Sarver, Canton Stark County Democrat, March 9, 1882
Article Transcription Untitled Bob Sarver, colored, was lynched in Simpson county, Ky., Monday night for attempted rape on a bright young white girl named Sina Ruley, on last Friday. Her screams brought help and the fiend got off but was arrested on Monday and while going to jail the train was stopped by a crowd at Franklin, and roped off from the limb of a tree.
Newspapers.com
HANGED BY A MOB. A NEGRO LYNCHED IN TENNESSEE FOR AN ATTEMPTED OUTRAGE. NASHVILLE, Tenn., March 7.—Bob Sarver, who attempted to outrage the person of Miss Tennie Ruby, near Franklin, Ky., last Friday, was taken from his guards while they were endeavoring to take him to Bowling Green for safety Monday night by a mob of about 75 armed and mounted men. They carried the negro to the spot where the attempt was made to commit the crime, about 10 miles from Franklin, and hanged him to a small tree immediately on the side of the road. The Coroner was given notice to-day, at o’clock, and. [sic] with a jury, went to the scene of the tragedy. The body was cut down and the jury returned a verdict of death at the hands of an unknown mob. The negro was hanged with a small rope and a hangman’s knot was tied as if done by an expert. His feet almost touched the ground while suspended from the tree. He was about 18 years old, and had a fair reputation in the neighborhood. The young lady is an orphan, the child of very respectable parents, beautiful. [sic] and pure, with an untarnished name. She was attending the district school, being only 16 years old. She was greatly admired by the whole community and an especial favorite of the social circles in which she moved. Not a word of regret is heard by any one as to the tragical result of the attempted outrage, which was one of the boldest on record, being in sight of three houses and on one of the most public and frequented roads in the county.
Documenting Racial Violence in Kentucky, Sarver, Robert
Sarver, Louisville Courier Journal, March 7, 1882
FRANKLIN. A BLACK BRUTE BOBS UP SERENELY IN THE TITLE ROLE OF A LYNCHING DRAMA. [Special to the Courier-Journal.] FRANKLIN, March 6.—A negro man by the name of Bob Sarver was taken from the custody of officers to-nightm as he was being passed into the 8 o’clock train for the purpose of safety, by a posse of indignant and resolute men, and lynched. The crime was an attempted rape on a Miss Ruley, a school-girl sixteen years old, who was on her way home from school. Her home is in the western portion of this county.
Louisville Courier Journal [Louisville, Ky.]
Sarver, Cincinnati Enquirer, March 8, 1882
SWIFT AND SURE Is the Justice of Judge Lynch, And From His Decision There is No Appeal—How Bob Sarver Paid the Penalty of His Crime. SPECIAL DISPATCH TO THE ENQUIRER. BOWLING GREEN., March 7.—Your correspondent has just returned from the scene of the lynching of Bob Sarver, colored. It occurred on the edge of Simpson County last night. On Friday evening, as Tina Ruley, a bright and handsome young lady, aged about fifteen, but fully developed, was returning from school, she was set upon by a burly negro and thrown to the ground. He attempted to accomplish his most hellish purpose, but was frightened off by the loud and continued screaming of his unfortunate victim. Miss Ruley, as soon as she was able, went to her aunt’s near by, when the alarm was given. She knew and described the fiend, and at once the neighborhood, infuriated and excited, arrested Bob Sarvers, who was forthwith brought into the presence of the young lady. Her aunt, Mrs. Walters, fearing an execution then and there, persuaded the girl not to identify him, when Sarvers was released. This done, the girl at once said: “That negro, Sarvers is the man.” In the mean time Sarver had fled. Pursuit was begun, and he was traced to Warren County, where he was arrested on Sunday. That night he was taken to Franklin and lodged in jail. Monday the whole country was in a state of ferment, the negro having confessed the whole thing. The authorities, fearing a mob, the culprit was placed in charge of Deputy Sheriff Robert Nerly and guard to take to Bowling Green for safe-keeping. The train reached Franklin, north-bound, about eight o’clock, and Sarver, with his guards, took passage. As the train was about to move out the engineer was approached by two men, revolvers in hand, and ordered to extinguish his lights, and not to move without orders from them. The engineer obeyed. The train was then surrounded by at least a hundred men. Three men with weapons drawn entered the coach where the officers and prisoners were, and at the point of the bayonet took Bob Sarver from the custody of the Sheriff. Not a word was said, but they immediately proceeded to the place where the outrage was attempted, some eight miles north of Franklin. His hands and feet were tied, a rope placed around his neck, a convenient limb took the place of a scaffold, and Bob Sarver was launched into eternity. Who did it no one knows, but all say it was a swift and just retribution.
Sarver, Daily Memphis Avalanche, March 8, 1882
RAVISHER LYNCHED IN KENTUCKY. Nashville, March 7.—Bob Sarver, colored, was lynched at Franklin, Ky., to-night, for an attempt to rape a white girl 16 years old named Ruly.
Morton, Louisville Courier Journal, February 5, 1897
Charge, writing an insulting letter to a young unmarried white woman
Article Transcription Title: A Warren County Negro Was Lynched. HE INSULTED A WHITE WOMAN Quick Work of a Small Mob From Rockfield. THE GUARDS WERE OVERPOWERED Bowling Green, Ky., Feb. 4.—(Special.)—Robert Morton, colored, was hanged by a mob about three miles from Rockfield, shortly after midnight last night. The lynchers went about their work in a quiet way, and the people of the vicinity were so reticent on the subject that nothing was known here of the affair until noon to-day. Rockfield is a little station on the L. and N., ten miles from this city. It is said that the negro, a son of a section hand at Rockfield, yesterday wrote an insulting and insinuating note to Miss Tommie Johnson, a well-known white woman of Rockfield. When this became known a posse started at once to arrest Morton. When they found him, he ran, and the officers gave chase, capturing him only after threatening him several times. After his arrest, he was taken to a house on the Russellville pike, not far from town, and put under guard until he could be brought here and lodged in jail. About 12 o’clock a party of men appeared at the house, overpowered the guards, and took the prisoner away from them. They then proceeded with him about three miles from Rockfield, and hanged him and quietly dispersed, going to their homes. Morton’s body was found this morning at 9 o’clock and cut down. Morton was about twenty-one years of age, and did not bear a good reputation.
Morton, Nashville Tennessean, February 5, 1897
Article Transcription Title: JUDGE LYNCH HOLDS COURT And as a Result Robert Morton’s Body Dangled at the End of a Limb. A MOB’S QUICK VENGEANCE Negro Had Written an Insulting Note to a Reputable Young White Woman Near Bowling Green. BOWLING GREEN, Feb. 4.—(Special.)—News has just reached here of the lynching of a negro by the name of Robert Morton at Rockfield, this county, last night. The telephone connections between here and Rockfield were burned down a few weeks since, and it is hard to get the full particulars. A message from Petros, two miles below Rockfield, confirms the story, and gives the details as follows: The negro resided at or near Rockfield, and a day or two since wrote a note to Miss Tommie Johnson, a prominent and well-known young lady of Rockfield, asking her to meet him at a secluded spot between her house and the depot yesterday afternoon. It seems that she showed the note to some relatives or friends, who met the negro near the place designated in his note and attempted to capture him. The negro fled, and was pursued by the party, who fired four or fives times at him and wounded him once or twice. When finally captured, he was taken under guard to a vacant house, and while there another party came in and took the negro away from them and into the woods, where he was hanged. The crowd was composed of eight or ten men, and they did not return to the cabin, nor has the negro’s body been found. There is little doubt, however, that he was killed, and while none of the Rockfield people will say much about it, it is very certain that Morton is dead. The people of the vicinity of Rockfield are unusually law-abiding, and the insult to one of their most popular ladies must have been great to have caused them to have taken the law in their own hands. A report just received since writing the above states that the negro’s body has been found, and cut down, though no notice has been sent to the Coroner, who resides here. The young lady, Miss Johnson, is related to quite a number of people in this city and all over the county. A first report stated that she had been assaulted by the black brute, but this proves to be untrue. The mob was exceedingly quiet, and, having accomplished its work, dispersed without stopping to look over the matter. No one knows, and in all probability will never know, who composed it.
Morton, Owensboro Twice-A-Week Messenger, February 10, 1897
Article Transcription Title: NOT LYNCHED. Warren County Negro Boy Who Wrote a Young Lady a Note Only Whipped. Bowling Green, Ky., Feb. 8.—Robert Morton, the negro boy who was taken from his home near Rockfield, ten miles south of Bowling Green, Thursday night by the mob, has not yet been found. It is claimed by the people of this city that the negro was not lynched, but only severely whipped. Morton’s offense consisted in sending an offensive letter to Miss Tommie Johnson, of Rockfield. Her friends heard of this and several young men went to the home of the negro, took him to the woods and gave him one hundred lashes on his back. It is said the boy left the country, fearing more serious punishment.
Morton, Brookhaven Semi-Weekly Leader, February 10, 1897
Article Transcription Title: HE WROTE A LETTER. For That Offense Robert Morton, a Negro, Was Hanged by a Kentucky Mob. BOWLING GREEN, Ky., Feb. 6.—Wednesday night near Rockfield, a little station on the Louisville & Nashville, ten miles from this city, a negro, Robert Morton, was hanged. Wednesday Morton wrote an insulting note to Miss Tommie Johnson, a popular young white woman, and when it became known a posse went to arrest him. He ran, and they gave chase, capturing him after shooting him several times. While the officers were guarding Morton a mob overpowered them and took the prisoner out of their custody and carrying him three miles from town hanged him. The body was found yesterday morning.
Ardell, Lexington Herald-Leader, June 27, 1889.
Associated Press to The Leader. LOUISVILLE, June 27. – A mob went to the jail at Shepherdsville, Bullitt County, at 1 o’clock Wednesday morning. They demanded of Jailer Bowman the surrender of Thomas Mitchell and Charles Ardell, who were confined there charged with murder of a peddler named Joseph Levin. Mr. Bowman refused to surrender the men and took his stand in front of the food with a shotgun, declaring he would kill the first man who tried to pass. Mrs. Bowman, hearing the threats, and fearing that her husband would be killed, ran forward and gave them the keys, begging Mr. Bowman not to provoke them. The leader then unlocked the doors and went to the cell where the prisoners were confined. The jailer followed, begging them at least to spare Mitchell who he believed was innocent. They yielded to his entreaties, telling Mitchell he might thank Mr. Bowman for his life, and, binding Ardell, took him to the woods where they hung him to a tree. The men all wore masks and were on horseback. The crime with which the men was charged was a most flagrant one. Levin had stopped at a house near Shepherdsville last Thursday, and was showing his goods, when two tramps came up and asked for something to eat. They remained several minutes, and when they left, secreted themselves by the side of the road, a short distance away. When Levin came by they demanded his money, and, upon his refusal to give it up, shot him down and robbed him, broad daylight as it was. The shots were heard, and the men were seen running away. Levin, who was a Pole, was brought to his home in this city, and died last Sunday. On Friday Mitchell and Ardell were arrested and identified as the tramps. Ardell admitted the killing and said Mitchell had not taken a hand in the deed. Ardell’s right name is thought to be Harry Forrest. His father lives twelve miles from Pittsburgh, and is a well-to-do respectable man. He long ago disowned his son, who seems to have been thoroughly depraved almost from infancy. Mitchell lives in Jeffersonville, Ind., and has a wife and several children. He claims to be an engineer, and until recently was employed in the car works. He left Jeffersonville the Monday before the shooting and went to New Haven, Ky., in search of work. He failed to get a job, and was on his way home, “tramping,” when he fell in with Ardell, whom he claims to never to have seen before. Ardell persistently refused to talk about the shooting, but Mitchell did not deny it. He fixes all the blame on his companion, however, and says he begged Ardell not to shoot when Levin refused to give up the money. Mitchell had no weapon of any kind, and the pistol used was stolen by Ardell from a house several miles down the road two days previous.