The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1897-01-23
A FIGHT. Then a Lynching.


ANTE CRY, La, Jan. 2O.-Arch Joiner
and John johnson, who at the last moment
confessed that they helped to kill the Cotton
family, and Augustus Williams, alias Nor
rissey, who shot and killed his young wife,
were hanged early this morning. The three
men are colOred.
Williams was strung up to an oak tree near
this place. Joiner and johnson were taken
to the scene of their crime. twelve miles from
Amite City, where they met their doom.
At l a. m. 800 men approached the court
house, most of them on horseback and some
on foot. They began searching the deputies,
so that they could get the keys to the jail.
After a delay of about ten minutes the men
found Deputy Wainwright in one of the rooms
of hotel and forced him to deliver the keys
before he had time to hide them. The
lynchers then entered the prison.
Johnson saw his executioners coming and
put on his clothes, as If in preparation for his
fate Joiner was told that he would be taken,
too, and he began to wall loudly.
Several men threw roth men down and tied
their hands behind their backs. johnson
asked one of the men if they meant to burn
him. He was told that the crowd meant to do
so, but this intention was afterward changed.
The three colored men were led out on the
courthouse green, where the horsemen sur
rounded them. The captain of the lynchers
told the people who had assembled that the
lynchers were there for business only, and
that if any one wanted to join them he was
welcome. A number oil. men accepted tins
invitation.
With long ropes attached to their necks, the
captives we're then led to Zion Church, on
Oak street, and there Williams was hanged
He was told to pray and he did so, after which
he was strung up.
A start for the scene of the Cotton murders
was made with Joiner and johnson. A rain
storm was prevailing and progress was slow
and disagreeable. Joiner and johnson
walked about mile, when johnson said he
could 90 no further as ne was exhausted. A
wagon was gotten and both men we're hustled
into it.
The night was dismal and this, combined
with the grotesque appearance OF the lynchers
as they rode slowly along muffied in big over
coats, was enough to fill the hearts of the
colored men with awe. There were about
200 men in line.
Arriving at the place where the hive muir
ders had been committed, Johnson and JOINER
were made to jump out of the wagon. joiner
had in some way loosened the rope on his
hands and, watching his opportunity, made a
daring break for freedom. He had gotten
but a few feet away when some one seized
him, and a short but sharp struggle took place.
Others rushed to the rescue and JOINER was
soon subdued. A rope was then put around
his neck
Joiner asked his captors to shoot him, say
ing that he preferred death to come in that
way He then requested to be permitted to
fight johnson, saying that Johnson had gotten
him into all his trouble and he wanted to get
even. johnson signifed a willingness to tight
and the crowd decided TO let the fisticutfs
proceed.
johnson, although much smaller than
joiner, put up good fight and dealt his an
tagonist some telling blows. The spectacle
of the two men fighting, as it were, on the
brink of the hereafter was a novel one.
Finally the crowd stopped the struggle.
Fires were then lighted for the purpose OF
burning the two men. At this stage OF the
proceedings Joiner confessed, saying that he
had killed Mr.. John Cotton and Mr.. Mervin
Stevens. johnson reiterated his previous con-
fession to the effect that he killed Mrs. John
Cotton, Miss Agnes Miller and Miss Lizzie
Miller. He and Joiner said that two section
hands. working near Independence, La, took
part in the murder Their object was rob-
berry, as they believed Mr.. Cotton had money
in the house No reason was advanced why
they did not kill Miss Maud Miller while they
were killing the others in the house. All the
victims of the murder were closely related
and lived together as one family.
1t having been decided to hang the muir
derers and not to burn them, the lynchers
hanged johnson and Joiner side by side and
fred volley into their bodies. Joiner S
head was almost shot off and johnson was
filed with bullet-holes The crowd then dis
persed and soon all was quiet again.