Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-12-24
LYNCHING OF A NEGRO FIEND
Vengeance Wreaked Upon Jim
Stone by 500 Men.
HANGED EARLY MONDAY MORNING
Prayed While His Body Was
Being Carved.
Died Declaring That the Crime with which
He Was Accused Was Committed by
Another CoIored Man-The Corpse Rid
died With Bullets by tho Angry Mob.

Mayfield, KY, Dec. 21.-Sheriff
Cook ana W. A. Usher arrived in this
city Yesterday morning, having In
charge Jim Stone, rapist who has
been in Louisville for the last two
weeks. stones trial was set for TO-
morrow in the circuit court. III. j.
Moorman and Gus Thomas had been
appointed to defend the negro and were
in close consultation with him nearly
the entire day.
Stone. who was charged with crimi-
nally assaulting Mrs. j. M. r. Green
at her residence, in this city, on the
night of November Gath, was arrested
by Sheriff Cook the day after the crime
was committed Stone denied his guilt,
but the evidence was overwhelmingly
against him. An order was received
from Judge Moss TO take the prisoner
to Paducah for safe keeping, and
Sheriff Cook with a number of depu-
ties started for the depot with the
prisoner to take the local freight for
that place. When the train arrived the
officers placed the prisoner in the
eaboose, and few minutes later mob
OF about 100 determined men SUR
rounded the car and demanded the
negro The sheriff refused to give up
the negro and tine mob was preparing
to overturn the car when Mr. Green,
husband Of the victim. appeared at
the side door of the car and asked the
crowd to let the prisoner depart in
peace. His request was granted, and
the train pulled out of the yard and
the negro was safely landed in the
Paducah Jail. That evening over
hundred well-armed men went to
Paducah for the purpose of lynching
Stone, but the McCracken county off.
cials had been notified of their in
tsntion and upon their arrival at the
Paducah Jail the negro could not be
found. Two days later Stone was trans.
ferred to Louisville, it not being
deemed safe to keep him longer in
Paducah. Sheriff Cook left for Louis
vile Saturday morning. and in fow
hours his departure was known all
over Graves county. When he arrived
here with the prisoner several unknown
men wers at the depot and followed tho
officer TO the county jail, and during
the entire day the jail was closely
watched to sec that the prisoner waa
not again moved away.
Last night, at 10. 80 O'Clock, mob Of
about 800 marched men assembled few
hundred yards from the Court House
and reached to the county Jail, ami
after breaking the doors of the prison
entered and secured the negro who had
committed the horrible deed. He was
carried to the court yard and swung up
to limb at , o'clock this morning. and
the mob fred shots through his body.
The jailer attempted to defend the
negro, but the mob demanded the pris-
oner in such manner that the jailor
was forced to surrender him. The
negro made statement to the effect
that another negro committed the
crime, but the mob paid no attention
to his words. The negro offered prayer
while knives were being plunged into
his body. A placard was pinned on
his body, announcing that he should
not be taken down until noon to-day
and advising several negroes residing in
Che city to take warning.