The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1882-06-16
fHEL1WRENCE fYNcH1xG.

4HELAWKENCE iYNCH1xG.
PaEtiealars Of The Lynehinx OF Three
Negroes nc Lawrence, Kans.
The Lawrence Journal Of June l1th. gives
the following bit Of personal experience In,
connection with the recent lynching in that
city 0the three eolored murderers Of David
Bauaxan:
Yesterday morning We were enabled to give
only brief account Of the execution of Pete
Vinegar. 0eogxe Hobsrtson and Ike King. Nov
We can only tell what we saw ourselves.
About q o'clock We left the ofics. and near
Weimaa's saW conereeated perhaps adOzen men.
We listened to their conversation; and Judged
fron what tAey said that they intended TO at
teck the jail before morning. We met sheriff
Asher nearly in front of Willard's. and told him
what We thought would be done. Asher did mot
seem to place much eon6denoe in what We had
heard. but said he would endeayor toprotect ths
property Of the county and the prisoner IN bus
charge.
Shortly after. W met man on the street to
whom We told what We bad heard. and from him
learned that he had heard that something Of the
KIND might DO going On. Together We startedtD
see II there IVES any truth In the rumOr. We
walked to the south end of the bridge, but
found nobody on the street that would not %.
dinarily have been there. We then walked
Gown IN mont It the Jail. but saw NO one there.
Our friend said that perhaps the lynchsEoL.
might be secreted In the Iayine. and 50 We
walked down in front Of the foundry and looked
both ways. bat could discover NO one. At tho
corner Of Tennessee and Pinckney streets We
resolved to 60 directly to the railroad track
and look along the bank. When near Kim
balrs hume We heard the sound of the sledges
q work breaking the doors. Running up the.
bank We came to the Jail from the vacant
lots west of it A few rods from tie corner
We were met by . man with . gun IN his
hands. who ordered . halt. We gave him our
name, and told him what our business was.
wien he said. come inside the line" We
walked upin front of the Jail. near the picket
fence. and were sgAin halted. We tried to gain
permission to enter the Jail and zee wts was
going on. but were refused. We could hear the
pounding and the voices of tho men inside.
but were mot allowed to enter. About this time
Estes appeared on the south side of Pinckney
street. and attempted to cross over TO the jail.
did not seem disposed to heed. The click of
half dozen guns being cooked. and further
warning that if he did not stop they would
eu0Oes OIOuRnC MN 70 n1D beuDeu. onO nc STOP
ped. Hetrie1 to tell the crowd that he simply
wanted 70 talk with them. and bad not come to
oner any resistance; but they shouted back,
Stop where you are.
Estes made two attempts to get across tho
street farther west. but with no better result
We asked the priyileaeof going over and talking
with Estes to fnd out what he wanted, and At
last gained consent to do 20. Estes said he
wanted to zee If the Jail was being torn to pieces
that the keys were in his possession. and rather,
than have the property Of the county destroyed
he would be glad to tu1n the keys over, though.
he Thought that the move now being made was
. wicked and unwise one. Going back to the
crowd We were told to call Estesin. Estes came
and we were ordered to 90 for those keys. We
went to Estes house, drst south of the Baptist
Church, and from his wife obtained the keys.
h tuning. we were stopped a. before; we gave
the keys to Estes. and about that time the pris-
oners came out of the Jail led by the mob.
Robertson fell clear down ON his knees and!
begged for mercy. The prisoners and the guard
them were perhaps two rods
ahead of us. What was said ON the bridge we
could not hear. After the hanging was over We
were permitted with the crowd to walk up and
look over the side of the bridge where the lorna
of Vinegar, King and Robertson hung.
A line was formed and all marched back to-
the corner of Massachusetts and Pinckney
streets, where another halt WAS ordered 1t was
raid that certain tools used to open the iocks
had been left at the Jail and a. the leader ex.-
pressed It, I'VE do not mean to leave any tracks
behind" The procession was marched to the