The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1897-05-17
BLACK BORGIAS
SWUNG FROM TREES
LynchinS Of Two Negro Women Near
Huntsville, Ala.
THEY POISONED THE BREAD
o'Kelly Family Taken Very Sick and
One Died-Molly Smith and
Mandy Franks Did 1t.

Huntsville. Ala, May 12.-(Special)-T
mystery of tho O'Kelly poisoning that has
bothered tn. people OF jeff. Ala. n small
town near here. for the past two months
has been solved and two Of the guilty par
ties have been Iynchod. Their bodies We're
found swinging 10 a trcs on the roadside
this morning. They were wom2n-Mo!lie
Smi.h and Mandy Frlnxs-both serN ants
in the O'Keliy household. The lynching
WAS done by a mob OF about twenty men
early tits morning. ard SO quietly was the
work accomplished that the residents of
the nelgbbcrhood knew nothing OF the
affair until daylight.
The first poisoning Of the o'Kclly family
occurred two months ago. and at first was
thought 10 have been accidental. Joshua
o'KelIy died in intense agony and party
of neighbors sitting up with his remains
on the following night were taken Niolehuy
ill., The poisoning was then thought To De
the work OF conspirators ana IA a quiet
way the young men IF the house set Ipo"t
TO solve the mysterious crime Last fllday
morning another wholesale poisoning "c-
CURED, and since then iynchnS Dee Hd7
been confidently expected
From the first suspicion has berh "ttd'h-
cd 10 two negro women who acted as
house servants. These women were placed
under e close watch Last m6ht Nioilie
Smith was captured making her way 10
Tennessee. Sne wore a pair OF men pp"lS
ana WIS taking herself from tho neighbof-
hood for good and all. The men VINO cap
tured ter took her TO the home of her part
ncr i'm crime Mandy Franks, and aroused
In. inmate. Together the Two WON. II
were taken "a short distanc" down lht rotu
10 a stretch OF woods ANA informed thtl
ii they had amy thlng 10 say thcy had DOL
ter say it,
Mandy Franks made fun confession Of
the crime ana said that she had been per-
suadcd to do il. she said that Mollle
Smith poisoned the family for tine iirst TWO
times but that she Uhc contessOr) commit
ted tie deed last week by placing rat poison
I'm the -four iron. which the biscuits Iot
breakfast were made. she dld IL AT lhc III
r,ction of MolIis White. who had been
removed from the kitchen on account OF
the suspicion attached to her. Every de
tail OF tie crime was explained. Mandy
said that the poisoning last week had
been carefully planned. she was employed
in the household as Kitchen maid. she
threw thv poison i'm the -four while carrying
# from the lock room TO the kitchen.
Mollie Smith refused go talk.
4 large rail- was placed across two trees.
ropes fastened 10 the nec&s of the women
and they were quickly drawn up. The bod
lis hung for several hours in the wind aud
rain and were discovered this morning by
"a colortd mail rider.
The members of the mob which did the
work are unknown. The story Of the
scenes at the hanging are public property.
Sherim Fulrham and a number Of Genu-
ties have repaired 10 the scene 70 mine
investigation. Further lynchinss may fol-
low. as il is understood that the two wo-
mon were not atone ian their guilt
The real instigator of the crime IS thought
To- bt. a man. II his Identity is asccrtained
lie viii also be lynched.
Third Negro Lynched at Jeff.
Huntsville. Ala. May IA third negro
is reported 10 havc been lyuched near
JEFF. Ala. last night. lie was implicated In
the wholesale poisoning Of the q Kelly
family.
The latest victim OF mob violence IS Jim
Nance. alias Williams. DISCHARGED negro
laborer. VINO is said TO have instiS1tcd the
poisoning in order TO wrcuk vengeance on
the D'kelly's.
The coroner today returned verdict IN
the case OF the two lynched girls OF death
at the hands Of unknown parties.
More Poisoned Water Victims.
Plkevlllc. ky. May l2.-(special)-T
more persons died this morning from drink
Ing poisoned spring water They are:
EDWARD MlNNIN.
MISS DGRCAS ALBERTS.
JOHN TOMPKINS.
Tampkins's wife and two children are
fatally in from the same cause As yet
chemists have failed to learn what poison
IS being used. and there IS no Chew TO the
identity OF the guilty parties.
Children Ate Poisonous Herb.
Richmond Va. May lo.-The four chill
slren of Mr. George Patterson. near Pamp-
lin city while wandering in the woods ate
hemlock root by mistake FOR angelica and
soon developed symptoms Of violent pois-
Oning