The state herald., 1891-10-16
ALYNoA,NouN OMAHA.
A NEGRO Taken from Jail and Hanged
for al Awful Crime:

Omaha was the scene Of lynching
on the night Of the 9th. At noon Of that
day Ed. Neal was executed by the sherift
for the murder Of Allen and Dorothy Jones
and this seems to have had an influence
on the lawless element in the city. Their
victim, however, deserved hanging II
ever man did He was Joo Coe, dts
reputable negro who criminslly assaulted
hve-year old white girl, Lizzie Yates.
When 1t was reported that she had died,
the excitement became more intense.
"We'll lynch the niger" was heard on
every side, aud 1t was evident before
nightfall that the days excitement would
terminate in tragedy. Night came ON
with an ominous quiet. Few people were
on the streets. There was no jntimation
OF trouble In sight.
Suddenly about 80 there came q con
fused sound of tramping feet hurryin
along the paved street toward the county
JUL, and In remarkably short time the
Jail was surrounded. There was no or.
ganization apparent. No leader seemed
" SohAoA suC SAOWus LUIS htiCu ehS usA
hundreds shouting at once what to do. No
assault was made on the Jail for many
moments, the mob standing irresolute,
waiting for some one to lead. In the
meantime few policemen aud forca Of
deputy shcriffs that oficiated ut the legal
hanging were concentrated In the JUL
The mob WIS towering about the east ems
trance, clamoring for some one to start
trouble A rush was made for the south
door but 1t was efrectually protected by
An officer with revolver.
Tho energies of the mob were then di-
rected against the east door. A steel rail
was procured and in the hands OF dozen
men soon smashed in the steel door.
Whilo all this was going on Omaha's
police force OF ninety men were gathered,
but concentration was impossible. The
officers were lost in the crowd. Someone
suggested that the fire department be
called out and the hose turned on. But it
was not that kind OF mob The tiremen
came and laid their hose and tho crowd
simply carried away the lines and drove
the iircmen away.
Then thcre-Yas n. short parley and the
second door was assailcd. 1t did not take
the crowd long after tho second door was
passed TO effect an entrance to the cell.
There, wrapped in u blanket, cowed the
trembling wretch for whom the lynchers
sought.
With one last yell Of terror the negro
was seized by the hands of men eager for
his blood and thrust through the corridor.
A lamb would have Jared better amidst
pack Of wolves. Coe was not torn limb
from limb, but he got thousand curses
and blow for every curse.
There is a driveway fifty yards long
leading from the jail TO the intersection OF
Seventeenth and Harncy streets. This 10
paved with granite. Over this rough road
the wretch was dragged by his ruthless
captors. After he reached the door he
did not speak y word, and In all probabili-
~ WAS unconscious.
by the time the street was reached ho
was dead. 1t mattered not that life was
extinct. A rope was thrown over trolley
wire Of IN electric line. 1t had served to
drag the doomed man from his cell.
Then hundred hands pulled aud
hundred men surged back, and high above
the street. directly in front OF Boyds the
atcr swung the lifeless corpse OF omaha's
flcnd