...relavent to this article.
First, If you can find a better article from long established American, non-Local, non-blog, non-web only, Newspaper, which is held in as high regard as Christian Science Monitor and gives as many perspectives in one article as this article did,
and was about THIS subject (U.S./Southern reaction to this lynching apology resolution passed by the Senate), and was published within 2 hours of this article, I'd like to read it. It's not out there, I looked.
This was a very good (but not perfect) article, and your criticism of it is idealistic and just plain silly.
Second, I understand the issue. What the hell does this "Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute Home..." you posted have to do with your argument? Is that supposed to impress me? That has nothing to do with your nit-picking of the language in the first paragraph.
And, the first paragraph does NOT "...gives details of the *case* against Mr. Richards who was *accused* of murdering a man during a robbery...."
The first paragraph is a
very short summery of a very old, very Southern newspaper account, where the language used, would have been far too objectionable (so it had to be changed and modernized) if used today.
I can't even begin to guess where you were going with you Emmitt Till reference. Not only are you wrong about his case being briefly mentioned (it only referred to him as part of the retrial of Edgar Ray Killen, yes I know who he is), but combined with the previous sentence, it makes no sense at all, separately, they are both incomplete thoughts.
:think:How about this, you tell me how you would have written the first paragraph, but it must convey the same amount of information, in the same, or nearly the same, amount of space. Below is the original source material for you to refer to:
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Wayne County, NC - Court Records
File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by
[email protected]Smithfield Herald Jan 1916
A.T. Gurley Killed In Wayne
Negro Confesses the Crime. John Richards In Statement Implicates Other Negroes.
Goldsboro, N.C. Jan 8 - John Richards, Negro arrested this morning charged with the
murder of Mr. Anderson T. Gurley, in the presence of prison officials and newspaper
men this afternoon made a confession and statement in which he implicated as
confederates in the crime two other negroes, Isham Smith and Ben Coley. At the end
of an exciting chase this afternoon Smith was captured by Sheriff Edwards. Coley is
still at large.
The body of Mr. Gurley was found in the river near here yesterday morning about 10
o'clock following an all night search by officers and citizens which was inaugurated
soon after evidences were found Thursday afternoon indicating that the Buck Swamp
planter had been waylaid on his way home a short distance from Goldsboro, clubbed to
death, robbed and his body dragged toward the river, while his two horse team was
left wandering. Mr. Gurley had sold a load of cotton here Thursday and it is almost
postively known that he had amout $35.00 in cash on his person when he started home.
When his body was found only $3.30 was found in his pockets.
In his confession this afternoon Richards said he had shot a fellow several days ago
at a factory and was skulking to keep from being arrested; that he was in the
neighborhood of Wayne Red Brick Company's yard near the Little River bridge Thursday
afternoon when Isham Smith and Ben Coley came up with him and told him they were on
their way to hold up a "rich old man who had sold cotton today in Goldsboro" and would
cross the river on his way home and for him (Richards) to come along with them.
When they had been at the bridge a little while, they saw Mr. Gurley approach sitting
in his wagon, alone, and Isham Smith said "there's our man"; that the three of them
started walking slowly across the bridge and when Gurley passed they said to him
"good evening". He said "good evening", then Ben Coley walked ahead of the team and
Isham Smith who had a slim piece of iron walked behind the wagon until they got into
the curve of the road protected from view and at this point Ben Coley suddenly said
"Whoah" to the team and held them while Isham Smith sprang into the wagon and struck
Mr. Gurley over the head with the iron before he could rise from his seat, falling
him (instantly) and killing him with a second blow on the head. They then turned the
team back towards the river bridge, robbed the body of what money they could find and
his watch, knife and pistol and then threw the body in the river.
According to the evidence given the officers, John Richards went to a small country
store near the colored insane asylum about one mile from the scene of the murder early
yesterday (Friday) morning and tried to purchase a pair of overalls. Failing in this
he tried to get change for a $20 bill which plainly showed blood had been smeared on
the bill which had the appearance of being fresh. Frank Coley, another Negro arrested
by the officers stated that Richards had tried to get him to come into Goldsboro and
purchase him a pair of overalls, and stated to the officer that the pair of overalls
Richards had on while he, Coley, was in the presence of Richards was covered with
fresh blood and that while in his presence Richards picked up several hands full of
dirt and tried to rub the blood off the front of his overall jacket, which was well
coated.
Richards says Frank Coley had no hand in the murder.
(W.T. Gurley was actually William Anderson Gurley, son of Wiley Gurley and Sallie
Hines. Anderson was married to Lula Ellen Radford, daughter of William Taylor Radford
and Annie Holland.)
***
Smithfield Herald Friday Jan 12, 1916
Negro Lynched In Wayne
The Confessed Slayer of Anderson Gurley Is Taken From The Goldsboro Jail by a Mob of
a Hundred Armed Men and Hanged to a Tree Near The Scene of His Crime and His Body
Riddled By Shots
Goldsboro, Jan 12 - Taken from the Wayne County jail here by a mob of a hundred
armed men, John Richards, a negro, alleged confessed murderer of Anderson T. Gurley,
a prominent farmer of Fork township, early today was taken to Hooks Bridge, near the
scene of the crime, hanged from a tree and his body riddled by shots. Coroner C.E.
Stantey, who empanelled a jury to investigate the lynching, declared tonight that he
would have names of the hangmen by Friday when he will call upon the jurors to place
blame for the negro's death. He said the perpertrators will be punished.
The lynching, which was predicted by the News and Observer correspondent last week,
occurred shortly after midnight this morning. About that time Robert Anderson, the
jailer, according to his statement today, heard persons beating on the door of his
room. He arose, he said, and was confronted by members of the mob who demanded the
keys to the jail. He produced the keys, but the lock on the door of the jail cell
was found broken.
Deputy Toler was summoned by telephone. When he arrived on the scene the mob had two
Negroes, Smith and Coley charged with complicity in the crime by Richard's alleged
confession. Asked which Negro was Richards, Toler told the mob neither of the men were
the one they wanted. He was told to stand aside and the blacks were taken back into
the cell.
Richards was next produced, seized by a dozen men and rushed to a waiting automobile
in which he was taken to Hooks Bridge, other members of the party following in autos.
At the bridge the Negro was taken to a tree near where the murder is believed to have
been committed and hung to a high limb.
Stories of the lynching conflict. One is to the effect that the Negro was shot in the
head before the noose was tightened around his neck. Another states that he was hanged
and then his body filled with buckshot.
When the corpse was cut down and taken in charge it was found pierced by bullet wounds
in a hundred places. All the bark on the trunk of the tree to which the man was hanged
was shot away. The shooting, it is said, was done with pistols and shotguns.
It is not known whether the black confessed before he was hanged or what transpired at
the bridge.
Richards was arrested Friday, following the finding of Gurley's body in the Neuse river
near the bridge. He is said to have confessed to killing the farmer and is declared to
have named Smith and Coley as his confederates. The alleged confession, it is said,
was made in the presence of newspaper men and Toler.
Gurley was murdered Thursday afternoon when he was returning to his home in Fork
Township after selling a load of cotton here. He was robbed of $35.00. Richards was
arrested when trying to get a blood-stained $10 bill changed.
Smith and Coley, Richards is declared to have said, were not directly connected with
the killing, but are said to have been with him at the time.
The lynching, which is the first affair of its kind in this county, has created a
profound sensation here and in nearby towns. Coroner Stanley's announcement that he
will get the names of the lynchers also has caused considerable excitement.
Smith and Coley tonight were taken to Raleigh by the sheriff and were lodged in the
State Prison for safe keeping. No violence was attempted. Angry citizens forming in
groups here and there indicated that there might be further trouble and the step was
taken largely by way of precaution against another tragedy.
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The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access.