Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-06-04
LYNCHING UPN0RTH.
SENSATIONAL FEATURES FROM BE-
GINNING TO END.
Nobody Cared Much Ne Talk of Re.
sistanoc-A Thousand People Tested
While tho Victim Prayed.
fBytelegrnph 10 the Dlspatch.I

DECATUR. ILL.,. June 3.-Early this morn.
ing n mob attacked the county jail and
lynched Samuel J. Bush. O negro who
made felonious assault upon Mrs. Will
liam ii. Vest in Mt. Zion townshIp last
Tuesday.
The details OF tho lynching we're sensa-
tional from start 70 finish. Bush was IN
jail awaiting trial. A guard of twelve men
had been put IN tho Jail and an extra force
of men were put on duty outside. About
three hundred curious people stood around
the jail oil night. though most Of them
thought no serious attempt would be made
TO take the prisoner out. At iust2 o'ciock
twenty-five men came In rush up Wood
street. They were quiet. without masks,
and moved IN a solid body. They forced
their way through the crowd and knocked
on the jail door. Deputy-SherlG Midkiti
and Special Officer Foster sat just in
side and refused them admission.
One blow from a siedge crashed IN the
wood work Of tho door. and the officers
were surrounded by twenty-five armed
men.sThe keys OF the jail were demanded,
but both officers declared they did not
have them. The men went TO work with
sledgo-hammers and chsels and worked
forty minutes at two doors. one OF solld
iron an inch thick and the other OF steel
bars. forcing them both.
Meanwhile the crowd Of Decatur people
stood quietly outside. No ono seemed to
care much. There was no talk Of resist
ance, nnd the officers were not unbranded
for making no more objection.
TrE 8oB DETERMINED.
Marshal Mason forced his way through
the spectators aud INTO the Jail and started
TO address the men at work. They seized
hIm and crowded HIM out OF the door.
There was only an occasional yell. and
altogether II was quiet attack on lall.
frightened negro inside pointed out
Bush's cell. Three men rushed n and
found II apparently empty. Ihev Jerkcd
over the mattress and lifted II up and out
tumbled the negro. Ho hal crawled in
eide. lie was dragged into the street
whore 1900 townspeople had assembled,
and taken 10 teieGraph-pole on one
OF the most prominent corners III
the city. and directly in front Of
the courthouse. An arc-hght made
the street intersection 90 light as day. a
rope made Of halter straps had been put
around tho uegrO's neck. When the crowd
stopped at the foot OF the pole, Bush asked
for time TO pray. Tho men said: "Glve
him all tho time he wants. He knott
down on the brIcks and began TO pray IL a
slng-song way. He would ask that the
men who were numbering him" be for
given, and then declare that he was inEO-
cent. lie prayed dI,connectledy fully ten
minutes. while thousand people crowded
around az closely together rs they could,
many testing, and not ono seeming I'M
pressed with the awfulness OF the scene.
TIE rRAY1NG "cUr edoHT."
Finally tine spectators began 70 get i'm
patient. man had climbed half way NJ
! . Ia. lou q D iH| .
all the time. Cur that short" nc SAID.
" lie gave those women no tine The
crowd took up the cry. Hang him be- 4
prayed enough, they yelled. The rope
was handed 10 the man ON the pole. lie
put II over a wire and the crowd pulled.
The negro's body, now naked, swung up
into wsht. four feet from the ground. and
fell back. The negro uttered no sound. 80
was put on top OF n cab and driven under
the pole, the rope was fastened TO cross
arm. the cab was driven away, ana the
negro was hanged till dead. The Coroner
cut HIM down this morning.
Among the lynchers was William Nost,
husband Of the second woman, and hollia
Dill. brother of the first woman assaulted.
TIE NEGRos cSmE'.
Bush was born at Mason. Miss, in 1853.
60 he sall. HIS father and - brother live
there. lis came North three or four
months ago and has been dong old Jobs
around Dec ttur about SIX weeks. Monday,
II is charged. no went 10 the house OF
Mrs. 4. Dill and committed en- assault on
her. About II o'clock Tuesday morning,
II * alleged. be went 20 tho house OF WI
liam Vest. eight miles from Decatur, III
Mt. XIon township and. finding tho wo-
man alone, assaulted her IN tho pre-
sence Of Der small children. She
only succeeded in escaping finally
bv promising him money. News OF the
crime spread over the township and the
farmers dropped their work and turned
out 10 hunt tho negro, who. however,
kept IN the brush until he got about twen-
ty-fye miles away. Then he came out and
was captured. lie admitted being ~
Vests and selZing Mrs. Vest by the arm
lust to scare her He denied assaultlng
her. A neiChbor identified him rs having
been near tho Vest house.
1t was the first lynchlng that ever oc-
Cured IN Macon county. The hundreds
of cltizons around the scene to-day took
II coollv, though they condemned tho
decd. tt is thought there Will not DO any
prosecutions.
GOyYESOR ALTGKLD 10 ACT.
SrRINGurLp. Ill, June 3.-Governor
Altge!d proposes to take cognlZance of tho
lvnching Of the negro Samuel j. Bush by
citizens of Decatur. He wired State sat
tOrucv Mills today to forward at once all
the facts IN regard 10 the lyncElng Of
Bush. and also what effort the JAller made
10 protect tho victim.