ganized a company for the purpose of effect ing their objects, and, whenever practicable, called in to their aid such military volunteers as were accessible. Mr. Lynch became the head of this or ganization, and, as another writer on the subject has said, " his methods were striking." On this fact, and the pronounced and pic turesque individuality of the man, must rest the curious circumstance of a person in this remote rural district so impressing the popu lar mind that his name should become iden tified forever with acts of mob violence, and constitute an integral part of the English language. Under his direction, suspected persons were arrested and brought to his house, where they were tried by a court composed of himself, and the gentlemen above named, the latter sitting as associate justices. From this circumstance he was afterwards often called "Judge Lynch." The accused was brought face to face with his accusers, heard the testimony against him, and was allowed to defend himself, to call witnesses in his behalf, and to show mitigating or ex tenuating circumstances. If acquitted, he was allowed to go, " often with apologies and reparation." If convicted, he was sen tenced to receive thirty-nine lashes on the bare back, and if he did not then shout "Liberty Forever," to be hanged up by the thumbs until he gave vociferous utterance to that patriotic sentiment. The death pen alty was never imposed. When the ac cused was found guilty, he was tied to a large walnut tree standing in Mr. Lynch's yard, and the stripes inflicted without delay. It is said that they were laid on with such vigor that as a rule even the stoutest hearted Tory willingly, and even eagerly, yelled for "Liberty " without necessitating a resort to further means to bring his appreciation of that divine blessing notably to the surface. After the sentence of the court had been executed, the prisoner was released with words of counsel and admonition, which, in
connection with the facts already experiment ally acquired, left him a wiser and more dis creet, if not a better man. The requirement that persons convicted should " shout for liberty " is indicative of a sentimental, patri otic ardor characteristic alike of the man and the times. One of the Tories arrested, was found to have papers of great importance to the Royalists, and relating directly to the con spiracy against the Continental government. These documents were discovered ingeni ously concealed in the cavity of a large, square bedpost. Owing to the amount and character of the information this conspirator evidently possessed, it was deemed unwise to allow him to go at large. After inflicting upon him the usual castigation, therefore, he was assigned lodgings in an outhouse on the premises, with a strict injunction not to leave the yard, under penalty of severe punishment. No guard was assigned to watch over him; but so thoroughly was he impressed with Mr. Lynch's methods, that his orders were scrupulously observed. The fact that the death penalty was never imposed has been accounted for on the ground that the Quaker proclivities of Mr. Lynch, acquired in early youth, were never eradicated. This theory, however, appears equivocal, and it would seem far more prob able that it was due to a native sense of humanity; for although it may be that the Quaker principles which at first influenced him were never entirely lost sight of, they certainly became so modified about this time as to admit of his making for himself a record in the sanguinary profession of arms. Toward the close of the Revolution, he raised a regiment of riflemen from the sur rounding country, and himself became its colonel. Marching southward, he joined General Greene in the Carolinas, and was present at the battle of Guilford Court House, fought March 15, 1781, holding position on Greene's right flank (Si mm-' s
