The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1896-12-12

O'CLOCK, Lne jan III lnlS place was en-
tered by 200 unmasked citizens from
Ray county, and James Nelson and
Jesse Winner were taken therefrom,
and in short space of time their life
less bodies were swinging from Ray
county trees.
On Saturday of last week James
Nelson was brought here and lodged in
Jail with Jesse Winner. These men
were charged with the murder OF Mrs.
Jesse Winner and her two children,
which occurred five miles north OF
Richmond, about two months ago.
Jesse Winner was the husband of the
murdered woman and father of the
murdered children. He was suspected
of the crime and arrested on the day
after the murder and lodged in Jail.
On Wednesday of last week he was
brought here for safe-keeping, the
feeling being so intense in Ray county
that the sheriff feared that mob
would take Winner if he were kept in
Jail there.
On Friday night last James Nelson
was arrested for completely in the
triple murder, and he was brought
here Saturday for safe keeping, also.
On Saturday evening the air was
full of rumors about lynching, and the
Jail, by order of Judge Ryland, was
heavily guarded that night. Sunday
night, however, there were very few
men on guard. Sheriff Wright was al
his farm, near Wellington, and the jail
was in charge of Deputies Fulkerson
and Goode.
At 1905 O'Clock Monday morning
Night Watchman Crowder saw the
mob coming, while he was out on the
street, and ran to notify the guard al
the jail, but he was captured by the
mob, and held by it until they had
taken the coveted prisoners. The mob
surrounded the Jail without making
any noise and had the guards covered
with Winchesters before they discov-
cred that mob was in the county.
The mob demanded the keys to the
Jail from Jailor Goode, but he refused
to give them up. They told him that
it was the keys or death, but nervy,
brave, Deputy Goode said let it then
be death. Deputy Fulkerson drew his
gun on the mob, and in an instant was
covered by a hundred or more rifles,
and naturally Deputy Fulkerson with
drew his revolver.
Night Watchman Crowder was a
captive, but he shouted to the guards
to .'be brave, boys" and number of
guns were Immediately under his hat,
defying him to shout again.
Finding that they could not get the
keys, the mob went about breaking
into the Jail. They had all kinds OF
tools with them for the purpose; also
plenty OF dynamite, which they de-
clared they would use.
They broke the locks off the corridor
door and entered the Jail. Then they
broke the lock off the cell door and
they were in possession of the two men.
Winner and Nelson pleaded for their
lives. ssStanding in the presence OF
Almighty God 1 swear / did not muir
der my wife and children" pleaded
Winner. "I swear I'm innocent, +"
added Nelson, the voices of the two
men trembling in prayerful hope. But
ther pleadings were of no avail. The
mob was desperate. 1t had laid its
hands upon whom it supposed were
guilty of the triple murder, and Nelson
and Winner were not to be granted
mercy. The awful hand of death was
upon them. The immutable and uu-
charitable decree of Judge Lynch was
about to be executed. With head hung
low, Winner was led from his prison
cell, and Nelson, with head erect, his
teeth grating and his eyes filled with
tears, was brought out in the rear of
Winner.
The mob did its work quietly, and
with its two victims left the city, going
down Eleventh street to the river.
The captain of the mob left his over
coat, which is now in the possession of
one of the guards. There were no
masks worn by anyone in the crowd.
1t can be truly said that the deputies
and guards did all in their power to
save the prisoners. They could not
have saved them had they known the
mob was coming, unless they could
have gotten the prisoners out of town.
This was Deputy Fulkersons idea, but
no one thought there was any danger,