The herald., 1893-07-08
A MOB'S MORBID REVENGE
Horrible Lynching Affair at
Bardwell, Ky.
Awful Vengeance Visited on a
Black Fiend.
The Ravager and Murderer of tn
Ray Girls Hanged.
His Body Then Mutilated and Burnsd
to a Crisp-The Culprit Died Pro-
testing His Innocence.
Was He Gutisj?
By the Associated Press.

BARDwELL, KY, July 7.-seay j.
Miller, the negro charged with the out
rage and murder of Mary and Ruby
Ray, was hanged at 1927 O'Clock this
afternoon and his body burned, after
being horribly mutilated. The negro
made speech proclaiming his inno-
cence, but it is said he afterward made
partial confession.
The steamer Three States, with sew
eral hundred men from Cairo on board,
met the special train from Sikeston at
Birds point. The prisoner was put on
the boat andfhe was taken to Wickliffe.
Frank Gordon, the fisherman who fer
ried the murderer across the Mississippi
river Wednesday night, identified Miller
as the Same man. Still Miller pleaded
innocence, and John Ray, father of the
murdered girls, coanseled patience.
The mob brought the prisoner to this
city, arriving at IL 80 O'Clock. There
were not less than 5000 people at the
depot, and the train was crowded.
Previous to this an agreement was
made by the people to allow the father
of the children to prescribe his punish
ment.. Sheriff Hudson, the prisoner
and guards mounted q scaffald which
was secreted, and John Ray, father of
of the murdered girls, made talk, in
which he said:
"This is the man who killed my chill
dren, but let us keep quiet now and at
the proper time burn him."
The negro was called upon and re-
sponded promptly, and with wonderful
nerve, considering the cumstances under
which he was placed. His voice was
clear, and he seemed oblivious to his
surroundings. His exact words were
as follows:
my name is Seay J. Miller. and am
here among you as stranger and
locked on by you as the most brutal
man that ever stood on Gods green
earth. am standing here an innocent
man among excited men who do not
propose to let the law take its course.
have committed no crime to be de-
priyed of my liberty or life. I am not
guilty"
At this time he was disturbed by
several questions and many called
on him to go on. But Sheriff Hudson
begged to be permitted 10 put him in
Jail and get some rest for himself, which
he needed 30 badly. 1t was finally
agreed to hang him at 8 O'Clock, and
the negro was placed in jail to await the
time when he would be called forth.
At 8 30 O'Clock the negro was brought
from the Jail to the principal street. A
chain was around his neck, and many
men were pulling at it. The crowd was
wild, and no one could guess at the fate
of the negro. He was almost suffocated
when the north end of the depot was
reached, and the father of the girls re-
Tented to some extent and suggested that
he be hanged, rather than burned.
At 8 :27 bis body was swung to tele-
graph pole directly at the north end of
the depot. and as he was drawn up his
clothes were torn from his body by the
maddened mob. He was heard to say,
just as they drew him up, 81 am an
innocent man." but there ia q fully
authenticated report that he made a
partial confession as the mob took him
from the Jail. The confession duplicates
partner, but nothing positive can be
learned.
The negro was drawn up, and when
two or three feet from the ground,
some one shot him from the front, the
ball passing entirely through the body.
In few minutes life was extinct, it be-
ing ascertained he was dead at 8 AS
O'Clock. The body was left hanging un-
til 4 rs. during which time some of his
toes and fingers were cut off. The body
was finally taken down and the ears cut
off; nearly all the remaining toes and
fingers were covered, and the body
otherwise mutilated.
The body was then placed between
two kegs and kindling piled upon it,
and then enough wood to complete the
job of burning. The crowd remained
orderly to the last, but very determined.
The men who did the hanging are from
Kentucky, Tennessee, Illinois and Mis-
souri,, but the work was done in such
manner, and the throng was 30 great,
that no man can name the individuals
who participated.
SPRINaFIELD, ILL.,, July 7.-Seay J.
Miller, the negro lynched today at
Bardswell, KY, for ontraging and kill
ing two white girls, has been living in
this city. He came last January from
Cairo and went to work in barber
shop. He went back to Cairo three
weeks ago, but his wife is still here.
She is almost crazed by her husbands
fate. Miller was muliatto and had
borne good reputation among the
negroes.