Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-09-11

On the morning named Mr. AiIDr1ghl
called Smith into the office and inform
ed him that his services were M longer
required and rendered him his wages
hich. according To Mr.. Allbrights
calculations. amounted To So 10. The
nsgro objected to this, claiming that
the amount was S3.25. He then went
away. but returned shortly afterwarsi
LOADED to the guards" with mean
whisksy and began cursing and abus-
ing Mr.. Albright in very loud and
threatening manner. Not desiring any
trouble with him, Mr.. Albright took
him quietly by the arm and led him
out of the room, at the same time tell
ing him tn go away and not modest
h i'm further. The negro apparently
intended to take Mr.. Albright at his
word, and. starting away. exclaimed,
That's all right, boss!" Mr.. Albright
then turned and started back leisurelv
into the hotel office, not dreaming that
the murderous fellow was stealing soft
ly back after him with large rock I'm
each hand. Mrs. Albright saw the
danger and uttered an affrighted
scream, but too late, as the deadly mis-
sile had already sped on its way, strik-
ing the unsuspecting victim CD the
left temporal bone and telling him 10
brutality, the black fiend jumped on
his PROSTATE victim and beat him over
the head with rock until il flew out
of his grasp, then seized heavy chair
and broke ii To pieces over the now uu-
conscious man; still not satisfied he be-
gan to stamp and kick him only desisr-
ing when compelled to BY the arrival
of one Of the gentlemen boarders. He
then jumped through an open window
to the sidewalk and sped like a deer up
the street, followed by a yelling aud
angry crowd of men and boys.
Just as the fleeing darkey reached
point in front of Albro & Babcock's
store he was met by officer Ben Jonas,
who, seeing that some thing was wrong,
grabbed the fellow and held him, at
the same time telling him to drop his
rocks. At first the negro did not want
to comply, but seeing the officer "go
back" after bis club concluded it was
best to surrender, which he did. He
was then marched off to the calaboose,
and uneeremoaiously hustled in, de-
spite of vigorous resistance. After
about one hour the prisoner was re-
moved and locked up in the county
Jail for safer keeping. 1t being learned
definitely that Mr.. Albright was seri
ously, il not fatally, injured, the people
became very Indignant, and threats of
lynehing were heard ON all sides.
The wounded man, after being struck
with the rock, lay in a comatose condi-
ton for several hours, and after that
became delirious, requiring the strength
and watchfulness of several men To
confine hiEl To his couch. DIR. Bartlett
was summoned and after examination
pronounced the wound to be very seri-
Gus aud probably fatal. Friends watch
ed anxiously by the bedside all day
and about 8 o'clock iD the evening were
gratified to discover that he was = little
better. On the streets everything was
unusually quiet. thus leading to the
belief that no lynching was probable.
This only proved TO be. however, "the
cain before the Storm"
A bout 1880 O'Clock on Wednesday
morning people living in close prox-
unity to the Jail were startled by
heavy blows, succession of agoniz-
ing yells, and finally by the sharp
report of about fifty pistols and guns.
This ended with defiant whoop and
again all was serene. Early next
morning passers-by were horrified at
the sight Of the body of negro with
gIaring eyeballs and distorted counte-
nance swaying in the wind, under the
north side of the remnant of the old
county bridge. DR.. Jones. the county
coronor, was notified and cut the body
down, removing 1t to the court hous'.
A jury was impanelled and after ex-
aminiug the body closely retired to
room and proceed to take testimony.
about fifteen witnesses were examined,
aud the jury finally arrived at the fol-
lowing verdict:
We, the jury, find that the deceased came
to his death by being hanged by the neck
and shot In the head and body With rife, or
pistol, and shotgun in the hands of q masked
mob of persons unknown to this Jury.
(Signed) T. f. RAY, Foreman,
l.. r. MICKEY.
GEO. BEGLEY,
w. n. CRAVEN,
X. s. SHRoUT.
Some of the jurors remarked after
ward that the only conflicting testi-
mony was in reference to tie number
of the lynchers, the estimates ranging
fro n fifteen TO seventy-five men. Con-
servative persons think from the noise
made there were not more than forty
men engaged in the work. All sorts
of improba BILE and absurd stories were
soon afioat, one of which was that the
mob had no trouble in effectibg an en-
trance, but found the key hanging on
q convsnIeat nail and unlocking the
door walked right in. Another was to
the effect that Sheriff Gardner was
hiding in the courthouse and quietly
watched proceedings from an upper
window. The facts ar. that the jail
door was battered down, presumably
with heavy hammers or crowtars, and
Mr.. Gardner was at home with the
keys in his possession, refusing to give
them up to parties who called at his
house and asked for them. The sher-
lift cannot be blamed in any way, as
he, in common with the majority, did
not dream there would be any lynch
ing, at least unless Mr.. Albright died.
1t has been alleged that the hanging
of the negro was done by parties wing
in Arkansas and other places outside
of Poplar Bluff. and 1t has further been
alleged that those engaged in the work
were part Of the floating popula-
ton" and not bona fide citizens. These
statements may he partly true, but we
do not believe it. Let Us not attempt
to shit the responsibility upon the
shoulders of innocent parties.-Poptdr
Bluff AdUocnte.
IRONToN CAMP, No. 160, Sons of
Veterans, meets every 1st and Sd Thursday
evening, each month, and every Tuesday