The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1893-07-15
VENGEANCE.
Q. j. miller, tho Murderer of the Ray Sis.
ters, Hanged.

ters, Hanged.
BARDwELL, KY, July Sc, j. Miller,
the mulatto charged with outraging
and numbering Mary Ray and her lit
tie sister, and whom the people OF
Bardwell had resolved to burn at the
stake, was saved by the father of the
murdered girls from death by fire
Friday, only to be hanged by a mob
and mutilated and cremated after
death.
Miller was arrested in Missouri and
was brought back to Birds Point by
the mob of Kentuckians who had pur.
sued him. Friday morning he was
taken to Wickliffe, the county seat OF
Carlisle county, for examination.
The evidence against him seemed to
be overwhelming and conclusive,
though he protested his innocence,
and ut II o'clock Friday morning he
was brought to Bardwcll, the scene OF
the crime.
A pile of timber ten feet high had
been built near the station. and upon
this it was proposed to burn the un-
| happy man to death. AS soon as the
train came to standstill the crowd be.
gan to shout for the prisoner.
Burn him burn him!" was the cry.
AS they entered the first car to search
for Miller, Sheriff John Hudson and
his prisoner escaped by the rear car and
hurried away. They were seen, and in
a moment the mob was yelling at their
heels. Into the street poured the howl.
ing mob, willis a detachment which
had made Il detour marched down the
street and headed off the officer
and the Negro. Seeing that it
was useless to resist, the sheriff
turned back, took Miller to the pile of
timber, upon which Miller was COM
pelled to Chamber. The sheriff and
guards followed him. Immediately
5000 people surrounded the pile, clam
oring for Miller's life. Up to this time
Miller had exhibited Indifference to his
fate, but when standing upon that heap
of timbers facing the mob, and in ex.
pectation of death in it's most terrible
form, he wept and silently raised
his shackled hands above his
, head as If imploring mercy
The Negro then addressed the crowd
saying:
'Plense be quiet, everybody My name is G
1
lives ut No. Tl6 North Second street am her,
! among you to-day looked upon rs one OF tn,
most brutal men before the people stnnt
, here surrounded by men who are excited-mei
who ere not willing to let the law take it
course-and, as far as the crime is con
, cerned, have committed no crime
and certainly crime gross enough t
deprive me OF my life and liberty. / ha,
some rings which I bought in Bismarck of
jewel peddler I paid him s4.5o for them.
I 1nft ,~,{,1 a11I arcH Ipx, <NS Ilxyu
came to Alton; from Alton 1 went to East 81
Louis, from there to Jefferson barracks, theme
. to De Sofa, thence to Bismarck and thence I
Piedmont thence to Poplar Bluffs, thence
9 Hoxie and to Jonesboro, then on freight ca
to Maldon, then to Sikeston. On the day wa
I supposed to have committed the ofense was q
Bismarck Well. gentlemen"
Here he was interrupted, the mo
shouting, LET him talk" but ther
was too much noise and he could no
be heard.
For Gods sake, gentlemen" sal
the sheriff, 81 must take this man t
9 Jail. / am bound by my oath to delive
;. this man to Jail"
The mob, which had quieted by thi
;, time, shouted, Eyes, take him to ja
until o'clock, then we want him."
=. The prisoner descended from the ho
rible pile of inflammable materials an
" was taken to Jail At 3 o'clock the ia
was surrounded by the mob. Befor
, Miller was taken from the Jail Mr.. Ray
!, who had lingering doubt as to tn
:, guilt of Miller, proposed as con
promise with the mob that Miller /
:. hanged. This was agreed to and a rus
- was made for the Jail.
AS Chief of Police Manoney was Jus
leaving the prison the mob rushed
and seized the prisoner. He was stri]
n ped and his shirt was tied around h
legs. A chain was placed around h
r body, and, followed by mob, he VIZ
S led through the streets to the depot an
d lifted onto the pile
u There were shouts of "Set it on fire
l. burn him." but they were not heede'
ID The chain was taken from Miller
& body and hooked around his neck.
IL man climbed the telegraph pole, I'll
t chain was passed up to him and
% made it fast to the crossarm. Otht
m men placed a forl1ed stick betwee
lr Millers hips, lifted him several feet an
Dc allowed him to drop.
&c 1t is thought that the first fall brol
III his neck, but the operation was r
re peated. Then numerous shots WEI
s. fired into his body, and he was lie
lie hanging until they were satisfied
n was dead. While the body was ham,
I'd ing there both ears and nearly all tt
toes and fingers were cut from IL
corpse. Later the pile was fred aI
70 the hody was cremated.