The Lynching of
Daniel Slaughter

RALEIGH, N. C, February 20. — At a wedding in Allegheny county Saturday a large crowd assembled, among those present being Daniel Slaughter, of Carroll county, Virginia. Just after the wedding ceremony, Slaughter passed near an old man who seized his hand and made some remark. Slaughter spoke roughly and was told to leave the house. He did so, but in a few minutes returned. The friends of the old man were angry and a peacemaker endeavored to keep them back, while at the same time he told Slaughter to keep quiet.

Suddenly Slaughter sprang at John Bare and stabbed him to the heart. Bare fell dead and Slaughter made an attempt to again stab him, but the bride seized his hand. She was cut in the hand and arm and Slaughter dashed for the door. On the way he stabbed Edward Long, killing him instantly, and then fled. He was captured two miles away. There were threats of lynching, but he was safely taken to jail at Sparta.

Alleghany Star: The lynching affair that occurred near this place last week is a source of deep regret on the part of every citizen who loves law and order. It was the first and we trust will be the last in this county. There was absolutely no justification for it.

SPARTA, N. C., Feb. 23, 1894. On the 6th day of this month Daniel Slaughter, a young white man, of Caroll county, Va., was placed in jail at this place, charged with the killing of Henry Bear, in this county, near the Ashe line.

Last night he was taken from the jail by a possee of men and hanged to a chestnut tree about half a mile from town. Two of the lynchers were shot by the jailer in his effort to save the prisoner, one of whom is not expected to live. The jailer says he can identify their captain. The wounded man is already in the custody of the sheriff. From best information that can now be had all of the men were from Ashe county, near where the homicide occurred.

I am glad that I can say that the best men of Alleghany county are very much opposed to lynch law, and while Slaughter was believed to have been guilty of murder, yet they wanted him to have a fair and impartial trial before a jury. It appears that the friends of Bear were afraid Slaughter's friends would come and release him before the day of his trial, hence the premature lynching.   K. K. B.

We are also indebted to Mr. J. A. Caudill for a full account of the above.

Daniel Slaughter, the man who killed John Bart, another white man, in Alleghany county, N. C., about two weeks ago, was Saturday night taken out of the jail at Sparta by a body of masked men and hanged to a chestnut tree. The jailor attempted to protect his prisoner but was overpowered.

The murder took place at a wedding in Alleghany county. Among those present was Slaughter, of Carroll county, Va. Just after the ceremony had been performed Slaughter walked near an old man, the uncle of the bride. The old man slapped Slaughter's hand and asked if the thought he was much of a man. Slaughter replied gruffly and cursed the old man. Thereupon he was ordered to leave the house, but soon returned. He was told by the bridegroom to sit down and keep quiet, while the crowd was requested to stand back. Suddenly Slaughter drew a knife and sprang at John Bart, stabbing him to the heart. As Bart fell Slaughter tried to again stab him, but the bride seized his hand. She was cut in the arm. Slaughter dashed for the door. There he struck Ed. Long, killing him with one stroke. He fled, but was captured next morning two miles away. He said he killed the men because he was being slapped in the face. The feeling against him ran high and he narrowly escaped immediate lynching.

Two of the members of the lynching party were shot by the jailer. One of the wounded men was not able to travel and was left behind by his brother members. He is now under guard and is not expected to live. Slaughter, who was hanged, has five brothers, and it is feared they will try to avenge their brother's death. Great excitement prevails as a result of the lynching.

The lynching of Daniel Slaughter in Alleghany county is the first in this State in nearly eighteen months. Slaughter, who was from Carroll county, Va., was at an Alleghany county wedding, made himself obnoxious to the other people there and killed with a knife John Bare and Edward Long, both young men, and also wounded the bride who had tried to prevent him from striking Bare a second blow. Slaughter was taken to Sparta, the county seat, and put in jail. He narrowly escaped lynching at the time he killed Bare and Long. A mob went to the jail at night, and though one was shot by the plucky jailor, took Slaughter out and lynched him for what was certainly a brutal crime.

Alleghany Star: There is no truth in the reports in some of the newspapers that several of the parties who took part in the lynching of Slaughter have been arrested, and that about seventy-five of Slaughter's relatives and friends from Virginia, have been in Alleghany looking for the men who composed the lynching party.

A PROCLAMATION BY THE GOVERNOR. $300 REWARD.

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT.

Whereas, official information has been received at THIS DEPARTMENT that George W. Woody, late of the County of Alleghany, stands charged with crime of forcible entry of jail of Alleghany Co. and assisting in the lynching of Daniel Slaughter, confined therein. And whereas, it appears that the said George W. Woody has fled the State, or so conceals himself that the ordinary process of law cannot be served upon him:

Now, therefore, I, Elias Carr, Governor of the State of North Carolina, by virtue of authority in me vested by law, do issue this my PROCLAMATION, offering a reward of Three Hundred Dollars for the apprehension and delivery of the said George W. Woody to the Sheriff of Alleghany County, at the Court house in Sparta, and I do enjoin all officers of the State and all good citizens to assist in bringing said criminal to justice.

Done at our City of Raleigh, the 22nd day of March, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninety-four and in the one hundred and eighteenth year of our American Independence.   Elias Carr.

By the Governor: S. F. Telfair, Private Secretary.

Governor Carr offers a reward of $300 for the capture of John W. Woody, of Alleghany county, who is reported to him by the sheriff of that county to have been the leader of the men who recently lynched Daniel Slaughter. Woody has left the State, but if he is not careful somebody will capture him for the sake of the reward.

The Davie Times learns from a reliable source that the men who lynched Daniel Slaughter in Alleghany county and escaped the vigilance of the sheriff, were sent to a point in the far West via the Norfolk and Western railroad. They took the train in Virginia. They have made arrangements for their families to follow them later.

From the Alleghany Star it is learned that Geo. Woody, the accused leader of the Slaughter lynchers, was captured a few days ago. He gave $2,000 bond for his appearance at the next term of the Superior Court of Surry county.

The case of Woody and others concerned in the lynching of Daniel Slaughter in Alleghany county two or three years ago was finally disposed of at Forsyth court this week. The case against them was nole prossed. This ends a very wearisome and troublesome case which has caused no end of trouble to the courts of this district. Better let the law take its course.