The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-01-21
THE COTTON MURDEReRs
Joiner Tortured Into a C0Dfes-
sion of the Crime.
ONE HANGED NEAR AmIrE CITY
The Other Two Taken TO the Scene of
heir Crime and ranged and
heir Bodies Riddled
wt<A GuItets.

Amite City, La, Jan. 20.-Three negro
murderers were taken from jail by
mob about three O'clock this morning and
hanged. The victims were Arch Joiner
and John - h!.Son, who NJ the last mo-
ment confessed their guilt of the killing
of the Cotton family and Gus Williams,
alias Morrisey who shot and killed his
young wife.
The mob was several hundred strong
and forced Deputy Sheriff Wainwright
to give up the Jail keys Williams was
hung first The mob at first decided to
burn him at the stake and a fire was
built but the men changed theic n:;nds.
He was taken through the sleeping town
L. I.j;,t or church Shrge n . WAS
thrown over a tree. The victim was
placed on q horse, the moose adjusted and
the animal led off Williams body was
left dangling, and the mob then proceed
ed toward the Cotton residence with
johnson and Joiner who had witnessed
the death of their fellow prisoner,
Il vas t.. m'rs to "a ,jatJn house
and the mob march through the rain for
about one mile when johnson declared
he could go no further. A wagon was
procured and the two prisoners placed
in it. The rain fell in torrents but the
crowd did not diminish. When the Cot
ton house was reached Joiner made an
attempt to escape. He had Iossened his
hands and spr.nging from the wagon dart
ed for the woods. He was caught, how
ever, and again bound. He begged to be
shot, but the mob gave no heed to his
plea. Then his mood changed and he
begged to fight johnson, who he declared
la gotten him into all the trouble
johnson was willing, and then ensued a
strange scene. The two men, doomed to
death in a few moments fought fercely
for few minutes, but their captors stop
ped them.
The men were taken into different
rooms and Joiner was tortured into a
confession Of the Cotton murder. A sug-
gestion to burn the prisoners was made
but the majority opposed it. After full
confession the men were taken to a tree
several hundred yards from the house,
hung and their hodies riddled with bull
let's.
johnson and Joiner, according to con-
fession OF the former, were guilty of the
murder of the five members of the Cotton
family near here some time ago.
johnson ana JOINER were taken TO
Amite City from New Orleans yesterday
to plead to the inditments against them
and after the hearing We're remanded
w.thoUf bsil.
During the day a party Of citizens call
cd AL The jail and johnson made MS cen.
fession. His story of the slaughter OF
the family was peculiarly brutal
He said that he had always liked the
Cotton family and would not have harm
ed them had it not been for the fact that
he was bullied into what he had done.
The murder Johnson said was planned by
Bud Mcknight, white man who was
suitor of the girl Maude Miller, whose
mother, Mrs. Cotton, whipped her for
allowing McKnight's attention. This is
the only motive he knew for the crime.
He said Arch Joiner Shot Cotton, the
hea of the household, " n a gun, then
struck Merven Stevens, the son Of Mrs.
Agnes Stevens with an axe on the fore
head knocking him back ON the bed and
killing him. Joiner finished the men and
then went into the room which was occu-
pied by Mrs. Stevens, Mrs. Cotton and
Lizzie Miller with Maude and several
children and killed the three women.