Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1897-01-28
WORK OF A MOB.
Three Murderers Hanged and Shot
at Alnite City. La
The Murderers Fight Each Other-They
Are Finally Tortured Into q Confes-
sion-Bodies Left Hanging
Tree.

| New Orleans, Jan. 2I.-Gus Williams,
John johnson and Archie Joiner were
iynched carly Wednesday morning by
mob in Tangipahoa parish, this state.
1t was originally intended to burn John
son andJoiner at the stake, but this idea
was abandoned at the latest moment
on the ground that it would iniure the
reputation of the parish, and the ne
groes were merely scorched enough to
make them confess. johnson. who was
only 20 years old, was charged with
being the principal in the murder Of the
Cotton household some months ago, at
which time MIR. and Mrs. John Cotton.
Mervin Stevens and Lizzie and Agnes
Miller were murdered, and Joiner was
accused of being an accomplish in the
| crime. The murder was So brutal and
revolving that it aroused intense popu-
lar excitement throughout Tangipahoa,
and it was felt that if the murderers
ever fell into the hands of a mob they
would be promptly dealt with under
lynch law. They were accordingly
taken TO New Orleans as soon as ar
rested and had been confined in the
parish prison here ever since to protect
them from the mob.
Taken from Jail.
Tuesday they were taken to Amite
City to stand trial. Tuesday night was
rainy and gloomy one in Amite City.
At ten O'Clock a party of 200 mounted
men, all armed with rifles and un-
masked, very quietly demanded the
keys to the Jail and the release of the
prisoners. The deputy in charge re-
fused, but when violence was threat
ened he quietly went to the different
cells, unlocking the doors and turned
over the three murderers confined in
the prison-Johnson, JOINER and VII
liams.
Lynehine of Williams.
johnson was Indifferent " hen he was
seized. Joiner and Gus Williams, the
wife murderer, were terror-stricken
and begged for mercy. AS soon as Viii
lams was taken out, he was told to
prepare for death. He dropped on his
knees and prayed. Then he was taken
to Little Zion church, where he was
told TO be quiet and pray and make
statement. He confessed to the murder
of his wife, and asked forgiveness for
lis crime. He was then placed upon
horse, a rope was tied about his neck
and the horse started. He dropped to
death.
Murderers Fight Each other.
1t took five hours to reach the Cot
ton farm, and day was almost breaking
when the party stopped there. The
two negroes were told that they were
to be burned, and, the rain having
ceased, large bonfire was built. The
men, now wild with terror, accused
each other of the crime, and each asked
the mob for permission to kill the
other. While the mob discussed the
question whether to burn the men or
not il was determined to let the two
murderers fight, and ring was formed
around them. They went at each 9TH
er, biting, scratching, tearing each 9TH
er in 4 wild manner for Is or 20 min
utes. but neither was much hurt.
Tortured Into Confession.
They were then separated and placed
in different rooms of the Cotton house
and efforts made to get confessions
from them, but johnson still stuck 10
his former story that Joiner had COM
United the murder. A majority OF the
lynchers determined against burning.
Used to force a confession from the
murderers. They were dragged through
the flames, their clothing burned off
them, and they were scorched, but not
seriously injured. After this torture
they oufessed-.Iohnson to the murder
of Cotton and of Mervin Stevens, and
Joiner to the murder Of the three wom-
en-, Mrs. Cotton and the girls
KiddIed with Bullets.
Joiner begged To be shot instead of
hanged, and it was first decided to
grant his wish and to burn Johnson,
but at the last moment it was urged that
they both be hanged, as Gus Williams
was, so they we're taken a quarter of
mile from the Cotton place and lynched
The mob fired about 800 bullets into
their bodies, which were left hanging
from The tree, and the men dispersed.
Victim of Apopiexy.
Milwaukee,, Jan. 25.--Otto Won Gum
pert, one of Milwaukee oldest must