Thirty-five years ago, two men walked into a newspaper office in Robeson County and took 17 people hostage.

On Feb. 1, 1988, Eddie Hatcher and Timothy Jacobs –two members of the Tuscarora tribe – walked into the Robesonian newspaper office in Lumberton with sawed-off shotguns and chained the door closed behind them.

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The men wanted to bring national attention to what they saw as rampant corruption and racism in Robeson County.

Long-time WRAL employee Jay Jennings remembers the day well. He’s worked at WRAL News for 43 years.

“Lumberton is [about] an hour and a half-ish drive,” Jennings said. “And, we're trying to scramble Sky 5, because this is the story of the day. [It was] making national news.”

Tap to listen: Amanda Lamb explains the history of the Robesonian newspaper hostage siege in "Follow the Truth" podcast

Jennings was in the newsroom that day, along with long-time WRAL anchor Charlie Gaddy.

“I was working sort of as [Gaddy’s] producer, and he said, ‘What can we do to push this story forward?’” Jennings recalled. “And, I just [said], 'Well, why don't we just call the Robesonian?’”

From the set, Gaddy dialed the number – and a receptionist picked up on the first ring.

The receptionist told him Hatcher and Jacobs wanted to speak to Gov. James Martin. Gaddy asked if one of them would talk to him. Incredibly, they did. Hatcher spoke with Gaddy on the phone.

“Eddie, this is Charlie Gaddy,” Gaddy said. “How are you?”

“Well, it’s a tense situation, and it’s getting more tense by the hour,” Hatcher said. “That dark is coming, and I’m afraid they’re going to make an unwise move.”

Eventually, WRAL News took the interview live on air.

“Good afternoon, everybody. I’m on the telephone with Eddie Hatcher,” Gaddy said on TV. “Eddie is in the offices of the Robesonian in Lumberton, and he is one of the men holding about nine people hostage.”

Gaddy said no one had been hurt, and asked Hatcher what he intended to do.

Hatcher and Jacobs released some people early on, but the hostage situation lasted 10 hours.

After negotiating for pizza and cigarettes that they shared with the hostages, they made a deal with the FBI agents and surrendered at about 8 p.m. on Feb. 1, 1988.

Watch the full phone conversation between Charlie Gaddy and Eddie Hatcher:Click or tap here

“To be part of history, when it's all said and done, I look back, and it was an amazing day,” Jennings said. “It was one of those days that made me proud to a part of WRAL and what we can do for the community.”

After serving time for kidnapping, Hatcher later murdered someone and died in prison in 1999.

According to the Robesonian, Timothy Jacobs, now 54, was released and still lives in Robeson County.