The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1897-09-29
A KENTUCKY LYNCHING.
The Victim Guilty of a Peculiarly
Heinous Crime.
Fury OF the People Given Unrestrained
yent-Lynchers Make No Attempt at
ConCcalmcnt-Strung Up In the
Presence of Hundreds.


the Commercal-Tribune from Hawes-
vile, Ky, says: In the broad opening
glare of a Sunday sun, in the midst of
| a protracted revival, not mask to be
seen, and in the presence of hundreds
of Infatuated people, Raymond Bush
rod, negro, at o'clock this evening
was made to pay the penalty of his hell
ish assault on the person of 14-year-old
Maggie Roberts.
He was swung from limb in the
courthouse yard.
Bushrod was from Rocl<port, Ind.
Several months ago he was taken in and
treated kindly by Willis Clark, farmer
in the upper part of the county, only to
betray Clark and steal his watch. For
this he was released two weeks ago
from tho county Jail, after having
served a sentence of 156 days. He was
in town yesterday and drinking. In
the afternoon he set out afoot, going
west ON the Texas railroad.
Three miles below town, near Petri
Station, he encountered Maggie Rob
crts. daughter of Ben Roberts, prom
inent farmer. He ran her down, as
saulting her. and accomplished his hell
ish purpose. In addition to this he beat
and bruised her with an iron coupling
pin and left her to die.
The news of the outrage spread and
a searching party was sent in every di-
rection. Guards were sent to every
slziff for twenty miles, and his escape
to Indiana was well-nigh impossible.
Failing in his attempt to cross at Tell
City. he made back over the railroad
and was captured in hiding at Falcon, a
mining town four miles below the scene
of the crime. Bushrod fell in with a
fortunate crowd of four, who brought
him quietly to Hawesvllle and surren-
dered him to the jailer while the town
was deserted, searching for him. In
the meantime the officers got wind of Il
mob and he was secretly guarded i'll the
graveyard ON the hill until morning,
when he was again locked up.
But the people had been determined
all day. Early they came-afoot, on
horse. in wagons and on trains They
were impatient for darkness. 1t was
rumored that militia would arrive at
1910 o'clock for his protection. The an
CRY crowd would not stand this, and
they placed trusty sentinels on the hill
overlooking the town to give sign if
the train bore such protection.
The militia failed to come, but at this
time the officers thought it opportune
to play ruse, and the mob, now al
ready furious. were led to believe that
he had escaped from behind, and a hot
pursuit followed. The trail was fol-
lowed on a square, when the broad
open attempt to spirit Bushrod out of
town was discovered. 4 few-chosen
guards, however, stayed at the jail,
and as he was brought out the mob
formed in front and the officers were
made to yield. The excitement at the
time was intense.
Cannellton, Ind, had outpoured upon
us, and promptly at ) o'clock the march
to the court square was begun. Halt
ing in front of a great shady poplar,
with limbs and twigs overhanging the
most public street in town, a selection
was made and everything was in readi-
ness for the first lynching in Hancock
county.
In the meantime Bushrod was given
an opportunity for confession and
prayer. His confession was complete.
He stated that he was guilty, and this
was the third offense, one successful
effort having been made upon his 60
year-old aunt.
After offering up his last supplica-
ton, long and fervent prayer on
Bonded knee, the signal to haul away
was given, and with pinioned arms and
legs he was dangling between brick
and tree.
The applause as he went up was deaf
ening. 1t only showed the determine
ton of the people. In four minutes he
was pronounced dead, and Coroner
Mitchell cut the body down and sum-
mOned a jury, whose verdict was that
Bushrod came to his death at the hands
of unknown parties.
During the day and at the critical
time the county officials did what they
could for the prisoners protection. but
public opinion was too well defined.
Identification of the accused was
complete. He was taken before the
girl last night and identified. Four
others also added their strength to the
Identification
Thus does this quiet, sleepy little viii
lage beat all lynch records. On Sun
day, unmasked, on the public square
of a county seat, man is hung, and
all in a stones throw of four churches.
After the lynching the mob's leader,
an Indiana man, made little speech
in which he pointed to the grewsome
corpse, saying: Here's the protection
we offer our wives and daughters"