The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-05-26
DOUBLE ILLINOIS LYHcHING.
Rails and Royce Hanged by a
Mob at DanvilIe.
1he Assailants Of Miss Barnett and Miss
Draper Swung From the Gilbert Street
Bridge Yesterday MorninK-A Thous.
and Farmers In the Mob, who Lay
the Blame of Their Illegal Act On
Governor Altgeid.

DANvILLE, Ills, May s5-John
Halls, Jr., and Willie Royce. two young
men OF unsavory reputation, who as
saulsed Miss Laura Bsrnets and Mas
Lillian Draper, were hanged to the Gil.
bert street bridge, the scene OF their
crime, at $3.50 a. m. TO day, just as the
first streaks OF daylight were seen in
the east.
Shortly after midnight mob OF
farmers attacked the Vermilion county
jail and dem anded that Halls and Royce
be given up to them. Sheriff Thomson.
his wife and Deputy Sheriff Sloan be-
sought the men to depart. F. Barnett,
tho father OF the injured girl, said to
MRS. Thompson, MADAME, you never
had daughter outraged, and her blood
demand vengeance"
His reply was wildly applauded. By
this time railrt ad tie was secured and
with three blows the outer door WAS
battered in, the besiegers thronged In
and commenced work on the inner door.
From midnight, when the crowd first
made its appearance at the ail doors,
until the Victims were reached, 1t was
thu determined, desperate struggle of a
frenzied mob to mete summary Justice.
At 2 o'clock Sheriff Thompson sent
for Judge Bookwalter, OF the circuit
court who addressed the crowd from
the jail corridor. He assured tho men
that Halls and Royce would receive a
severe punishment is found guilty; that
the trial jury would do its duty.
AT first hie words produced q telling
the most prominent men in the county.
finally replied: Eyes, we know the iury
will convict them and give them o
severe sentence, but Governor Altgeld
will pardon them out"
Finally Royce was located crouched
and shivering with fear A rope was
placed over his head, and. while part OF
the mob kept close guard over him, the
others continued the search for Halls,
until he was discovered in another and
more remote portion of the jail.
Royce wanted to see his father, but
his father did not come. Halls said he
was not ashamed of what he had done.
They would not jump and they were
both thrown over the bridge railing at
a:45. They dropped thirty feet and
death followed, both expiring In fearful
commissions.
no Aoo WOO COm pOStQ Oh LDOuSAnQ
people, mostly farmers from near the
village of Indianola. where Miss Barnett
lived. Both boys protested their limos
cence, although they had been identi-
fed by Miss Barnett's companion yes-
terday al the jail. Miss Barnett hovers
between life and death.
The criminal assault was made on
Thursday evening on Miss Barnstt by
Halls and Royce, young men Of un-
savory reputation. Miss Barnet, in
company with Lillian Draper, was
walking on the Vermilion river bridge
when accosted. The girls started to
run. One man knocked Miss Barnett
down. MiSs Draper made her escape
up Main street, and her shrieks col
lected crowd, who started in pursuit
OF Halls and Royce, who dragged Miss
Barnett with them. They passed John
Downs, sn old man, who attempted to
interfere. He WAS knocked down by
Halls. Miss Barnett was found u noon
Ec!ous several hours later. Halls and
Royce were arrested, waived prelimi-
nary examination. and were bound over
to the grand jury.