The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-12-07
TERRIBLE FATE OF A NEGRO
RICHARD COLEMAN BURNED AT
 THE STAKE AT MA YSTJLLE, KY.

plOyef's Wtfe-Tnkon FOrCtbly FrOH
 Sheriff and Hurried to Town Criolke,
 Grounds Where the Burning Occur rret
 -NInde to Suffer Prolonged Torture | Thousands Present.
 Maysville, Ky, Dec. 6.--Richard Cole
 man, the confessed murderer of Mrs.
 James Lashbrook, wife of his employer,
 eXpiated his crime in daylight to-day | at the hands of a mob consisting of
 thousands of citizens by burning at the
 stake, after suffering great torture and
 sight beyond description. The dread
 ful spectacle occurred on the cricket
 grounds on the outskirts of this city. The barbarities inflicted upon this l young negro are almost beyond belief
 and can only be accounted for by the intense horror created by long consid- eration of the crime of which full con- fession had been made by Coleman. Two months ago Coleman, in a manner pe- culiarly atrocious, murdered the woman who had befriended him. Coleman was
 not only employed on the farm, but had
 been installed as house servant and was trusted implicitly by both James Lashbrook and his wife. On the day of the murder MT. Lashbrook was at
 work some distance from the house of
 which Coleman was left in charge. Mrs.
 Lashbrook had driven to Maysville and returned, when Coleman asked her to
 enter the cabin to look at some work
 H., toI h. Tha
 negro locked the door on the inside.
 Mrs. Lashbrook became frightened and
 screamed Coleman struck her on the
 head knocking her down but not stop
 ping her cries. He then seized a razor
 and cut her throat. He picked up the
 bleeding body and placed it on the bed.
 He then left the room, but returning
 and hearing her grooming. he struck her
 repeatedly on the head with an axe un-
 til he was sure she was dead. Without any show of alarm or remcrse, the negro
 washed the blood from his hands and
 clothing and went to where MT. Lash
 brook was at work in the field and
 told him he had better come to the
 house as some one had killed his wife
 MT. Lashbrook did not take the matter seriously until Coleman insisted that his wife was dead. Even then Mir. Lash brooks faith in the negro was so great that no suspicion was aroused.
 It was not until after the officers ar- rived that suspicion was directed against Coleman. Blood spots had been found on his clothing, but he accounted for them by saying that he had been killing chickens. That night, however, at Maysvile, partial confession was obtained and knowing the result if the facts should become known, the officers quietly took him to Covington, Ky, for safe keeping. He was indicted for the murder. Shortly after his incarceration at Covington, he made complete con- fession to the jailer. The story of his crime, including worse than murder, was told by him without any appear ance of Keeling. This confession, be- coming public, reused feeling of in- dignation against the prisoner among the relatives and friends of the victim which made it morally certain that the officers would be powerless to prevent summary vengeance at the first oppOr tunity. Still the authorities at Nays vile did not act upon that basis There was no call upon the governor for troops to protect the prisoner.
 On Tuesday Sheriff Perrine under or ders of Judge Harbeson with four assistants went to Covington, expect ing to return with Coleman on Tuesday night, but the jaler at Maysvile wired him not to attempt to bring the prisoner into Maysville at night.
 The trial was set for to-day. Sheriff Perrine determined to leave Covington by this mornings train. Coleman had been told Tuesday night to prepare to return to the scene of his crime He was stricken with fear and begged pitt aously to be permitted to remain in -ovington until after his trial. He said he expected to die, but he dreaded the of the mob. When he was on leaving the train in Cov- ngton he was almost paralyzed and 1ad to be assisted to the patrol wagon. The crowd about the jail there and in | Covingtop depot added to his fear On l entering the train he seemed unable l 0 sit down until one of the guards | breed him into seat. In the crowd l tt Covington and even on the train | here were relatives of Mrs. Lashbrock | eady to convey the information if any lttempt was made to secrete the pris ,ner. Messages were sent here. The prisoner with his escort arrived at 10:20 iclock Sheriff Perrin while en route O Maysville had been informed that mob was awaiting the arrival of the rain and he prepared for swearing in deputies. As the train pulled into the tation the mob formed on both sides. Armed men stationed themselves at the The sheriff and his assist nts were strongly armed and there vas some resistance as the leaders of he mob jostled against them and de- hands were uttered from the outer ringes of the crowd for the prisoner heriff Perrine started walking rapidly | ut with no indication of panic from the ar. A step behind him followed the ficers with Coleman, seeking to con- cal himself behind the forms of his rotectors, As the officers proceeded he numbers of the mob were constant / swelled by new arrivals, and through l he town business streets to the court ouse the officers were closely followed hundreds of stones and other missiles ere thrown and revolvers and rifles ere freely displayed. The prisoner { as frequently struck and he present. { a frightful appearance, blood stream l lg from wounds on his face and head. t the court house a mob of over 20OO {