Birmingham state herald., 1896-02-16
OFFICER SUGGS AVENGED His Slayer Hung and RiddIed
 With Bullets.
THE MILITIA CALLED OUT
The Mob CIeyerIy 0utwitted the Officers and Soldier Boys and Finished Their lob
 in About Ten Minutes.

Montgomery. Feb. 15.-(Special.)- About as neat and effective a lynching was held here tonight as has been re- corded in this section for many years About midnight last night Robert Will Hams, negro railroad man, shot and killed Police Officer John L. Suggs, who was attempting to arrest him for wife beating. Williams escaped.
 This afternoon some white railroaders at Cowley Station met the negro walk ing down the track. They arrested him and held him until three officers from here arrived on the 6:30 train and took charge of him. When 1t was announced that the man would be brought here whisperings of lynohing were heard. The state troops here were assembled, and were marched to the depot to assist the officers assembled there in protecting the prisoner. In the meantime the mob as- sembled at a point two miles from town, where the Western railroad crosses the Savannah, Americus and Montgomery. IA state law requires the train to stop at every crossing. The Western stopped to- might for three reasons-the law required 1t, the engineer saw a red light. the dan ger signal waved and he also noted D number of pistols pointed at him. Sev- eral dozen men almost in second filled the coach, overpowered the three off, cers in charge of the negro, threw rope around the victims neck and jerked him from the train. They dragged him half mile to the nearest tree. bound his feet and hands and suspended him about 4 feet from the ground and then wrapped him to the tree.
 There were 300 or 400 in the party, and all took a shot at the. body until 1t was literally riddled. The men then dispersed. It was all done within ten minutes. The negro confessed his guilt to the officers on the train, but said he hoped he would be tried by the courts.
 This is the third of Montgomcrys pa trolmen to be killed by negroes within ten years.
 History of the Crime.s
 Patrolman John F. Suggs, one of the best and bravest of Montgomery's police force, was shot and killed last night after midnight in the suburbs of the city by Robert Willia ms. negro wife beater. Williams wife had complained at police headquarters during the night of her husband having beaten her. and Officer Suggs and Officer James Lacey were de- tailed to go out to the woman's house in the suburbs to arrest him. When they reached the house they saw Williams In the doorway, and he seeing them, ran. Suggs went on one side of the house and Lacey on the other As Suggs reached the rear of the house he found Williams standing near another doorway quarrel Ing with his wife. The officer called to nlm 10 surrender, Wnereupon tne heBTo drew a pistol and opened fire. the first shot striking the officer under the right arm and penetrating his right lung. He returned the fire, however. and ran after the negro few paces, when he stumbled and fell dead. Officer Suggs was the largest man on the force, being consider ably over 6 feet in height and powerfully built. Williams has until two weeks ago been employed by the Georgia and Ala bama railroad as car coupler. He lived fin Atlanta until few months ago. it is stated.
 Officer Suggs was locomotive en- gineer on the Western until about year ago, when he went on the force. He bore an excellent character here and had many friends. Every officer of the city and county who can possibly do so has Interested himself in the search for the murderer. Mir Suggs leaves wife and -four children.