Richmond planet., 1897-01-23
HORRIBLE
BUTCHERIES.
A MOB'S BLOODY WORK
Three rlOre COIOred Men
Lynched.
THEIR P1TIPUL SUFFERING.
Not Half Of it Told.

ANTE CITY, La, January 20-Yes-
terday evening when it became known
that John Johnson and Arch Joyner,
charged with the otton family muir
ders, would be Iynched. small groups
OF strangers from every section of this
and adjoining parishes commenced to
come in aud hold low conversations on
the street corners. The night was
most miserable one, raining and
gloomy.
THE ARRIVAL OF THE LYNCHKRs-
About 8 O'Clock, there perhaps were
9wo hundred and fifty people on the
streets, when suddenly some one hun
dred fifty men on horses gallOp-d up TO
the Jail. and having found the deputy
who had charged forced him TO open
the Jail door and also open the steel
cages, and they took from the cages
John Johnson and Arch Joyner aud
Gus Williams, the latter colored charg-
ed with numbering his wife last sum-
mer near Independence. he crowd
OF men were very quiet and made no
hostile demonstratons other than to
get the three colOred men.
PLANNING TIE MURDERS.
After procuring their men they had
a short consultation and decided To
hang Gus Williams to an oak tree near
a colOred church on the outer edge of
the town. A rope was quickly adjust
ed over q large limb and one end
around Williams neck Williams was
made TO get on a horse and the hors
struck with a whip, jumping from un-
der Williams His neck was hot brok-
en- and some men caught hold OF his
bOdv and Jerk ad him dOAn
THE GRIM POSSESSION.
Williams disposed Of, the crowd
started on the long march to joe Cot
toms house, where the murders We're
committed. johnson and Joyner walk
ed mile or so, when q wagnn was pro-
cured, and they rode the rest OF the
way The distance travelled was
twelve miles through a heavy rain.
There were nearly two hundred i" the
crowd during the march. Arch Joyn-
prayed n great deal. but John johnson
did not seem to mind his fate, remain
ing quiet most OF the way.
SOUGHT LIBERTY IN PLIGHT.
After q ride of four hours the Cotton
residence was reached, and all dis
mounted. Joyner made break for lib
erty, but Was captured before he had
gone very far.
Johnson and Joyner desired to fight
and they were permitted to have q set
to, after which they were taken intC
the house, separated, and efforts made
to get n confession from them John
son stuck to his former statements tha
Arch Joyner was the man who did the
deed.
THOSE ALLEGED CONFESSION.
Joyner stoutly maintained his limo
cence for a while, but finally. wheI
brought face TO face with John John
son confessed that he ki led Mrs. IobI
ICotton, Miss Agnes Miller and Mis-
Lizzie Miller.
A discussion then arose as to the bes
way TO dispose of the two self-confess
ed murderers. Some were in favor o
burning them, and fires were made 70
that purpose, and some cay johnson
was actually pushed in the fire ant
o burnt, Cooler judgement prevailed
and it was decided to hang the m
/ which was done and their bodies rid
q died with bullets.
!. ALAsT REQUEST
: 1t was Arch Joyner's earnest reques
that he be shot 60 death, aud this wa
finally determined upon, as was tn
4 mode of death which was to be mete
n out to johnson but at the last momen
d after the fire had beeen started. it wa
urged that both be hung, as Gus Will
Jams had been. and they were taken
a quarter Of mile from the Cotton res
a denee and executed as above stated
They both implicated two other colore
people, but said nothing about a whit
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