Rock Island Argus., 1899-12-07
FRIGHrFUL CARNIVAL OF sAvAGERy
The Very Children Take Part In the Burn
ing-A Pepper Incident.

The place of execution had been
selected weeks ago. in accordance with
all the other arranged details of the
programme mapped out by the leaders
of the mob. The prisoner was dragged
to Il sapling and strapped against the
tree. facing the husband of the vic
tim. Large quantities of dry brush
and larger bits of wood We're piled
around him while he was praying for
speedy death. James LashbroOk. tine
husband of the victim. applied the first
match to the bruShwoOd. A brother
of the victim struck the second match.
Some one with knife was vainly
slaching at the prisoners chest The
purpose seemed to be TO give the
wretch the greatest possible amount
and duration of torture.
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. 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 vengefrfl purpose of the crowd lei
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 IL drink
of water. his tongue prOtruding and
his eyeballs fairly started from his
head. At the end of three hours the
body was practically cremated.
During all that time members of the
family of Mrs. Lashbrook had remain
ed to keep up the fire and keep the
body in position where ii would con-
tinue to burn. At that time Il nephew
of Mrs. LaShbrook was pushing the
body on the burned embers. while
curious crowd of several handred per-
sons still fingered on the scene. 1t is
said that on the march through the
city the prisoners eyes had been
burned out by acid thrown i'll an egg
shell. In all thousands who constituted
the mob there was not II single effort
made to disguise or conceal identity.
No man wore Il mask. All the leaders
of the mob are well-known and there
are hundreds of witnesses who can
testify to their participation in the
tragedy. They are leading citizens in
all lines of business. and many are
members of churches.
Relic hunters took away teeth and
bones and flesh. and every fragment Of
the body that that they could lay hands
Oh. All afternoon children. some of
them not more than years old. kept
up the fires on the blackened body
by throwing grass. kindling wood.
brush. bits of boards. and everything
combustible that they could gather.
This they kept up till dark. 1t is re-
lated that Coleman. before committing
his crime. threw pepper into his vic
TINS eyes from pepper box. One OF
the mob used that same pepper box
to throw pepper in COfeman'S eyes as
soon as he was lashed to the stake.
To make sure of good job he held
open one eye-lid after the other and
peppered them successfully, then drew
the eyelids. In this city the action
of the mob is universally approved.
even enthusiastically by women. who
think that hereafter they will be safer
in consequence. Some men deprecate
mob law. but say this case was an eX-
ception to all rules.