The morning times., 1897-01-21
THREE MURDERERs KILLED
A Louisiana Mob Did Some
Quiet But Effective Work.
THE {, CRIMES WERE CONFESSED
All Three Prisoners We're Hung and
Their Bodies Riddled With Bull
lets-The Deeds for Which They
suffered Were Brutal and Cow
ardIy.

Amite City, La, Jan. 20.LY esterdayeyen
ing whenit became known that John John-
son and Arch Joiner, charged with the
Cotton family murders, would be lyncned
small groups OF strangers from every. sec
tion OF this and adjoining parishes COM
nenced TO come in5and hold low conversa-
tions on the street corners.
The night was most miserable one
rafningaand gloomy. About 9oclock there
were perhaps 200 pebple on the streets,
when suddenly some LOO men ON horses
galloped up To the jail, and having found
the deputy who had charge, forced him to
open tile jail door and also the steel cages
and they took from the cages John john
son. Arch Joiner and Gus Williams, the lat
ter negro charged with numbering his
wife last summer near Independence
The crowd OF men were very quiet and
made no hostile demonstrations other than
TO get the three negroes. After procuring
their men they had short consultation
and decided to hang Gus Williams -te<an
oak tree near negro church on the outer
edge OF the town. A rope was quickly
adjusted over "a large limb and one end
around Williams neck. Williams was
made to get ON a horse andthe horse struck
i6.
His neck was not broken and some men
caught hold of his body and ierked him
down. Williams disposed of, the crowd
started on the long march to John Cotton S
house, where the murders We're committed.
johnson and Joiner walked a mile or so.
when wagon was procured and they rode
the rest of the way. The dista nee ira veiesl
was twelve miles, through a heavy rain.
.,rl,,
crowd during the march. Arch Joiner
prayed a great deal, but John Johnson
did not seem to mind his fate remaining
quiet most Of the way.
After a ride of four hours the Cotton
residence was reached and all dismounted.
Joiner made break for liberty, but
was captured before he had gone very
far Joiner and Johnson desired to fight
and they were permitted to nave set-to.
after which they were taken into the
house, and efforts rnaaeto get confession
from them.
John Johnson stuck TO his former state
ments that Arch Joiner was the man who
did the deeds, Joiner stoutly maintained
his innocence for awhile, but finally, when
brought face to face with John johnson,
confessed that he killed Mrs John Cotton,
Miss Agnes Miller, and Miss Lizzie Miller
A discussion then arose as to the best
way 10 dispose of the two self confessed
murderers. Some were in favor of burn
ing them and fires were made for that
purpose, and some say johnson was actu-
ally pushed in the fire and burnt Cooler.
judgment prevailed, and it was finally
decided to hang them which was DONE
and their bodies riddled with bullets. .a
II was Arch Joiner's earnest request that
he be shot 10 death al nh this was finally
determined upon as the mode of death
which was to be meted out to ohnson but
at the last nome Mt after the fire had been.
started, 1t was urged that both be hung as
&C Jus Wiilians'haSl bee n.antf they were ia ken
a quarter of n Halle from the Cotton resi-
dence and executed ay stnvs stated. They,
both implicated two other negroes, but
said nothing about a white man. All is
quiet now.