The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1892-03-18
THREE HELPLESS NEGROES
MURDERED AT MEMPHIS.
TAKEN FROM The JAIL BY A MOB
jagged to the Outskirts of the City and
hot Down Like DOgs-Huntlng for
the Victims Among Seventeen
Negroes Arrested on Suspicion
For Saturdays Shooting
in Memphis.

MEMPHIS, Tenn, March 10-The dawn
Of yesterday morning showed the dead
bodies of three negroes, riddled with
bullets and partially covered with
brush, lying in an open lot about one
and a half miles from the heart of the
city. The bodies, as they lay out
stretched with faces heavenward, were
mute reminders of the terrible
work of seventy-fve masked men
in this city at o'clock this morn
ing, The names of the negroes, whose
bodies were literally shot to pieces by
this mob, were Calvin Mcdowell, Will
lam Stuart and Theodore Moss. Their
crime was the ambushing and shooting
down Saturday night last of four dep
uty sheriffs in a bad negro locality
known as 1.-The Curve" while the Off
GERS were fulfilling their duty by look
ing for negro for whose arrest they
had a warrant None of the officers
were killed
About 3 o'clock this morning seventy
five men, all wearing black masks, APP
peared suddenly, on Front street near
the Jail The leader gained admit
tance by claiming that he was depu-
ty, sheriff and had prisoner. Once
inside he was followed by the mob.
They demanded of Waterman O'Don-
nell the keys to the cells, saying they
wanted the negroes confined in them.
Il have not the keys, replied 0'Don-
nell.
1--WE will see whether you have or
not" said the leaders of the mob and
they went through the watchman's
clothes. But the keys were not in his
possession.
There was :, hurried consultation
among the mob, wait of a few min
utes and rope was produced with
which the watchmans hands were tied.
Two men were then put over O'Don-
nell as guards. While this was going
on the jailer was sleeping peacefully
up stairs.
The keys were found in the Jail
Office, and the men filed swiftly into
the Jail and in minute were in the
cell room of the negro department.
Now began search. There were
twenty-seven negroes there, all under
arrest for completely in Saturday
nights affair and it was no easy task
for the men to distinguish the, wanted
negroes from the other blacks in the
dark of the night. On they went from
cell to cell, the thoroughly alarmed in
mates coming to the cell doors and UNI
Willingly aiding them in the search.
Alice Mitchell Peered Down on Them.
Alice Mitchell heard the noise and
from her cell in an upper tier peered
down into the strange and silent crowd.
Not word was spoken while the men
proceeded quickly and cautiously along
the rows of cells. Finally the negroes
wanted were found and hustled out of
the jail with ropes around their necks.
In few minutes the suburbs were
reached and the negroes met their
doom.
For the first time they were allowed
to speak AS the ropes were removed
said one: BE easy with us; turn our
faces to the west" Scarcely had he
uttered the words when the crack of a
revolver was heard and a ball crashed
through his cheek. A terrible volley
was poured in upon the shivering
negroes, who instantly fell dead in
their tracks.
The mob turned about after it had
completed it's terrible work and came
toward town. At the first crossing
the scattered and all disappeared as
they had arrived on the scene.