The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-01-21
LED TO THEIR DEATHS
NEGRO MrKDERERs TORTURED
and THEN HANGED.
Alabama Mob Executes Three NAL
efacfors, Who Comics. ON Being
Threatened With Fire Ore
Strung Up at the Door of a Church
Two Others Permitted 60 Fight
Before the HnngiDg-The Crowd
Wanted 90 Burn the Prisoners,
bat the Wood Was Too Wet

ANTE CITY. La. Jan.3s Three negro
nzE6ersrs are dead They are Area Joiner
s19 JoanSon xao 4 the last moment COZ
fesse6 their gu3lt o. killing the Cot1en fam
ily. and Gus Williams. alas Aorrtsssy.
who saof ana killed his young wife. The
bottles % the two former hang 20 Limb
oct in the woods about naif s. mile from tae
house II which iasv batcaered their vic
tins. The last negro's 5ocy was cut down
and an Inquest held over II.
LAST n.gaf about - men rode into town
ard took the shrse negroes from jail. tied
their nanss. and with long ropes attached
20 their necks I'D them away. When tie
mob reached the Little Zion church. on
Oak street. Williams vas hanged 70 a tree.
Then TIE death march was resumed.
TIE raia fell in torrents. When the pro-
cession had gone apout mile, Johnson de-
elaFed ne wotsld walk 10 further. A wagon
vas procured. and po1a prisoners were
hustled fnco s. There were probably z69
men Ia line. all exceedingly orderly and
quiet. When Independence was reached
& halt was made. and those wa0 desired
groeS after watch the march was re-
sumsc IN a soutaeastsriy direction from
Independence.
When within two miles OF the residence
formerly occupied by the Co.toa family
the crowd SET up a yell Just before reach
Ing CostOn's place, q few lines OF Nearer.
Ny God. 10 Taes. were hummed 10 dole
fgl tune.
Arriving AZ the Place where the FIVE muir
ders we're committed. johnson and Joiner
were made 70 jump out OF the wagon.
Joiner had lOosened the rope on his hands
and made daring break for freedom. He
gof off a fgw feet when some one grabbed
him. 4 short bat sharp taSsla took place.
Others rushed 70 Tie Rescue. and he was
soon subdGeG and a rope placed around his
neck Johnson did not endsavor 10 escape
Joiner set Up piteous rEoan and begged
70 be shot. He requested 20 be permitted
70 fight Johnson. saying Johnson had got
ten him into al the trouble. Johnson sig
nsfied a desire 70 fight. and the negroes
were given an opportunity TO punch each
osher. Johnson. though much smaller than
Joiner. put up good fight and dealt Joiner
some hard blows.
The meu were separated and taken into
different rooms OF the house. and under
threats % severe torture Joiner was asked
20 tell all he knew about the Cotton muir
ders. He stoutly denied ever having seen
Johnson before and denied having any
knowledge as TO who killed them. Final
Is by a little torture and more threats
Joiner admitted that he came TO the fence
the night Of the murders, but no nearer
the house. In the meantime another
squad had johnson of getting his con-
fession- He maintained that Joiner was
the instigator OF the whole plot. and that
he was the guilty one.
Someone suggested putting them 10
death by burning them. Nearly everyone
scauiesced In the suggestion. and three
big fires were started. one for the men,
who were all wet. 70 dry their clothes by
and the others presumably for the pur-
pose OF burning the negroes Most Of the
men were "a ger 10 burn Johnson anyway
and IL is generally believed that he was
put on the IRE for a minute or two but
the others pleaded for him and the pro-
gramme was changed
The negroes were brought face 10 face
and Joiner owned up. saying that he had
killed John Cotton and Mervin Stevens.
Johnson reiterated his first confession
made when he was first caught. that he
killed Mrs. Cotton. Miss Agnes Miller and
Lizzie Miller. Neither of them implicated
any white man, but implicated other ne
groes.
them SO yards from the Cotton residence
and hanged them side by side and fred
a voliey into their bodies. Joiuer's head
was almost shot of and johnson was
filled with bullets.
In their confession Johnson and Joiner
said that two section hands working near
Independence took part IN the murders.
Their object was robbery as they be-
lieved old man Cotton had money in the
house. No reason was advanced why
they did not kill Miss Maud Miller while
they were killing the rest. This part OF
the mystery mas never heen explained. II
Is noticeable that the two negroes they
implicated. WiEiam Rel and Charles
Brooks, left Independence the day after
the Cottons were murdered and have not
been heard Of since.
Just before Joiner was hanged he made
another effort 10 escape. One reason ad-
vancei why Johnson was not burned IS
that the wood was TOO wet, and a good
hot fire could not be had just then Sew
eral people are not satisfied with the con
fessions. advancing the theory that there
Is more behind the case than will ever
he known.