s generally credited, as it was not believed that
Ford was greatly hurt and the Negro was held to be fatally injured and
crazy at that. But that night, about 8 o'clock, a party of perhaps
twelve or fifteen men, a number of whom were known to the guards, came
to the house and told the Negro guards they would take care of the
prisoners now, and for them to leave; as they did not obey at once they
were persuaded to leave with words that did not admit of delay.

The woman began to cry and said, "You intend to kill us to get our
money." They told her to hush (she was heavy with child and had a child
at her breast) as they intended to give her a nice present. The guards
heard no more, but hastened to a Negro church near by and urged the
preacher to go up and stop the mob. A few minutes after, the shooting
began, perhaps about forty shots being fired. The white men then left
rapidly and the Negroes went to the house. Hamp Biscoe and his wife were
killed, the baby had a slight wound across the upper lip; the boy was
still alive and lived until after midnight, talking rationally and
telling who did the shooting.

He said when they came in and shot his father, he attempted to run out
of doors and a young man shot him in the bowels and that he fell. He saw
another man shoot his mother and a taller young man, whom he did not
know, shoot his father. After they had killed them, the young man who
had shot his mother pulled off her stockings and took $220 in currency
that she had hid there. The men then came to the door where the boy was
lying and one of them turned him over and put his pistol to his breast
and shot him again. This is the story the dying boy told as near as I
can get it. It is quite singular that the guards and those who had
conversed with him were not required to testify. The woman was known to
have the money as she had exposed it that day. She also had $36 in
silver, which the plunderer of the body did not get. The Negro was
undoubtedly insane and had been for several years. The citizens of this
community condemn the murder and have no sympathy with it. The Negro was
a well-to-do farmer, but had become crazed because he was convinced some
plot had been made to steal his land and only a few days ago declared
that he expected to die in defense of his home in a short time and he
did not care how soon. The killing of a woman with the child at her
breas