Democratic Sentinel, Volume 12, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 December 1888 — SHOT DOWN AT THE JAIL [ARTICLE]

SHOT DOWN AT THE JAIL

SEVERAL MEMBERS OF AN ALABAMA MOB MEET DEATH. The Sheriff of Birmingham Protecta Hi* Prisoner at a Fearful Cost—Nine Men Killed and Many Wounded—History of the Crime Leading to the Tragedy. [Binulngton (Ala.) apesial.] A terrible tragedy occurred near the jail in this city. R. B. Hawes, charged with the wanton murder of his wife and child, was confined iu the jail. The finding of the body of the murdered woman, heavily weighted with iron, at the bottom of a lake, incensed the populace, and a large crowd gathered about the fail with the avowed intention of lynching Hawea. Sheriff Smith and posse were prepared to defend their prisoner, and warned the mob away. The crowd surged forward despite the warnings, when the officers opened fire, killing throe men instantly, fatally wounding seven, and injuring more or less seriously some thirty others. Those instantly killed were, Postmaster M. B. Throckmoiton, J. R. McCoy, and A. D. Bryant. Those fatally wounded were, A. B. Tarrant, Colbert Smith (colored), Chas. Jenkins, Branden, Frank Children, an unknown negro, and a stranger. Among the wounded were: C. C. Tate, who will die; LawTence Fitzhugh; A. J. Schiede, a mechanic formerly of Kalamazoo, Mich,, fatally hurt; J. T. Montgomery; Mr. Berkeley; Charles Bailey, of Boston, a Louisville and New Albany brakeman; John H. Merritt; Matt Kennedy; J. W. Owen, a carpenter; J. W. Gilmore, of Green Springs; Albert Smith, colored; W. A. Byrd. Postmaster Throckmorton was a very popular citizen. He was born at Louisville, Ky., thirty years ago and came to Birmingham in 1880 as agent for the Southern Express Company. About eighteen months ago he was appointed postmaster. He leaves a wife and one child. A. B. Tarrant, after the first volley, lay down on the ground with the hope of avoiding the flying bullets. Fate would not have it so, however, and a ball struck him ns he lay ou his face and langed up his back. After a few minutes’ suffering be died Mr. Branden, one of the dead, told a hospital attendant that he boarded at the house of the Sheriff of Etowah County at Gadsden, and that he came here on business in the United States Court. Mr. Berkeley, one of the wounded, was seated on the rear porch of W. Siddons’ residence when shot. William Youngblood, Mr. Alexander, and Edward Cooper, first reported as either killed or wounded, were not hurt. A. D. Bryant fell at the first volley. He was in front of the crowd, and was trying to restrain the mob at the time. Sheriff Smith has been arrested on the charge of murder. HISTORY OF HAWES’ CRIME. About a week ago the body of one of Hawes’ daughters, Mamie, was found in East Lake, apparently drowned, but examination of the body showed it to have been a ease of foul murder. Hawes was arrested for the crime on the following day, but stoutly denied his guilt. He said his wife and other daughter had gone on a visit to her relatives in Maine, and as they had been divorced for some months, though living together, nothing strange was thought of the fact that when arrested he was accompanied by a youthful bride. But Hawes’ story about His first wife’s journey was not believed and a search of his house showed every evidence of a brutal murder, but the bodies of the victims could not be found. Thursday and Friday searching parties searched every foot of wood for miles around the city, but strange to say no one suggested searching the place where the body was found at last. Saturday mornipg some one said: “Drag the lake at Lake View. 1 ” This is a pretty little sheet of water at the principal suburban town, two miles from the city and half a mile only from the house where the Hawes family lived. A searching party at once went to the lake with drag-hooks and began the search. 'About noon the body of Mrs. Hawes was found. It w'as lying on the bottom of the lake at the deepest part, about 200 feet from shore. The back of the woman’s head had been laid open by a terrible blow from an ax, making a frightful gaping wound. Securely fastened around the woman’s neck was a piece of railroad iron which would weigh fifty pounds. Another piece was tied to her waist and a third piece to her ankles. The thwee pieces of iron will weigh 150 pounds. Like wild-fire the news spread over the city. It was said the body would be brought into the city to the undertaking rooms, and in less than two hours the two streets leading to the rooms were filled with excited humanity. There were no threats, no loud talking, but in the faces of the crowd there was a look which meant death to the prisoner in the jail four blocks away if he could be reached. The officers decided that a sight of the woman’s body would inflame the crowd, and it was quietly taken out of the city under a strong guard. Two hours after the finding of the body two officers went to the jail and informed Hawes of the fact. He did not change color and had little to say, except to deny all knowledge of the crime. The sheriff thought it would be best to remove Hawes to Montgomery, and he was asked if he would be willing to don the uniform of a policeman and walk through the streets to the depot. He studied a moment and then asked if the jail was guarded. When told that it was he replied that he would prefer to remain in his cell rather than take the chance of showing bis face on the street. The other child, which had been missing, has not been found, but there is no longer any doubt that she has been murdered. The search for the body will be continued. The evidence against Hawes is most damaging, and it is now certain that he had one accomplice, perhaps more than one. Every statement he has made in connection with the matter has been proven untrue. A search of the Hawes house disclosed blood stains in every room. A bloody trail leading in the direction of the lake was also found. After the blood stains in the house were found Friday the building was left unguarded for two hours, and when the officers returned some one had entered through a window and washed away all the traces of blood, showing that there is an accomplice still at large. Wife No. 2 has gone back te her parents and will at once beging proceedings for an aanuUment of the marriage.