From the Gainesville,Florida Sun, December 4-12, 1922:
SCHOOLTEACHER IS MURDERED
Escaped Convict Suspect
Blood Stained Razor and Shotgun
Found Concealed Near Scene of Murder
PERRY- Miss Ruby Hendry, 22 year old school-
teacher, was murdered while walking to town
from her home Saturday afternoon. Two Negroes
are being held in jail on suspicion, but authorities
said their investigation pointed to an escaped con-
vict, Charlie Wright, as the party who waylaid
the young woman a few hundred yards from
her home, slashed her throat and administered
heavy blows about the body. The negro Wright
is said to be an escaped convict from a Dixie
county stockade.
POSSE IS REPORTED HOT ON THE TRAIL OF BELIEVED SLAYER OF YOUNG
PERRY WOMAN; ONE NEGRO KILLED IN SEARCH
Sheriff and Men Scour Country Around Thomasville, Ga., With Bloodhounds
WHITES WITHDRAW FROM PERRY NEGRO QUARTERS
Deep Resentment is Felt Over Burning of Three Public Buildings of Blacks
PERRY, DEC. 6- (By the Associated Press)- Perry
awaited the return tonight of, or some word from the
armed party of 150 men who, headed by bloodhounds
and Sheriff Lipscomb, set out at noon today on another
report of the whereabouts of Charlie Wright, negro,
believed to be the murderer of Miss Ruby Hendry, last
Saturday afternoon.
The report was to the effect that that the negro was
hiding near Bainbridge, Georgia.
In the meantime, the word came from Madison
of the killing of another negro at the approach of that
town. Cubit Dixon, negro, was killed in connection
with the search for Wright. Dixon was killed on the Troy
road when, challenged by local men acting as guards,
he seemed to be reaching for a pistol. Two men opened
fire, killing him instantly. He was later found to be unarmed.
Tension which has gripped this Taylor county town
since the murder Saturday afternoon of Miss Hendry
tightened perceptibly because of the situation in the
negro quarters of Perry. Although there had been no
outward moves on the part of the blacks, close watch
is being maintained.
The Negroes are said to feel a keen resentment for
the burning of three of their public buildings since
Saturday’s crime. The burning of one building has been
an almost nightly occurrence since Miss Hendry’s body
was found. The negro lodge, a schoolhouse and a
building used as an amusement house, have in turn
been destroyed.
A report today that a negro had been killed today at
Greenville incident to the search for Wright could not
be confirmed.
SLAYER OF YOUNG PERRY WOMAN BURNED AT STAKE
IS TAKEN FROM SHERIFF AND PARTY AFTER BEING ARRESTED BY OFFICERS
Official Party is Overpowered by Mob of Thousands of Enraged Citizens
IS EXECUTED AT SCENE OF CRIME
Wright Exonerates Young Before Paying Penalty For Murder of Teacher
PERRY, DEC. 8 (By Associated Press)- Charlie Wright, negro,
accused of the murder of Miss Ruby Hendry, young school teacher,
was taken from the sheriff and burned at the stake at the scene of
the crime early tonight by a mob estimated at several thousand men.
The negro, along with Albert Young, negro, was taken from the
sheriff and his party as they returned to Perry to lodge the two men
in jail. Wright had been arrested in Madison, Florida early in the day
and Young was taken at Kindalou, Georgia. Capture of the two Negroes
came after a six day search in which hundreds of men from Florida and
Georgia counties had participated at one time or another.
Both Negroes were taken to a small stream a few hundred
yards outside of town, where last Saturday afternoon
the young woman’s body was found by a passing train crew. Wright is said to
have exonerated Young as the second negro who waylaid the
young woman. He committed the murder, he is said to have confessed,
while another negro robbed her. He did not name the other negro,
but said it was not Young.
Following Wright’s talk, the mob proceeded to strap him to a
stake. Pine wood and grass were piled at his feet and then set afire.
His body was burned to a crisp.
In the sporadic disorders of the past few days the negro
settlement has lost four of its public buildings. A negro church
was burned last night, while a schoolhouse, lodge and
amusement hall have been destroyed.
Negro Man is Lynched in Connection With Recent Murder of
Young Perry School Teacher
Arthur Young, Exonerated by Wright,
Killed by Infuriated Citizens
SHERIFF AND FORCES OVERPOWERED BY MOB
PERRY, Dec. 12- (By Associated Press)- The second of two Negroes
arrested Friday in connection with the murder of Miss Ruby Hendry,
school teacher, the previous Saturday, was lynched last night. Arthur
Young was taken from the officers as they were attempting to transfer
him to another jail.... Sheriff Lipscomb would not comment on the lyn-
ching tonight further than to admit he had been overpowered on the
road and the negro taken. The negro’s body was riddled with bullets
and then left dangling from a tree. The number comprising the mob
could not be learned.