Western union. (City of Hannibal, Mo.) 1850-1851, 1851-01-23
From the Memphi. Eagle.
An Awful TRAGEDY.

About 2 o'clock p. NJ. Of Wednesday, =
negro, accompanied by II white man. called
at the Mayors office. The object OF the
negro was TO have paper, which purport-
ed 20 be a certificate o! bis freedom from
the County Clerk OF Lincoln County, coun.
tcrsigned by the Mayor and Recorder, in
order that he might travel upon the river.
Recorder Chester at once discovered the
certificate was forged, and determined TO
have the negfo detained as u runaway
Discerning into the sire c he called up
Messrs. POston, Waldran and Frazer, who
concurred with him in his opinion OF
the character OF the certificate. Mr.. Fra
ger made some remarks to the negro about
the incorrectness of his conlluct and Mr..
Chester went in search Of a police olfic er
TO take the negro into custody. Not find.
ing one .Nr. {. returned. lie told the ne
gro to go up into the Mayors office. We
now adopt n portion of the report of our
neighbor Of the Enquirer:
The boy obeycd with alacri,v saying,
very we'll sr-do as you wish lie had
ascended half the flight OF stairs, whsn Mr..
Chester, rs il reluctant TO be forced TO
have him put under arrest, called TO him TO
stop. The negro at once, and with appa-
rent cheerlulness, returned down stairs aud
stopped on the second step. Mr.. Chester
was standing in the doorway, Mr. Poslon
stood whiting a stick on one side, standing
ON the pavement. Mr.. Chester again, in
manner most friendly. expos,ulated with
the negro to tell the truth. and assured him
that he Should be kindly dealt with.
| 10 nj ~ hu "a III a
truth; am Il free man.
Mr.. Chester then turned to deliver n pa.
per to Squire Waldran, when the negro
drew Il pistol and fired it at him. the balls
(there were two, or both barrels were dis.
charged,) entered his head on the left side.
below the ear Mr. c. fell at once, and liv.
cd only five minutes, without speaking -
Frazer Il Brady promptly clinched with the
negro, who attempted to Use his pistol Il.
gain. Mr.. Frazer wrcsted the pistol from
him, an fin ling that he could not dis
charge it again, chaSllsai the negro ,cvcrc-
ly. The negro pleaded ior mercy. Mes,rs.
Frazer. L. 5. Latham and Brady 1T the time
having hold of him. lie was carried up
into the Mayors Office, and Immediately
knocked down 10y one OF the gentleman
named, and two ur three persons stood q.
YER him. An excited crow at once rushed
IN, and one Of the three gentlemen last
named strove TO keep them oil. Shortly,
Mr.. Ches,er's son, "A lad OF seventeen, came
in, crazed with his terrible misfortune. was
furnished with a pistol, and fired three slug,
into the negrc's back. They inflicted n
mortal wound.
The negro was hurried of to the Gala.
boose. a crowd excited to frenzy by the
spectacle of the dead Chester, followed.
compelled the surrender OF the calaboose
keys, dragged out the negro, and in view
of an immense crowd, swung him up to
the nearest tree. lie confessed that he wns
a runaway, before dying. Within thirty
minutes after the commission of his horrible
crime, he had paid IL terrible penalty. Ills
oilencelcss victim. poor Chester, the mild
est, and most amiabc Of gentlemen, never
spoke after he was shot.