Petty, Louisville Courier-Journal, May 10, 1884

Elizabethtown, May 9– Last night about 1 o’clock sixteen masked and armed men rode into town, hitched their horses in the court-house yard and proceeded to the jail. The Jailer, Mr. Jos. Sweets, hearing a voice at the jail, went to the door, when a crowd rushed toward him, discharging their firearms promiscuously, some of the balls breaking windows in the jail and others entering the Jailer’s house. In an instant the Jailer was seized by the collar, and pistols were thrust into his face with the command, “Give us the keys or Miles Petty.” Then a shot-gun was discharged which the Jailer thinks was aimed at him. The Jailer informed them that the keys were in the house; when they said “get them damned quick,” and dragged the Jailer in doors. Mrs. Sweets, the Jailer’s wife, handed them the keys. In five seconds they were unlocking the doors; but, being unable to unlock one of the inner doors, had the Jailer brought at the pistol’s mouth. But just as he arrived, they succeeded in opening the door, and, seizing on their victim, they put him on horseback and hurried him away. This morning Miles Petty’s body was found swinging to a limb by the side of the Nashville pike, about three-quarters of a mile from town, with a card pinned on his coat, on which was written:

The news spread rapidly, and in a few minutes the road was filled with people going to the scene. The body was cut down by B.R. Young, the Coroner, and after the inquest was brought back here for burial.

Miles Petty, some time ago, accomplished a nameless crime upon the person of Miss Cora Vannert, a young lady living in the south end of this county, and was arrested and brought here and placed in jail. He was to have been taken back to Sonoro [sic], where his examining trial was to be had, when the officers learned that a mob had been organized to hang him. They went down on the train alone, leaving the prisoner here. When the train arrived at Nolin it was boarded by a mob which began a search for the prisoner, but not find him, made their oaths to come to town for him. The officers returned and had the prisoner hurried off through the country to meet the train to Louisville, where the prisoner was sent for safe keeping. The mob came in town that night and followed the officers so close they were compelled ta [sic] take to the woods until hey [sic] reached Brandenburg, where they crossed over into Indiana and reached Louisville in safety.

The grand jury returned an indictment against the negro, when he was brought out here, his case set for the trial and the prisoner returned to Louisville. He was brought back here secretly night before last for trial, and but few people here knew he was in jail at this place until this morning when they learned he had been hung. 

Many good citizens here denounce the conduct of the mob as an outrage, they he should be taken from jail and hanged just as the court was about to sit on his case. The jury had been summoned, and the trial was to have begun this morning, but at the time he was to have been put on the stand he was placed in his coffin, having been tried and executed by Judge Lynch. The excitement had about died out and a mob was little expected. The treatment of the Jailer last night was outrageous, and is so looked upon by all the good citizens of this place.