The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-05-02

, low with 4 white hat who had been most
iIaportunate in his demand for death.
backed "ut Of the crowd and SAID. MS
j. all wrong. We ought To go away from
mere" lie was urged to GO back and get
his companions To ccme away He pushed
HIS big frame through The crowd toward the
door and Just then some one inside opened
The. door il is said. I" speak To the crowd
This waS fatal The pushing crowd forced
thcs. I'm front inside the narrow hallway,
where they were confronted by the Sheriff
and deputies. \ futile effort was made to
push the accidental leaders outside the door,
hut the now iniamed crowd resisted.
soon by means Of the keys access was
gained "a the cell aud the guilty wretch
was brought ont of the Jail with his hands
manacled in front of him Then the savage
instinct 10 Kill. which-tiod pity us,-is
sometimes so easily aroused In most mer.
ran flaming through the excited throng like
wind-fanred fire through tail dry grass.
and a wild cry OF Hang him" burst forth
South on Odoll avenue the wretch was led
and pushed. followed by struggling mass
"f l-HS men and boys. Soon the cry To
the Courthouse Square was taken up and
repeated. WHOM half Of the jhrong in the
rear turned back and sought the scene by
the nearer way of Arrow street. tn. other
half following the leaders two blocks west
[" Lafayette street and thence around 20 a
tree near the southeast corner Of the Court
house yard
Here the absence of organization and
readiness was again manifested. and a long
delay followed, until a store could ne opened
and a rope secured. Al this noint at least
two Of Narshalrs citizens were conspicuous
in their efforts tn induce the leaders to spars
the life Of the wretch and to return him "a
the law. But their p!eaiings and expostu-
ia,i0nS fell upon deaf ears
After long delay the rope was brought
and. after several unsuccessful attempts.
was al last passed over a lofty limb of the
tree Then the wretChed victim of the
nobs fury. already half dead from fright
and from the blows and wounds which had
been inflicted by frenzied men during the
journey from the tail, was held up while the
rome was placed over his head. He asked
and was granted opportunity to pray For
a tim. he PRAYED in silence then ruurnured
audibly. ''Nerciful Heavenly Father for
give the wrongs that ] have committed
against others. Forgive my many sins. and
forgive them.
Then he turned To a man on hts left and
said Il have Just finished a prayer for
mercy for you to the God who is looking
down with shame upon you now" His
words seemed. to sniite the conscience Of the
mar. who up TO this moment had been
most unrelsnrinG in his demand for death
The man weakened. stepped backward. and
said Turn him loose. boys But the
Others were not 10 ne cheated of their vic
tim. The negro then begged for drink CT
water, and msrciful young man ran
swiftly TO a hotel. secured glass Of water
and was quickly back. Several enraged feI-
lows tried to dash the water TO the ground
hut more merciful men prevented and the
negro given drink Then a score Of
eager hands seized the rope. ard the body
of the man was drawn high in the air.
There was no struggle. contortions OF
the limbs one leg swung outward for a mo-
men;, and afterwards the body hung
straight and limp and remained SO while
suspended for more than thirty minutes.
Then followed the usual morbid scenes tho
lowering of the sifeiess body. to photograph
the distorted face by h1Sh-light, and the
scramble for BITS OF the rope as srewsome
ksepsakes.
Later in the night the Coroner took
charge % the body. and il was sent out to
be buried in the Potter's Field. at the Coun-
Linn