The Bossier banner., 1893-10-05
Lynching of Henry Coleman

er and school teacher, living near
Midway, attempted to assassinate
Capt. Thos. Lyles while Capt. Lyles
was at work in his store at Midway.
Coleman, when arrested by Sheriff
Thompson, denied the shooting, but
admitted that he and r. T. Brad
ford, a white man farming near Mid
wey, had plotted to kill Brooks Far
ley, colored, and that Bradford did
the shooting, intending to kill Far
ley, and not Capt. LyIes. Bradford
and Coleman were brought to Ben
ton and both jailed Wednesday
night. Thursday morning Coleman
voluntarily acknowledged to Sheriff
Thompson that he did the shooting.
and that Bradford was innocent
Bradford was released from prison
at once, and returned to his home.
Coleman had first implicated Brad
ford to gain time. He doubtless
thought, and correctly too, that if
he then acknowledged his attempt
ed assassination of Capt. Lyles he
would have been hung by the in-
censed citizens of the neighborhood
Wednesday night before he could
be jailed at this place.
Thursday evening late Coleman
expressed desire to be baptised.
Friday morning Sheriff Thompson
and others conveyed him to Black
Bayou, where he was baptised by a
colored preacher, and after being
baptised, again returned to his cell.
Friday afternoon at 1:45 an armed
body of about 75 citizens, without
disguise, rode mp to the Jail and de-
maded the Jail keys. Mr.. Thomp-
son most positively refused to give
mp the keys, when they were forci
bly, taken from him; the cell door
unlocked and Coleman taken out
mounted upon horse and carried
across Black Bayou, about half a
mile from the Jail, where he was
hung to tree about 800 yards from
the bridge on the Midway road
Just before dark his body was taken
down for burial by his relatives OF
friends.
Coleman admitted his guilt, anG
evidently believed all the time thai
his life would pay the penalty of hi,
dastardly crime. He voluntarily
wrote the following confession
which he handed to Sheriff Tbomp
son with the request that we pub
lish it in the Banner. We print i
exactly as he wrote it, without any
changes or corrections whatever:
Ny friends and relatives:-I leav,
to you all this testimony. (Henr,
Coleman Jr) is guilty of shooting
Capt Thos. Lyles of Midway La
for me to say l did it with any caus
more than to prevent him from seiz
ing what little property l had is ou
of the bound Of the truth. hav
weighed the matter carefully, ant
have desided that it is only the wa,
that God would have me to go.
is the way that he had to bring m
into his kingdom. o what a nobl
thing it is to have part in Christ
, L am now child OF God, and do no
feare to die. I am waiting and wi
ling to 60. God have for give m
for all that ever dun contrary t
I. his holy word. l hope these word
a will reach the ears of all of m
friends both white and black: an
: to my dear parents in particula
, May God change my poore old fail
er before it is too late. call my sil
q ful sisters o God is the prayers {
your servant. Go with my des
y loving wife and four little children
If be father for them and husban
is for my dear wife. and may thei
words rest heavy upon the mind
all of my young friends, never shoe
= any one. my col. friends quit Sd,
d ing that the white people is no frien
to the coIOre0. Nav I DprSoni1