[Marshall] Texas Republican, September 1, 1860
The Henderson Times of the 27th contains the following:
Hanged.—The vigilance committee found Green Herndon and his servant girl guilty of burning our Town, and they were hung on last Saturday night.
An application had been made, we understand, to bring Green Herndon before Judge Frazier upon a writ of Habeas Corpus, which, we presume, expedited the hanging. It is stated, that the brother of this man Herndon had been previously taken out and severely lynched, without eliciting anything from him. What became of him we are not advised. He is reported to be dead; another that he was turned loose. The proof against the parties condemned and executed, is only a matter of rumor in this community, and we are therefore not prepared to say whether the vigilance committee acted wisely or imprudently. We know several gentlemen connected with the vigilance committee personally, and have always regarded them as discreet men. How far they were effected with the prevailing excitement and the terrible disaster which reduced their town to ashes and many of them to want, we are left to imagine, not having visited Henderson since the fire. We cannot but believe that they had satisfactory proof of the guilt of the parties hung. We certainly hope they have done nothing that they may have cause to regret.