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GREAT EXCITEMENT.18787.K Ex.A. u,44P. M.it41414144(III44train. Ex.A. U.ituP. U.uititiiii44Sat-and I way nton LHarDokar-astati*Pireic-le-,heigsg“P-illBSS Vf Qerit-is-er:se%y-ofc2/Ke5c-t,115Din:rirdksiGie it 1.rl IThe Negro Wobian, Charlotte HarrisHung for Instigating BarnBurning !On Wednesday evening last, V. H. J. M. Lam and John Sipe, who had gone in pursuit of the colored woman, CharlotteHarris, who it will bo remembered we stated last week induced x Jim Arbegast (colored) to fire the barn of Henry Sipe, and then make her eseapo, returned to Mr. Sipe’s with the woman is custody. It seems that they caught up to her at Henry Bank's (col.) about two miles east of Eax-loysville, Albemarle county. She was at once taken before Magistrate J. H. Sipp, Wm. D. Maiden and H, Argenbright, who gave her a preliminary hearing, the evidence being of such a character that she was ordered to jail. The greatest excit-ment prevailed, about one hundred persons being present during her hearing, but stillno throats were made or wero there any signs to believe the woman’s life would shortly be ta^en. When the hearing was concluded the hour being late, it was agreed to place the woman under guard and keep her secure until morning when she was to have been brought to town and lodged in jail, there to await the penalties of the law; but such was not the sequel. The guard comprised four persons, two to keep watch at a time so as to prevent escape. About the hour of 11 o'clock, two men who in color were black, madej] their appearance in front of the out buildings where the prisoner was confined, and rash-ing into the house drew their pistols anddemanded the peacable surrender of the woman. They informed the guard that ifthey surrendered her peaceably it would be well for them; if not, the consequently might prove serious. At this stage of the proceedings there came a sudden rush of a number of armed and to all appearance, colored men into the house who seized violent hold of Charlotte Harris, and at once proceeded to drag her into the open air and up the road toward Daniel Gilmer’s a dis^ tance of about,400 yards, where they bent down a Black Jack, tied one end of a rope to the top of the sapling and with the other u looped ” her neck, when at the word “let go,” up swung this woman, her body hanging dangling in the air where she shortly paid the penalty for the crime she was accused of.Such has been the tragbal end of this woman, and a swift retribution it was truly.We regret exceedingly that the good people of East Kockingbam thought proper to resort to such summary proceedings as was dealt out to Charlotte Harris, for had the law been allowed to take its course, the facts would all have been revealed and she could not possibly have escaped punishment. Figuratively speaking, we presume it was deemed best by those who, while their tempers were warmed over the injuries inflicted on a prosperous and peaceable citizen of East Buckingham, for them to be avenged, and to do this quickly and successfully, it was thought best to “fight the devil with fire.” We trust that no future occasion will arise within the limits of our county where the law will not bo invoked and a trial denied to a criminal no matter how grevious be the offence. We can sympathise and do with the people of East Rockingham when wronged and outv raged by human fiends, but let us all as law-abiding, peaceable citizens, appeal to the Courts to convict and to punish, for it is a dangerous precedent to * hang without judlt;2C or jury, for it has happened that innocent persons have lest their lives in the mad passions of the hour, when the frenzied wioaged would hear but one side of the question.It was several days before Charlotte Harris was cut down and buried.The boy, Jim Arbegast, was brought andlodged in jail the day following the hanging. and will shortly be tried, when all the facts of this deplorable affair no doubt will be revealed.icIaa\cIitaooslt;Wb.uhiairtInw(6atstretbacSfkeofanHcoroifcaanrywiwldaanlitnegoSli ali a i•sidantalfuliarthlt;acttoactercoiclaMiofenlEdex]tro“ I
Newspaper Details
Harrisonburg Rockingham Register
Harrisonburg, Virginia, US
Thu, Mar 14, 1878
Page 4
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 09 Jun 2020
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