The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-12-07
BURNED AT
THE STAKE in
KENTUCKY.
1rurd6rer Taken From oticers BY a
Mob Numbsring Two
Thousand,
AND BURNED an IHE SIAKE,
After his Captors Had douged Out
the Eyes Of Their Help
less Victim.

EVANSVILLE, KY Dec. s.-Rlchard
Coleman, colored. contested murderer
of Mrs. James Lashbrook, wife Of his
employer, explated his crime in day
light to-day, at the hands of a mob con-
slstlnc Of citizens, Thousands in num-
bers by burning At the stake, after
suffering torture and fright beyond de-
scrlpti6n,
The dreadful spectacle occurred on
the peaceful cricket grounds on the OUT
skirts of this, one of the oldest and
among the proudest cities Of Kentucky.
The barberitles inflicted upon this
young negro by citizens Of one Of the
most highly civilized cities Of the state
are almost beyond belief, and can only
he accounted for by the intense horror
created by long consideration of the
atroclous crime, Of which full confession
had been made by Coleman. Just two
months ago Richard Coleman, the trust
ed employc of Farmer James Lash
brook, in, d. manner peculiarly atrocious,
murdered the woman who had been his
benefactor. Coleman was not only e,n-
ployed on the farm' put haa Deen M
stalled as house servant and was
trusted implicitly by both Mr.. Lash
brook and his wife. on the day Oh the
murder. Mr.. Lashbrook was AZ %ork
some distance from the MOUSE Sule-
man was left In charge OF the mouse
Mrs. Lashbrook had driven 10 MaSs-
vile and returned, when Coleman asked
her to ente: the cabin 10 look AZ some
work at which he had peea enssBeu'
The negro then locked the oooF on tne
inside. Mrs. Lashbrook became Irlsn1-
ened and screamed,
Coleman struck her on the neau'
knocking her down but not Stopping
her cries. He then seized razor anu
cut her throat. He picked up the
bleeding body and placed It on the PEG.
He then left the room, but retprnsns'
heard her sttll groanins ana WIEN an
axe he struck her repeatedly on tne
head until he was sure sne was oes'u-
Without any show OF alarm OF remoFse
for his crime, the negro calmly wasneu
the blood from MS hands & ana .i el9tllAslk
and went to where MT. LashorooS was
ut work In the hesa' ana to'u nun ttlaV
he had better come to the house as some
one had killed his wife Mr. LASH
brook did not take the matter seriously
until Coleman insisted that his wife was
dead. Even then, so great was the
confidence OF Mr.. Lashorook IN Gore.
man, that no thought occurred that ne
was the murderer 1t was not untl
after the officers arrived 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 Maysviile' q
partial confession was obtained ana
knowing the result II that fact should
become known, the officers quietly tooN
him to covInGtOn. Ky, for safe Keep
Ing. He wao indicted Tor the muFuer'
Shortly after MS incarceration AZ SON-
lngton, he made complete and horri-
bic confession of his crime to the jaiier'
The story of his revolving crime, In
Guiding worse than murder, was told
without any appearance OF feeling by
the prisoner. This confession becoming
public reused feeling Of Indignation
against the prisoner among the rela-
tlves and friends Of the victim, which
made 1t morally certain that the oil-
GERS OF the law would be powerless TO
prevent a summary vengeance at the
first opportunity. sun, the authorities
at MaysvIlle did not act upon that
basis, There was no call upon the gov
ernor for troops to protect the prisoner
on TueSdny. sherim Perrlne' under
orders Of Judge Rarbeson' with four
assistants. went to CoVingtoh expecting
to return with Coleman on Tuesday
night, but. after reaching Covlngton,
the jaIler nt Maysvllle wired not TO at
tempt to bring the prisoner into Mays
vile at night.
The trial was set for to-day. sherlm
Perrine determined to leave Covlngton
by the train on the Chesapeake 4 OHIO
which started at 1850 wednesday morn
ing from Cincinnati and CovIugton,
Coleman was apprIsed Tuesday night
to prepare to return to the scene Of his
crime. He was instantly stricken with
N..-,.N ,,VtnnttS1V In hn