The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1899-12-14
NO PITY IN THIS MOB.
Negro Murderer Tortured Fearfully
Then Burned at a Stake.

Coleman, negro, confessed murderer
OF Mrs. James Lashbrook, wife of hi.
employer, expiated his crime in day
light to-day at the hands of Il mot
consisting OF thousands OF citizens
by burning at the stake after suffer
ing torture and fright beyond de
scription.
The dreadful spectacle occurred on
the peaceful cricket grounds on the
outskirts of this, one of the Oldest
and among the proudest cities OF
Kentucky The barbarities inflicted
upon this young negro by citizens OF
one OF the most highly civilized cit
les of the state are almost beyond
belief and can only be accounted for
by the intense horror created by
long consideration of the atrocious
crime of which full confession had
been made by Coleman. Just two
months ago Richard Coleman, the
trusted emplOye OF Farmer James
LashbroOk, in moment of deprav-
ity and savagery not equaled in the
annals of crime, murdered the woman
who had been his benefactor. Cole
man was not only employed on the
farm, but had been installed as a
house servant, and was trusted i'm
plicitly by both Mr. Lashbrook and
his wife
On the day of the murder Lash
brook was at work some distance
away from the house. Coleman was
left i'll charge of the house. Mrs.
Lashbrook had driven to Maysville
and returned. when Coleman asked
her to enter the cabin to look at some
work at which he had been engaged.
The negro locked the door on the in
side. Mrs. Lashbrook became fright
aened and screamed, Coleman struck
her on the head, knocking her down
but not stopping 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 heard her
still grooming and with an AK he
struck her repeatedly on the head
until he was sure she was dead.
Without any show of alarm or re-
morse for his crime, the negro calmly
washed the blood from his hands and
clothing and went to where Lash
brook was at work in the field and
told him that he had better come to
the house as some one had killed his
wife. Mr.. Lashbrook did not take
the matter seriously until Coleman
insisted that his wife was dead Even
then, so great was the confidence of
Mr.. Lashbrook in Coleman, that no
thought occurred that he was the
murderer. 1t was not until after Of
ficers arrived that suspicion was di-
rected against Coleman. Blood spots
had been 70 und on his clothing, but
he accounted for that by saying he
had been killing a chicken That
night, however, at Maysville, par
tial confession was obtained, and
knowing the result if that fact should
become known, the officers quietly
took him to Covington, KY, for safe
keeping. He was indicted for muir
der.
Shortly after his incarceration at
Covington he made complete and
terrible confession of his crime to the
iailer. The story of his revolving
crime, including worse than murder.
was told without any appearance Of
feeling by the prisoner. This confess
sion becoming public, reused feel
ing OF Indignation against the pris-
oner among the relatives and friends
of the victim, which made it morally
certain that the officers of the law
would be powerless to prevent sum-
mary vengeance at the first oppor-
tunity. Still the authorities at Mays
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
orders OF Judge Harbeson, with four
assistants, went to Covington, ex-
pecting to return with Coleman on
Tuesday night, but after reaching
Covington the jailer at Maysville
wired him not to attempt to bring
the prisoner down at night.
Coleman arrived at 1920 this
morning under q special guard of |
deputies sworn in by the sheriff. in