Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-21
TRIPLE LYNCHING IN LOUISIANA.
suggestion of Burning, But II Was
Not Carried Out.

ANTE CITY, LA, January 20
Yesterday evening. when it became known
that John Johnson, and Arch Joyner,
charged with the Cotton family murders.
would be lynched, small groups of
strangers from every section of this, and
adjourning parishes commenced to come
In and hold low conversations on the
street corners. The night was a most
miserable one raining and gloomy.
About 3 o'clock there were. perhaps
25O people on the streets when suddenly
some 80 men on horses galloped up 10
the jail, and having found the deputy
who had charge, forced him TO open the
Jail door, and also open the steel cages,
and they took from the cages John
Johnson. Arch Joyner, and Gus williams
the last named, negro, charged with
numbering his wife last summer, near
Independence. The crowd of men were
very quiet. and made no hostile demon
strations, other than TO get the three
negroes. After procuring their men they
had a short consultation, and decided to
hang Gus Williams from an oak-tree
near negro church on the outer edge
Of the town. A rope was quickly adjusted
over large limb and one end put around
Williams's neck. Williams was made TO
get on a horse, and the horse was struck
with a whip, jumping from under
Williams. The mans neck was not
broken, and some men caught hold OF
his body and jerked him down.
Williams disposed Of the crowd started
on a long march to Joe Cotton's house,
where the murders were committed.
Johnson and Joyner walked a mile or so,
when a wagon was procured. and they
.Es H. I.-t.
travelled was twelve miles, and the jour-
ney was made through a heavy rain.
There were nearly two hundred in the
crowd during the march. Arch Joyner
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 dis
mounted Joyner made a break for
liberty. but was captured before he had
gone very far. Johnson and Joyner, de-
sired to fight and they were permitted to
have set-to, after which they were
taken into the house. separated, and an
effort was made TO get confession from
them. John Johnson stuck to his former
statement that Arch Joyner was the man
who did the deed. Joyner stoutly main
tanned his innocence for awhile, but
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 TO dispose Of
the two self-confessed murderers. Some
were in favor of burning them, and
fires were made for that purpose; and
some say Johnson was actually pushed
into the fire and burned. Cooler judg-
ment prevailed however, and it was
finally decided TO hang them. which was
done. and their bodies were riddled with
bullets. 1t was Arch Jeyners earnest re-
quest that he be shot TO death, and this
was finally determined upon, as was the
mode of death, which was to be
meted out to Johnson, but at the
last moment, after the fire had been
started il was urged that both be hung
as Gus Williams had been, and they were
taken, a quarter of a mile from the
Cotton residence, and executed, as above
stated. They both implicated two other
negroes. but said nothing about a white
man. All is quiet now.