The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-07
AN ATROC|OUS CRIME
EXP|ATED At THE STAKE
BY FR|GHTFUL TORTURE
Confessed Negro Murderer and Ravsher Of the Woman
Who Had Befriended Him Burned to Death in
Kentucky at the Hands Of Mob.
An INFERNO Of MISERY FOR THE BLACK BRUTE|

geance of mob. When he was hand
cuffed on leaving the Jail at Covington
he was almost paralyzed and had to be
assisted to the patrol wagon. The
crowd about the Jail there and at the
Covington depot added to his fear. On
sit down until one Of the guards forced
him into a seat. 1t developed that in
The crowd at Covington and even on the
train there were some of the relatives
Of Mrs. Lashbrook, ready to convey in
formation of any attempt to secrete the
prisoner. Messages were sent here.
Coleman arrived at Maysville this
morning under special guards sworn in
/ by the sheriff, including Detective Fitz-
gerald, Constable Dawson, Chief of Po-
lice Donovan, all the police force and
two deputy sheriffs When they ar
rived at the court house they We're met
by mob of fully 1000 people, headed
. by James Lashbrook, the husband of
the murdered woman, and went immed-
lately up Second street through the
central portion of the city to the hill
followed by mob of fully 5000 per-
sons. All was done that was possible
by the sheriff and guards to prevent
lynching, but in the face of such a
mob Of people, irrespective of color, it
was useless 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 plead
ing for his life.
The place of execution had been Sc
lected weeks ago in accordance with all
other arrangements mapped out by the
leaders of the mob
No Mercy in the Mob.
The prisoner was dragged to a sap-
ling and strapped against the tree fac
ing the husband of the victim. Large
quantities of dry brush and large bits
of wood We're piled around him while
he was praying for speedy DEATH James
Laahbrook, the husband of the victim
applied the first match to the brush
wood. brother of the victim struck
the second match. Some one with
knife was viciously slashing at the
prisoners chest. BY a sort of cruel
concurrence Of action on the part of
the mob, not 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 no 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 encroaching fires,
his eyes rolled in a frenzy of suffering.
The ropes securing him to the tree
were burned and his body finally fell
forward on the burning pile Even
then, although it was not certain
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 lasted 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 prac-
tically cremated. During all that time
members of the family of Mrs. Lash
brook had remained to keep up the fire
and to keep the body in position where
it would continue to burn. After three
hours nephew of Mrs. Lashbrook was
still pushing the body on the burning
embers, while a curious crowd of sew
eral thousand persons fingered on the |
scene.
Burned With Acid.
1t is said that on the march through |
the city the prisoners eyes had been
burned out by acid thrown in an egg
shell. In all the thousands who con-
stituted the mob there was not a single |
effort to disguise or conceal identity. |
No man wore mask. All the leaders |
Of the mob are we'll known and there |
are hundreds of witnesses who can tes-
tify to their part in the tragedy. They |
include leading citizens in all lines of |
business, and many are members OF |
he church.
County Judge Harbeson will impanel |
SpSNiaL 81 dIlu jury dl oiiSS " HldhS
4 speedy investigation and return in
lictments against the leaders. The
statement from Frankfort that the
governor proposes to offer reward for
he apprehension of members of the
mob does not excite much fear that
he reward will be claimed While
here is a wide difference among those
Who were not connected with the mob, !
yet there's a strong feeling that no
will result from this trag-
edy.