Henderson, Lexington Herald-Leader, August 21, 1890

Lynched!

John Henderson Strangled to Death on the Tree by Masked Men– Taken from the Versailles Jail at 2:30 O’clock This Morning– He Makes No Resistance Whatsoever so Far as Can be Ascertained– And Gives Himself Up to the Men Who Came After Him,– Saying, “I’m the Man Who Killed Satterwhite,” as He Surrenders– Jailor Shipp Compelled to Give Up the Keys at the Pistol’s Point– After Being Induced to Come to the Door for an Alleged Prisoner– The Hanging Occurs on the Farm of G.M. Fishback, Near Versailles– Story of the Unprovoked Murder that Led to the Lynching— How the News Was Received at Midway This Morning– Some Additional Circumstances Concerning the Murder

This morning at about 3 o’clock John Henderson, the murderer of Gilbert Satterwhite, was lynched at Versailles.

Henderson shot Satterwhite at Midway Monday night, besides fearfully mutilating his body.

At the time it was claimed the killing was wholly unjustifiable by the friends of the victim, and it was reported all day Tuesday that a lynching would surely follow the crime.

On Tuesday, however, the excitement had apparently subsided, and all seemed to be quiet. But it seems the mob, unlike most such reckless, thoughtless bodies, was biding their time while suspicion was being allayed.

Yesterday about noon John Henderson, the victim of the mob’s awful vengeance, was examined by a physician, who

Probed For The Ball

In his shoulder, which was in all probability inflicted by a messenger from Satterwhite’s revolver, although the friends of the murdered farmer claim that Henderson shot himself to endeavor to make it seem that the shooting was done in self-defense.

While the examination was going on it was noticeable that knots of people had congregated in the streets, some of them engaged in the

Low, Earnest Conversation

That is generally so fraught with significance. In this case it was evidently the first indication that death in the guise of retribution was coming to the man, who all unthinkingly reposed so quietly in the little jail at Versailles. What was particularly significant was the noteworthy fact that many of the

Faces Were Strange,

And not used to be seen in that village.

The ball was successfully extracted, and, although it was done outside of the jail, no harm was offered to the prisoner, who seemed unconcerned as if he had yet many years to live instead of a short span of fifteen hours, before he was put to death in a most swift and terrible manner.

The circumstances

Are substantially as follows:

About 2:30 o’clock this morning Jailor R.W. Shipp was awakened by a loud knocking at the front door of the jail where he and his family reside. He came to the window and inquired what was wanted. He was told that there was a policeman below from Frankfort with a prisoner, for whom a night’s lodging under the protection of the law was solicited. Arousing his deputy, Ed Yagel, the unsuspecting guardian came to the door.

Alas! for his future reputation for caution and discrimination. That was an unfortunate moment in his career. The instant the great door swung back on its hinges an unknown man thrust

A Pistol In His Face

And demanded the keys at once. The unprepared deputy was similarly intimidated. While these two, helpless and dismayed, were held at the point of the revolver, about twenty-five others, all masked, as were their companions, walked into the jail and proceeded to hunt for their proposed prey.

It was worthy of comment that everything was done in a most orderly and gentlemanly– if the word can be used in such connection– manner. There was no excitement, no unnecessary noise, no needless violence.

Some difficulty was experienced in finding the cell in which the negro was incarcerated, when to the surprise of the party, who had themselves expected to do all the surprising, Henderson came forward and

Gave Himself Up,

Saying in a firm voice:

“I’m the man who killed Gilbert Satterwhite. I suppose you’re looking for me.”

“Yes, we’re looking for you,” said a big fellow grimly, with a gruesome accent on the “you,” stepping up and laying his hand on the murderer’s shoulder.

The rest is soon told. It is a short, but terrible story. He was unceremoniously hustled out, unresisting, so far as anything can be found about the progress to the scene of execution, not even pleading for his life, perhaps realizing that such a course would be worst than useless.

The Place Of His Death

Was situated about one mile from the village on the Frankfort Pike, on the farm of G.M. Fishback. No further circumstances of the hanging are known, save that it must have occurred very near to 3 o’clock.

At the jail, after the conspirators left it, was all hubbub. It was not known what direction the little party with its dread mission had taken, and consequently it was useless to give the alarm. It was first heard of in Versailles shortly after 5 o’clock. The news was brought by Mr. Fishback himself, who, on getting up in the morning to go about his farm duties, found the body of John Henderson, wet with rain, and swinging gently in the morning breeze

Hanging To A Locust Tree

Near the gate by the fence which separates the farm from the pike. It was right over the roadway where all passerby might view it– a ghastly fruit for such an honest tree– not less eerie in appearance because of the fact that it was clothed in a white night-shirt, which, saturated with the shower, clung close to the swarthy form like a shroud.

Mr. Fishback states that the body when found depended about a foot from the ground.

The Death-Dealing Rope

Was what is known as “sea-weed,” a particularly stout sort of cord, and affected to a considerable extent in Kentucky lynching circles. It was of the regulation regulator’s size and did its work well.

From the appearance of the face, when the man was found, death had evidently come in one of its most hideous shapes. The eyes were bulging almost from their swollen sockets, the tongue protruded and the complexion, dark as it was originally, had taken on the dull blue shade of suffocation. The man had been

Strangled To Death

And evidently died in horrible and slow agony, by a torture which even Kemmler’s execution could not have surpassed.

When Mr. Fishback came to town he was naturally very indignant over the fact that a man had been hung right in his front yard on his well-kept lawn. His horror having partially subsided his sense of the eternal fitness of things welled up within him and he raised an awful row. He, however, informed Richard H. Gray and Coroner I.H. Parrish, and together they went to the

Scene of Retribution

And cut the corpse down. It was brought to town and an inquest was held upon it, after which it was conveyed to the undertaking establishment of W.S. Taylor to be properly prepared for burial. The county will pay for the interment, which will take place at Versailles.

The Coroner’s Verdict

Was short and to the point, and made without hesitation. It was as follows: “We, the Coroner’s Jury, find the body to be that of John Henderson, and that he came to death by hanging at the hands of unknown parties.” It was signed by the following: M.G. Shannon, A.J. Hay, Jefferson Young, Newton Scearce, Nathaniel Stone and John Hackett.

The dead man’s wife is in jail at Versailles, charged with being an accomplice in the murder, for which her husband suffered the penalty of a mob’s anger.

None of the names of the men, who took justice into their own hands, can be ascertained, but it is well-nigh a foregone conclusion that they were neighbors of Satterwhite’s.

The Crime
Short History of the Murder for Which Henderson Suffered Death

The details of the crime for which John Henderson suffered Haman's [sic] fate are still fresh in the minds of readers of Tuesday's Leader, in which paper it appeared at some length.

Monday night about 8 o'clock Henderson shot Satterwhite through the head with a revolver, then fearfully mutilated his victim's body with a razor. There was great indignation at the time, as Satterwhite was widely respected, and it was claimed that the murder was unprovoked and cruel.

Henderson's statement was to the effect that he found Satterwhite on the side of the road in a compromising position with his wife. Physicians, however, who made an official examination of the murdered man and the woman

Denied Any Intercourse

Whatever had taken place. This put matters in a very bad light for the negro.

Lynching was talked of at the time and the feeling grew instead of diminished with the result already given.

Situation at Midway
How the News was Received-- It Did Not Cause Much Surprise

At Midway the news of John Henderson's death came with the rising of the sun. In fact, if reports are to be believed, the lynching did not break with that surprise upon the little town half way between here and Frankfort that might have been expected in the natural course of things

The Town Was Prepared

For it. A gentleman now in Lexington who passed through Midway last night said that as early as 9 o'clock a knot of determined-looking men gathered at the depot and talked in undertones of something which was pretty generally understood to be the lynching of the murderer of Gilbert Satterwhite.

Mrs. Satterwhite has returned to Midway from Eminence, where she was visiting the family of James Williams, who married Mr. Satterwhite's sister. She is almost overwhelmed with grief.

Nobody in Midway is sorry about the lynching. The negro was generally disliked. As an example of his disposition, a Lexington man, formerly of Versailles, stated to The Leader that he had had

Henderson In His Employ

And that he was vicious, vindictive, and combative in the last degree. He was soon discharged. His being discharged from Satterwhite's employ is believed to be the true reason why the murder was committed.

J.O. McAllister and Robert Wallace, two Woodford county men, who are in the city today, state that several bullet holes have been found in Satterwhite's buggy, showing that the murdered man was shot at before he left his vehicle, and completely disproving Henderson's story of his wife's shame.

Satterwhite's Funeral

Occured Wednesday at his late house on the Big Creek pike near Midway. It was preached by Elder W.A. Broadhurst, who touched feelingly on the virtues of the deceased. After the services the remains were taken to Frankfort for burial.