San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-10-16

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MEMPHIS, Tenn, Oct. 16.-Jef-
ferson Ellis, the Fayette county
rapist, was strung to telegraph
pole at 1:45 this morning by $50
men within 200 yards OF the scene
of his crime. Before hanging the
Negro, the mob cut off his ears and
all of his fingers and mutilated
him in horrible and unmerciful
manner. Constable Farrow left
Galloway at 11:20 last night in
tending TO take the Negro to Son.
erville Jail, stopping at Prater's to
have him identified by the young
woman. Two hundred men with
shotguns in their hands or pistols
in their pockets, galloped after the
buggy in which was the prisoner,
80 men followed in buggies and an
other 100 had already gathered at
the place where the lynching was
to occur. Miss Prater was at the
Floyd house, which is about 300
yards from her fathers place.
When about mile from the house,
Ellis came near making his escape.
His hands and feet were tied with
a rope, his elbows were tied behind
him and he was bound to the back
eff the buggy seat. Nevertheless he
got his hands and feet loose and
would no doubt have jumped from
the buggy in few moments, for
he would probably have worked
the last shacklings loose. He was
handcuffed and the journey was re-
sumed.
The prisoner reached the Floyd
place at 1915 o'clock and all the
mob was with him. He was taken
into the house, where Miss Prater
identified him as the man who as
saulted her. AS soon as. she said
this an armed squad of men took
him from Constable Farrow. The
mob took charge OF Ellis while the
squad remained to guard the con-
stable. A small party took him
into the woods while the rest
OF the crowd gathered around
two big fires which had been built
in the yard.
1t is said that important infor-
nation about crimes com mitted in
the neighborhood was extorted
from Ellis.
About l:l0 the mob started with
Ellis for the pike where the public
road crosses the Louisville and
Nashville railroad. Here there is
also telegraph pole. A big fire
had been built at the place and
around it the mob gathered in a
circle. The handcuffed Negro was
on his knees before the fire. The
leaders of the mob told Ellis to
pray, but ne only looked at them
in a stupid manner. Being told
that he was about to die, he raised
his voice in Negro hymn" By
the time he finished the mob was
looking ugly. The fiercer element
were in complete control. Cries of
"burn him" were heard on all
sides. This fearful fate would prob
ably have been fortunate for the
Negro as subsequent events proved.
Amid the shouts of the mob a man
jumped to the Negroes side with
drawn knife in his hand. "Uut of
his ears" they cried. solve me
shouted one man. ~ want
a thumb" cried another. The bet
ter element OF the mob drew off at
this time and said they were not in
favor Of doing anything but hang
ing the Negro. Their protests were
not noticed. Being urged on by
the fierce ones in the mob the man
with his knife cut of the Negroes
left ear and held up the bleeding
trophy in full view OF the crowd.
The Negro screamed from his
torture, but his other ear was cut |
off few moments later. The mob
became madden at the sight of this |
work, and those who were mutt |
lating the Negro found ample en-
They next cut off all
his fingers, and then, tearing away
part of his clothes, they mutilated
him in a horrible manner. The
Negro was covered with blood and
his head looked like it had been
scalped. The mob was not even
then willing to end the Negroes
agony. They made him stand up
80 all the crowd could see him.
Finally, fully 80 minutes after the
torture OF the Negro began, the
rope was put around his neck. The !