hands of persons unknown."

Hawkins was first arrested a year ago with several others, charged with the burning of barns and houses in the Kerrville neighborhood. They were brought to trial, and two of them were sentenced to terms in the penitentiary after they had made full confessions, implicating Hawkins as the leader of the band of firebugs. Hawkins got a new trial, however, and after spending some months in jail, was released a few weeks ago. Since that the burnings had re-commenced, and the Millington neighborhood as well as Kerrville suffered.

Our second lynching is unusual in the fact that the lynchers were a gang. We learn about the lynching through the pages of The Sunday Leader (Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania) dated September 17, 1894:

THE DOOLINS' REVENGE.

Strung an Old Indian Up by the Heels and Shot Him to Death.

WICHITA, Kan., Sept. 17.—At Cob Creek, near Minco, I. T., and old Cado Indian, In-Ki-Wish, was found strung up to a tree by the heels and shot through the head. On his breast was pinned a paper warning the Indian police to keep their hands off a band of outlaws known as the Doolin gang.

It seems that the old man's son, who is an Indian police scout, got on the track of this gang recently and with a posse routed them from their rendezvous. In revenge the outlaws murdered the old man.

Thank you for joining me and as always, I hope I leave you with something to ponder. 

June 25, 1900: Jordan Hines

Today we learn about a lynching in Georgia through the pages of The Atlanta Constitution (Atlanta, Georgia) dated June 27, 1900:

TAKEN FROM HIS BED TO DEATH

Unknown Men Kill a Negro at Molena.

Molena, Ga., June 26.—(Special.)—Jordan Hines, a young negro was pulled from his bed last night, taken about a mile from his home and shot to death by unknown parties. So far no cause for the killing is known.

Thank you for joining me and as always, I hope I leave you with something to ponder.