The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-12-07

less to attempt to do anything. The
mob grabbed Coleman and threw
rope over his head. and took him UP
above the city. Coleman could be
heard above the cries of the mob
pleading for his life.
The mob carried Coleman to small
hollow near the railroad where they
bound him tightly to q, young sapling.
Then they heaped a pile of brushwood
and timber around him, while his eyes
rolled horribly. Some one cut his eyes,
and in a, moment his head rolled
around, and he was believed to be
dead.
The scene was an awful one, and
around the funeral pyre were thousands
of maddened people, headed by the
husband Of the dead woman. A torch
was applied simultaneously, and huge
tongues of fire swept up and around the
agonized wretch.
Before the roasting began Coleman
was almost dead. The rope had torn
and lacerated his neck, and his face
was terribly beaten.
The place of execution had been Sc
lected weeks ago in accordance with all
the other arranged details of the pro-
gram mapped out by the leaders of the
mob. The prisoner was dragged to the
sapling and strapped against the tree,
facing the husband of the victim. Large
quantities of dry brush and large bits
of wood were piled around him while
he was praying for speedy death.
James Lashbrook. the husband of
the victim, applied the first match to
the brushwood. A brother of the VIC
tim struck the second match. Some
one with a knife was viciously slash
ing at the prisoners chest. By a sort
of cruel concurrence of action on the
part of the mob, not a shot was fired
The purpose seemed to be to give the
wretch the greatest possible amount
and duration of torture. A fatal shot
would have been merciful. but there
was not mercy in the crowd surround
ing Richard Coleman.
As the flames arose his horrors in
creased. He made vain efforts to
withdraw his limbs from the encroach-
ing fire; his eyes rolled in a frenzy of
suffering. The ropes securing him to
the tree We're burned and his body
finally fell forward on the burning pile
Even then, although it was not GER
tain whether he was living or dead, the
vengeful purpose of the crowd led them
to use rails and long poles to push his
body back into the flames.
1t is not certain how long life last
ed. During the process, while his voice
could be heard he begged for a drink
of water, his tongue protruding and his
eyeballs fairly starting from his head
At the end of three hours the body
was practically cremated. During all
that time members of the family of
Mrs. IaShbrOok had remained to keep
up the fire, and to keep the body in
position where it would continue to
burn. After three hours a nephew Of
Mrs. Lashbrook was still pushing the
body on the burning embers, while
curious crowd of several thousand per-
sons fingered on the scene.
1t is said that in the march through
the city the prisoners eyes had been
burned out by acid thrown in an egg
she'll
In all the thousands who constituted
the mob there was not a single effort
to disguise or conceal identity. No man
wore a mask. All the leaders of the
mob are we'll known. and there are
hundreds of witnesses who can testify
to their part in the tragedy. They in
clude leading citizens in all lines of
business, and many are members of the
church.
County Judge Harbeson will empanel
a special Grand Jury at once to make
a speedy investigation, and return in
dlctmentS against the leaders of the
mob.
The statement from Frankfort that
the Governor proposes to offer a re-
ward for the apprehension of members
of the mob does not excite much fear
that the reward will be claimed While
there is wide difference of opinion
among residents of the city who were
not connected with the mob, yet there
IS a strong feeling that no punishment
will result from this tragedy.
THE MOB WILL BE PROSECUTED.
FRANKFORT Ky.), Dec 6.-Gov-
ernor Bradley, who has only five more
days to serve, announces that he will
vigorously prosecute the members of
the Maysville mob. He will offer a
reward for their apprehension.
The Coroner held an inquest on the
charred remains of Richard Coleman,
and rendered the simple verdict:
Death at the hands of a mob.''
The body was left lying in the ashes
and Goals, and at the present writing
has not been removed. Relic hunters
took away the teeth and bones and
flesh and every fragment of the body
that they could lay hands on.
All afternoon children. some of them
not more than years old, kept up the
fires on the blackened body by throw
ing grass, kindling wood, brush, bits
of boards and everything combustible
that they could gather. This they
kept uD until dark.
1t is related that Coleman, before
committing his crime, threw pepper
into his victims eyes from pepper
box. One of the members of the mob
used that same pepper box to-day to
throw pepper in Coleman's eyes as soon
as he was dashed to the stake. To
make sure of a good job, he held open
one eyelid after the other. and pep
pered them successfully, then draw the
eyelids down.
In this city the action of the mob is
universally approved, even enthusiast
tically by women, who think that here
after they will be safer in consequence.
Some men deprecate mob law, but say
this case was an exception to all rules.
The latest report tonight is that
Coleman's mother is on the way here
to take charge Of the ashes of her son.
Later-All that was left of the body
of Dick Coleman was raked out of the
embers and buried in the potter's field
tonight TT was only a skull and two