MOB OF WHITES KILL NEGRO MURDERER AT DEMOPOLIS

Trouble starts when Tutt ordered negroes to put horses out of rain

Demopolis, Ala., Aug.4.- Sam verge, a negro paid his life as a penalty for the murder by his brother,Richard Verge, of Vernon Tutt, a prominent planter of Marengo county, near Hall’s creek. A crowd of Tutt’s neighbors took Sam Verge from the Posse which had arrested him Saturday night. Soon after, the body of the negro was found, riddled with bullets.

Vernon Tutt was killed Saturday afternoon by Richard Verge, who fired a shot into his body. Some words had passed between the two just before the shooting when one of the negroes, either Sam or Richard Verge replied insolently to a request from Tutt, and attacked him,

Negroes Had Horse.

On Vernon Tutt’s return from Demopolis Saturday afternoon he found Sam Verge and Richard Verge, who were employed by him, in the store of O.D. Gandy, at Hall’s Creek. The negroes had just returned from Demopolis in Mr. Tutt’s wagon, and Mr.Tutt told them to go at once and put up his team; that as it was raining, he did not desire them out.One of the negroes replied in a very insulting tone that if he wanted the team carried home, he had better attend to it himself, and it was said that Tutt struck the negro with his fist. During the scuffle in Gandy’s store, one of the negroes got possession of a shot gun and Tutt and Gandy left the store, Gandy closing it. It is sad that Gandy went to his home and secured a pistol, giving it to Tutt. Tutt returned to the store and looked in through the window, when one of the negroes ,apparently Richard Verge, fired at him, the load of buckshot taking effect around the heart and lungs.

Tutt walked a short distance from the store and throwing his hand around his wounds fell to the ground. Gandy, not being able to reach his store, and having nothing with which to defend himself, left at once for McDowell, about a mile and a half away, to summon aid.

Verge Goes After Gandy

Sam Verge left after the shooting, and his brother, Richard, went to the home of Gandy and asked a negro woman where Mr.Gandy was telling her he was going to kill him. Not finding Gandy at home, he compelled a half-witted negro by in the employ of Gandy, to accompany him.

Sam Verge went to Tutt’s body, and turning it over, secured his pistol and went out to the woods.

A large crowd by this arrived from McDowell and not finding the negro, they left for the home of Sam Verge, a short distance from Gandy’s store. Verge was discovered cleaning a pistol. The negro was placed under arrest by C.W. Spidle and others. It was the intention of the posse to carry the negro to Belmont and deliver him over to the constable at Belmont, but enroute they were et by a crowd and the negro’s body was found shortly afterward near the scene of the trouble, riddle with bullets.

Policeman N.G. Railey and Leslie Armstrong left the city Saturday night in company with others, on a hand car, in search of the negro, Richard Verge. After searching the woods near Hall’s Creek they discovered a bottle, believed to have been emptied by the negro, as both of them had been drinking and had whiskey in their possession, Here whiskey in their possession, Here the trail was lost Sunday morning.

Boy Returns.

The half-witted negro boy returned to Hall’s Creek, having made his escape from Richard Verge. The country is being scoured for the negro, Richard Verge. He is about 35 or 40 years of age, ginger-cake color, about six feet tall, has a scar on his forehead. made sometime ago by receiving a blow from the pistol.