Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-06-03
A REVOLVING SCENE.
Brutal Lynching of a Negro at
Decatur, Ill.
HOMESTEAD PROSECUTIONS DROPPED.
Cases Against Frick and the
Strikers Ended.
ENGLISH YACHTS RACING.
LYNcHING AT DECATUR, ILL.
No Opposition TO the Mob I'm . City o
$4,000 People.

LYNCHING AT DECATUR, ILL.
No Opposition to the Mob I'm . City Of
$4,000 People.
DECATUR, ILL.,, June a-Twenty-fve men
walked into this city of q, 900 people this morn
ing and strung up man on the principal street
without meeting any opposition. The victim
was Samuel Bush, q negro accused of outrss-
ing two white women.
The details Of the lynching were sensational
from start 70 finish Bush was in Jail awaiting
trial.
guard Of twelve men had been put in the
Jail and an extra force of men were put on duty
outside
About 800 curious people stood around the
jail all night, though most Of them thought no
serious attempt would be made to take the
prisoner out
At just O'Clock twenty-five men came on Q
rush up Wood street They were without
masks and moved in a solid body. They forced
their way through tie crowd and knocked on
the Jail door.
Deputy Sheriff Midkid and Special Officer
Foster sat Just inside and refused them sd-
mission.
One blow from Q sledge crashed In the wooden
door and the officers were surrounded by
| twenty-five armed men. The KEYS Of the jail
were demanded, but both officers declared they
did not have them. The men then went 70
work with sledge hammers and chisels on the
outside door. II was Of solid iron an inch
thick Twenty minutes elapsed before il was
| forced
Meanwhile the crowd Of Decatur people
| stood quietly outside. No one seemed 10 care
much. There was no talk Of resistance and the
Offlcer6 NJ adaSf for kfpo
objection
THE MARSHAL s1LEScED.
Marshal Mason forced his way through the
spectators and into the jail and started 10 sd-
dress the men at work. They seized him and
crowded him out Of the door. Some one gave
him hard kick In the stomach.
When the first door was opened another one
Of the steel bars held them another twenty
minutes. There was only an occasional yell
and altogether il was a quiet attack on Jail
The next bars across the corridor were forced
and with them a lock that opened all ths cells.
frightened negro inside pointed out Bush's
cell. Three men rushed in and found il ap-
parently empty; They jerked over the mat
tress and lifted il up, and out tumbled the
negro He had crawled inside.
PROTESTED INNOCENCE.
All day yesterday Bush shook with fear Nov
he seemed cooler than at any time before.
he said.
He was dragged into the Jail Office. So many
| men stood around that il took five minutes to
pull him through the crowd to the street An
this time Bush said nothing, but the crowd
yelled sxcitedly.
NewSof the attack on the Jail seemed TO have
spread over the town, and 500 people we're
there. In front Of the Jail is q telegraph pole.
drive toward that was made, but the
lynchers finally went to one about 800 yards away,
Que OF the most prominent corners in the city
and directly in front Of the court house. An
arc light made the street intersection ss light
as day. A rope made of halter straps had been
put around the negros neck When the crowd
stopped at the foot Of the pole he asked for
time 70 pray.
The men said: ..Give him all the time hs
wants."
THE PRISONER pRArrp.
He knelt down on the bricks and began 10
pray In . sinR-song way. He would call on
Jesus to come and take his soul aud
forgive the men who were numbering
him. and then declared that he was innocent
He prayed disconnectedly fully ten minutes,
while thousand people crowded around as
close together as they could, many testing and
not one seeming impressed with the swfulness
Of the scene.
Finally the spectators began to get inpatient
man had climbed half way up the pole and
stood in the glare Of the light all the time.
"Cut that short" he said. He gave thoss
women no time"
Others took up the cry. Hang him Hes
prayed enough" they yelled
The rope WAS given to the man on the pole.
He put IL over q wire and the crowd pulled.
The negro's body. now naked the day il was
born, swung up into sight four feet from the
ground and fell back The negro uttered no
sound.
An AWFUL SCENE.
A few in the crowd groAned. while others
yelled. hack driven into the crowd
against the protests Of the cabmAn. The negro
was told to stand upon il. He refused. Half
q dozen hands threw him up and held him while
the rope was tied to the cross arm on the pole.
The hack was driven away and the body fell
not two feet from the ground After hanging
for several minutes the negro was pronounced
dead and the body WAS cut down by Coroner
| Benduro.
The rope was cut down and divided among
the crowd around Among the lynchers
William Vest, husband Of the second woman
outraged, and Rolla Dill, brother Of the first
woman fssaulted.
THE DECEASED.
Bush was born at Mason, Miss, in 1860, 90 he
said His father and brother life there. He
came north three or four months ago and has
been doing odd Jobs around Decatur about six
weeks Monday, il is charged, he went 20 the
house Of Mrs. B. Dill and committed an assault
on her.
About IL o'clock Tuesday morning Bush, u
is alleged, went TO the house of VIM. Vest, eight
miles from Decatur, in Mount Zion township,
and finding the woman alone. outraged
her in the presence OF her small children
She only succeeded in escaping further
outrage by promising him money. News
Of the crime spread over the township. and
the farmers dropped their work and turned out
to hunt the negro, who, however, kept in the
n. So sl..s