Wayne County, NC - Court Records

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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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