Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-07
MOB ROASTS NEGRO TO DEATH
Thousand Citizens of Maysville, KY, Take a
Murderer from officers.
HUSBAND or WOMAN LEADS AVENGERS
wretch is Taken from the Court
House Just ms lie IN Brought
from Covington for
Trial.

MAYsvTLLE, KY, Dec. 6.-Richord Cole
man, colored, confessed numbering Mrs.
James Lashbrook. wife of his employer, and
expiated his crime in daylight today at the
hands Of a mob consisting OF thousands of
citizens by burning at the stake, after suf-
fering torture and fright beyond anticipation.
The dreadful spectacle occurred on the
peaceful cricket grounds on the outskirts
of this, one of the oldest and among the
proudest cities OF Kentucky. The barbarties
inflicted upon this young negro by citizens
of one of the most highly civilized cities of
the state are almcst beyond belief, and
could only be accounted for by the intense
feeling created by long consideration of the
atrocious crime of which full confession has
been made by Coleman. Just two months
ago Richard Coleman, the trusted employe
of Farmer James Lashbrook in a moment OF
depravity and savagery not equalled in the
annals of crime, murdered the woman who
had been his benefactor. Coleman was not
only employed on the farm, but had been
installed as house servant and was trusted
implicitly by both Mr.. Lashbrook and his
wife.
On the day of the murder Lashbrook was
at work some distance away from the house
Coleman was left in charge of the house.
Mrs Lashbrook had driven to Maysville and
returned, when Coleman asked her to enter
the cabin TO look at some work at which he
had been engaged. The negro locked the
door on the inside. Mrs Lashbrook became
frightened and screamed. Coleman struck
her on the head, knocking her down, but not
stopping her cries. He then seized a razor
and cut her throat. He picked UP the bleed
ing body and placed it on the bed. He then
left the room, but returning, heard her still
and with an axe he struck her re-
on the head until he was sure she
was dead. Without any show of alarm or
remorse for his crime the negro calmly
washed the blood from his hands and cloth
ing and went to where Lashbrook was at
work in the field and told him that he had
better come to the house, as someone had
matter seriously until Coleman insisted that
his wife was dead. Even then, so great was
the confidence of Lashbrook in Coleman no
thought occurred that he was the murderer.
1t was not until the officers arrived that
suspicion was directed against Coleman.
Blood spots had been found on his clothing,
but he accounted for that by saying that
he had been killing chickens. That night,
however, at Maysville, a partial confession
was obtained and, knowing the result If that
fact should become known, the officers
quickly took him to Covington, KY, for safe
keeping. He was indicted for the murder.
shortly after his incarceration at Covington
ne made complete and horrible confession
If his crime to the jailer The story of his
'evolting crime including worse than MUIR
Ter, was told without any appearance of
feeling by the prisoner. This confession,
becoming public, aroused a feeling of in
iignation against the prisoner among the
relatives and friends of the victim, which
{ was morally certain that the officers of
he law would be unable to prevent sum-
nary vengeance at the first opportunity.
Still the authorities OF Maysville made no
,all upon the governor for troops to protect
he prisoner
Relatives Watch the Prisoner.
On Tuesday Sheriff Perrine, under orders
If Judge Harbeson, with four assistants went
o Covington, expecting to return with Cole
nan on Tuesday night, but after reaching
Jovington the jailer at Maysville wired him
not to attempt to bring the prisoner into
Maysvile at night. The trial was set for
oday. Sheriff Perrine determined to leave
Jovington by the train on the Chesapeake
& Ohio, which started at 7:3O o'clock
Wednesday morning from Cincinnati and
3
Tuesday night to prepare to return to the
scene of his crime He was instantly
stricken with fear and begged piteously to
be permitted to remain in Covington until
lfter his trial. He said he expected to die, |
,ut he feared the vengeance of mob. When
lie was handcuffed, on leaving the Jail at
Jovington, he was almost paralyzed and had !
o be assisted to the patrol wagon. The |
rowd about the Jail there and at the Covng-
on depot added to his fear. On entering
he train he seemed unable to sit down unti
me of the guards forced him into the seat
t developed that in the crowd at Covngton
md even on the train there were some of
he relatives of Mrs. Lashbrook ready to
onvey information if any attempt was made .
0 secrete the prisoner Messages were sent |
ere.
Murderer Dick Coleman, colored, ar
lived at 1920 o'clock this morn
ng under a special guard of depu-
les sworn in by the sheriff, including De-
ectiye Fitzgerald, Constable Dawson, Chief
# Police Donovan, all the police force and
wo deputy sheriffs. When they reached the
ourt house they were met by a mob of
ully 1000 people, headed by James Lash
'rook, the husband of the murdered woman.
The mob took him from the officers and
vent Immediately up Second street through
he central portion of the city to the hill,
ollowed by throng of fully 5000 persons.
III was done that was possible by the
heriff and guard to prevent a lynching, but
n the face of such a mob of people, ire
pective Of color, 1t was useless to attempt
0 do anything. Coleman was grabbed and
rope thrown over his head. He could be
eard above the cries of the mob, pleading
or his life.
Prays for n Speedy Death.
The place of execution had been selected
,eeks ago, in accordance with all the ether
rranged details of the program mapped out
y the leaders of the mob The prisoner
ias dragged to the sapling and strapped
gainst the tree facing the husband OF the
ictim. Large quantities of dry brush and
lrger punches of wood were piled around
i'm while he was praying for speedy death.
ames Lashbrook, the husband of the vic
i'm, applied the first match to the brush
,ood A brother of the victim struck the
ocond match. Some one with knife was
lashing the prisoners chest. BY sort of
ruel concurrence OF action on the part of the
lob not a single shot was fired. The pur-
ose seemed to be to give the wretch the
reatest possible amount and duration OF
orture. A fatal shot would have been
ierciful, but there was no mercy in the
roWd surrounding Richard Coleman. AS I
he flames arose his horrors increased. He
lade vain efforts to withdraw his limbs
rom the encroaching fire; his eyes rolled
a frenzy of suffering. The ropes securing
i'm to the tree were burned and his body