The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1900-07-24

Huntsville. Ala. July Elijah Clark.
the negro Who yesterday assaulted Miss
Susan Priest thirteen -year-old girl, was
taken from the JaI, iU this city this even
Ing ard Nrched near the spot where Hls
crime was committed. His body was nd
died viii bullets. sheriff FUigham de-
Tended h!s prisoner TO the last, but
dense smoke from combination Of tar
Gathers. and oil. fired by the crazed mob,
was too much f0r him. aUd he was
dragged from the jail and placed under
"a physicians care. William NiUlug an
rmploye 81 the street railway. company.
who attempted 10 rush through the crowd
ana UP The Jail steps WAS shot and dan
ger0usy wounded.
= crowd of I5o men. principally employees
0f the big cotton mills az Dallas a sub
UTb OF This city. searched the woods all
night for Clark. who was identified AT
the time he assaulted Miss Priest by her
Att!e sister. No success attended their
efforts. and early this morning Sheriff
fulgham started out with a posse. and
before 2 O'Clock had captured Clark on
Heaver Dam Creek ten miles from Hunts
Vile He was soon landed in jail, and by
! O'Clock the news of the prisoners cap
A mob composed of mill operatives and
men Of All caIlircs was soon formed and
marched 10 the Jail. where they stood for
d time apparently waiting for leader
appealed 10 Governor.
Sheriff Fuleham. seeing that he had
desperate crowd 20 combat wired Gov.
Johnston jhe facts in the case. The gov
crnor RESPONDED 20 the effect that he had
ordered the militia at Birmingham. Mont
gomcry, and Decatur 90 proceed with all
haste TO the scene. The sheriff men tCle-
phoned Judge : NJ Stewart and asked for
an immediate trial OF the negro, and the
judge replied soon after that he had ar
ranged Tor a special session Of court al
O'Clock before Judge II. e. Speake.
The mob by this time had assumed
alarming proportions and the sheriff.
thinking TO quiet the storm, appeared at
window and announced that a special trial
had been arranged for the prisoner, and
that he would be brought before the court
at 3 O'Clock in the afternoon. This was
greeted with jeers by the crowd of citizens
and the cry Revenge" went up.
The outer door TO the jail a wooden
barrier. was soon battered down. and
The mob gained entrance 10 the first
wife who pleaded with them to refrain
from violence and let the law take its
course. Sheriff FulPham. however, on
hearing the door being forced retreated
with his prisoner to the third floor where
he locked himself in with Clark. The
mob then stopped 10 devise ways and
means or securing the prisoner without
doing harm 10 the sheriff who is a great
iayorite here dozen times the sheriff.
as he appeared at the window waving
his hands 10 the mon TO &c away, could
have been shot. but the lynchers chose
strategy as the most effective way out
of III. difficulty.
Compelled 30 Retreat.
large amount OF tar, feathers. and oil
was secured and piled upon the cement
floor Of the jail and a match applied. A
Suffoca,ing smoke arose and spread quick
ly Throughout; the jail. The sheriff again
retreated 10 the corner farthest from the
odorifarous pile, taking his prisoner with
him. More tar and feathers were brought
in and ignited. The sheriff was seen TO
disappear from the window and the mob
waited. He did not reappear. and Chief
Of Police David Overton broke through
The crowd and ran up the stairs through
the binding and sulfocating smoke
Reaching the third fioor he found Sheriff
Fulgham IN a semi-conscious condition.
The sheriff was dragged 10 a window,
where the air partially revived him.
Come out of here. Fugham; you will
he suffocated" said the chief.
NO, Dave feebly responded Fulghar,
Il will stay here. l will die doing my
duty"
Without further words the chief Of po-
lice dragged the half-conscious man from
his perilOus position ard down the TWO
flights of stars into the street.
The sherifTS departure was the signal
for the mob to proceed to their work
and they quickly took complete possession
Of the stronghold. Fully an hour was
consumed in breaking the lock to the
cell In which the Culprit was confined
but as soon as this was accomplished two
men secured Clark and quickly appeared
with him on the front steps Of the jail.
Identified by Victim.
One of the mob then sprang up TO the
steps, and, turning 10 the crowd, begged
all persons 10 put up their pistols and
handle their guns with care. in order
to prevent any more bloodshed. This
suggestion was adopted by the crowd
and the negro was started down the
steps plow line was placed around
his neck, and. guarded by twenty heavily
armed men in fours, he was dragged out
of the Jail yard. Down Clinton street the
shouting and cheering mob led their vie
Tim followed by fully 1900 people.
The doomed man was hustled quickly
10 Dallas, and once there was dragged
down Stevens avenue 10 the home of his
victim Hero he WAS taken before the
-irl ana positively Identified. The idenJi-
fcation complete. the wretch collapsed
and had To be- taken up and borne on th=
shoulders Of his Captors.
No0res Grove was soon reached. The
.opa around Clark's neck was thrown
over thr limb Of an immense tree by Miss
Priests brother. The negro was thrown
across the back OF a morse and the ami
nal led out from under him. The body
ieH probably three feet, and as Il danrle!
I'D the air the report of probably a hun
drra firearms was heard. and the QuivCr-
Ing flesh OF the negro was pierced by
many bullets.
Just a. The work was finished The Dc
tatur militia arrived ar Huntsville They
vr ere telcphoncd that they were too late.