The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1897-01-27
MOB LYACHEE0 THREE HEN
CoIored Mur5eters Hanged in Tangi-
pahoa Parish, Louisiana.
BURNED UNTIL THEY CONFESSED,

broke Down Prison Doors.-.Boities Rid.
died With Bullets by an Infuriafe5
MOD OF Several Hundred NIen---One
Man Put TO Death Near the JaiI---The
Others Taken Twelve Miles TO Death.
ANTE CITY, La. Especially The lynchlng
mere Wednesday night of the colored mur-
derers, Arch Joiner, John johnson and Gus
"iiilams proves to have been tie most ex-
traoriinary tragedy OF its kind ever re-
corded in the annals of the South, All the
men were man-killers, and were taken from
the Amite City Jail. The original idea had
been to burn johnson and Joiner, but this
was abandoned at the last moment.
The lynching was not unexpected. It had
been proclaimed again ana again that i,
Johnson and Joiner were broueh. back 70
1anSipahoa Parish they would be lynched,
ana LOT that reason the moment they were
captured they were hurried to New Orleans
and confined in the prison there
Ihey were taken back to Amite CITY for
trial, unier the belief that they could bs
protected. This idea soon disappeare /.
"h9h II was found that the lynchers wers
Wen Organized and hal made arrangements
ior the lynching at any hazard. When the
time came the law an! order element We're
unwilling to risk their lives for the muir
derers
~ The lynehing party had an easy time of it.
Two hundred armed men rode into Amite
CITY about 10 o'clock and were Joined there
ny Il larger party. There was no attempt at
resistance. The doors OF the Jail wero
broken in and the steel cage where the muir
dertrs were confined was smashed.
The mob originally had no intention of in
IafInS Williams, who was confined in the
1ail for the murder of his wife, but it was
oeternlned nevertheless to lynch him and
III the parish Of all the murderers at the
same time, and he was strung to a tree on
the outskirts of the town AMI rid lied with
bullets. johnson and Joiner, the other two
prisoners. witnessed this lynchins and were
very much excited over it,
As soon as Williams was disposed of tbo
mop started with the other murderers, who
kllled the entire Cotton family of five. for
Inc scene OF their crime, the Cotton home
Steac, twelve miles away. IT was long and
dreary march, for the rain fell in torrents.
The two coiored men were prodded with
sticks and forced to march till finally through
1ear and fatigue they gave out, completely
exhausted. Then cart was hitched up and
they were placed in it. 1t WAS nearly day-
light when the Cotton place was reached.
me mob was thoroughly drenched by that
time. An immense bonfire was prepared for
tt, burning ana the TWO prisoners were
called on to confess. 1t was determined to
lore the confession from them by the ordeal
OF fro
i..o Jaiies oil boih t.-l.. 49, ,....-.. ...r
TIC blazing fire, their clothes were burned
and their bodies scorched. and, thoroughly
terrified. they confessed their story of the
murder. the mob was eager by this time for
shs lyncn!nS, and both men were carried a
quarter OF q mile from the Cotton place ana
hanged. The mob then opened fire and three
hundred bullets were lodgel in the bodies Of
The mon.