The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-07-24
.JAIL STORM WITH FIRE.
,,,s.v. sOB GETS A NEGRO DE.
SPITE srOUr RESISTANCE.
Elijah Clark Lynchsd I" the o'''k'rt' Of
u,,t,vtls- sheriff Protected Him From =
Mob That Threw Dynamite when Fires
v.,.s.t About the jail the sheriff Gave In.

n,uu1soyAM, Ala, July % A mob OF 2.O0(
o,,i.ns OF Madison county. after an exciting
a.. abort in surrounding the county jail O.
rr,n,.vlle Ala, succeeded this evening In get
A.. ,osse.sion Of Elijah Clark. a negro. who
-~,e,day committed an assault on Susie
p,,ss, a thirteen-year-old girl at Dallas. O fac-
,orv suburb OF Huntsville. The negro was taken
~ the .oene Of his crime and there strung up,
.t,.r which the mob dispersed with bitter
a,nressions of hatred for Sheriff Fulgham,
who kept them at bay all day long. Yester-
d.v the negro came upon Susie Priest and her
.,s,er and seized Susie. The girls sister gave
an alarm. and in a short time q posse OF citi-
,sn, was in search OF the negro. The discovery
Of Susie lying in the road unconscious from the
treatment Of the negro incensed the mob, and
NIL Of last night men searched for him.
BEFORE daylight to-day two deputy sherihs
overlook Clark and succeeded in getting him In
the county Jail at Huntsville. a modest. though
.,,onp. structure. Word was passed around
that the negro was IN jail and a mob began
forming at once. Five hundred men came
from Dallas and soon o bowling mob was
around the jail. Meantime Sheriff Fulgham
had summoned all his deputy sherins and
.,a,ioned them inside the Jail. determined to
defend his prisoner. The mob was determined.
however. and laid dynamite charges around
the Jan. intent on blowing II up.
Sheriff Fulgham. in the midst Of the excite
men,. made an address through a window.
falling ths mob that its members must obey the
law and II they would desist the negro would
have a speedy trial. He also announced that
Judge Speak Of the Circuit Court would hold a
- ,kA n.,rk ~ o ole tLl.
afternoon. but he mob booted the Sheriff. He
then warned them that they must desist There
we're a few shots fired at this time. No out
break occurred, but two men. William vining
and Thomas johnson. laborers in the cotton
factory, we're carried of wounded. the frat in
dangerous cond ton.
The mob continued its hooting and informed
IN, Sheriff that the Jail would be blown up and
hat he would be killed with the negro. Gov.
Johnston was notified BY wire. but nothing
,ould he dom. Troops In and around Hunts
vile we're practically without ammunition and
tyould almost have been useless 10 call them
out
At noon a riece Of dynamite was thrown on
the front steps OF the jail and exploded with a
loud report. Considerable damage was done.
but once more Sheriff Fulgham and his deputies
kent the crowd at bav.
Surrender the negro. give him to U.S." the
mob shouted.
sheriff Fuleham shouted back:
stand back or III order ms men to fire on
you"
kilograms were received by the Sheriff from
United States IN Gals to protect the Federal
prisoners in the Jail, even II 1t was necessary TO
rles. . them. Finally. late this afternoon it be-
cane Doi.ed about that troops were coming 10
HuntsviI e, and would put the mob TO flight.
Combustible matter was gathered in all direc-
tions, and the mob informed the Sheriff that
the jail was to be burned down. Smoke
ascended all around the place, and at last the
Sheriff ard his deputies had to escape with
their lives.
II took only a few moments to get hold OF the
negro. lie was dragged out and a great shout
rent The air. The mob half dragged and half
pulled the victim along. To Dallas they
headed. and oncs there. to a tree limb the negro
was soon dangling.
II was the most exciting day Huntsville ever
saw. Women and children trembled In their
homes, fearing the outcome. Militia In Deca-
tur. Birmingham, Florence and az other points
practically rested on their arms expecting 10
be called out.