Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-07-24
THE MILITIA CANE TOO LAIE.
AFTER a HEROIC EFFORT ON THE
PART OF THE SHERIFF. TO
SAVE HIM.
Elijah Clark Was Taken From Jail
by a Mob of Thousand Men, and
Observation-Disclosures of speedy
Trial, Which Was Sure to Bring
Legal Hanging, Were of no
Avail.

a Legal Hanging, Were of no
Avail.
HUNTSVILLE, Ala, July 23.-Elijah
Clark, negro, who yesterday assault
ed Susan Riest, a 13-year-old girl, was
taken from the Jail in this city tonight
and lynched near the spot where his
crime was committed. His body was
riddled with bullets. Sheriff Fulgham
defended his prisoner to the last, but a
dense smoke, from a combination of
tar, feathers and oil fired by the Graz
ed mob, was too much for him, and he
was dragged from the Jail and placed
under physicians care. VIM. Vining,
who attempted to rush through the
crowd and up the jail steps, was shot
and dangerously wounded.
A crowd of 1000 men, principally
employees of the cotton mills at Dallas,
suburb of this city, searched the
woods all night for Clark, who was
identified at the time he assaulted Miss
Priest by her little sister. No success
attended their efforts, and early this
morning Sheriff Fulgham started out
with a posse. Before o'clock he had
captured Clark, who was soon landed
in Jail. BY one o'clock news of the
prisoners capture was abroad.
10
the jail. Sheriff Fulgham wired Gov
ernor Johnston, who replied that he had
ordered the militia at Birmingham,
Montgomery and Decatur to proceed
with all haste to the scene. The negro's
hearing was arranged at a special ses-
sion of court at 8 o'clock this after
noon before Judge H. S. Peake. The
mob by this time had assumed alarm
ing proportions and the Sheriff, think
ing to quiet it, appeared at a window
and announced that special trial had
bee narranged for the prisoner for p.
m.
This Was Greeted With Jeers
by the crowd and the cry revenge
went up.
The outer door of the Jail, a wooden
barrier, was attacked and soon batter
ed down, the mob gaining entrance to
the first floor. Here they encountered
the sheriff's wife, who pleaded with
them to refrain from violence and let
the law take its course. Sheriff Fulg-
ham, however, on hearing the door be-
ing forced, retreated with his prisoner
to the third floor, where he locked him
self in with Clarke. The mob then
stopped to devise ways and means of
securing the prisoner without doing
harm to the sheriff. A large amount OF
tar, feathers and oil was secured and
piled on the cement floor of the Jail and
a match applied. The suffocating
smoke arose and spread quickly
through the Jail. The sheriff retreated
to the corner farthest from the burning
pile, and locked the prisoner in a cell.
More tar and feathers were ignited.
After few moments, Chief of Police
Overton broke through the crowd. On
the third floor he found Sheriff Fulg-
ham unconscious. Fresh air partially
revived him, but he resisted with all his
strength against being taken away
from his charge.
The chief dragged him down stairs
to the city hall, where three doctors
finally overcame the results of the suf-
locating smoke.tsng
The Sherif's Departure
was the signal for the mob to proceed
with its work and it quickly took pos
session. Fully an hour was consumed
in breaking the lock to the cell. Clarke
was dragged to the front entrance,
rope was placed around his neck, and,
guarded by twenty heavily armed
men, he was dragged out of the Jail
yard Down Clinton street, the jeer-
ing mob led the victim, followed by L.
500 people.
Clark was led to Dallas and then
taken to the home of his victim. Here
he was taken before his victim and
positively identified. Clark then col
lapsed and had to be borne on the
shoulders of his captors to Moore's
Grove, where the rope around his neck
was thrown over tree by Miss Priests
brother. The negro was placed across
the back of a horse, which was led from
beneath him. The body dangled in the
air and hundreds of bullets were fired
into it.
Just as the work was finished the
Decatur militia arrived at Huntsville.