The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-07-24
Tar, Feathers and Oil Set AbIaxe i'm
the Jail and the Sheriff Over
come by the Fumes.
MAN DANGEROUSLY WOUNDED
WHILE THE MOB WAS ATTEMPTING
TO SECURE THE PRISONER.
Militia Summoned, and Arrived just
as the Body of the Negro Was
Riddled with Bullets.

HUNTSVILLE, Ala, July 23.-Elijah
Clark, a negro, who yesterday assaulted
Susan Priest, thirteen-year-old girl was
taken from the Jail in this city tonight and
lynched near the spot where his crime
committed His body was riddled with
bullets. Sheriff Fulgham defended his
prisoner to the last. but a dense smoke,
from combination of tar, feathers and
oil fired by the crazed mob was too much
for him and heiwas dragged from the Jail
and placed under a physicians care. Will
liam Vining, who attempted to rush
through the crowd and up the Jail steps
was shot and dangerously wounded.
A crowd of $50 men. principally employees
of the cotton mills at Dallas, a 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 and before 0
o'clock had captured Clark on Beaverdam
creek. ten miles from Huntsville. He was
soon landed in Jail and by o'clock the
news of the prisoners capture was abroad.
A mob was soon formed and marched to
the jail Sheriff Fulgham seeing that he
had a desperate crowd to combat, wired
Governor Johnston the facts in the case
The Governor responded TO the effect that
he had ordered the militia at Birmingham,
Montgomery and Decatur to proceed with
all haste to the scene. The sheriff then
telephoned Judge S. NJ. Stuart and asked
for an immediate trial of the negro and the
judge replied soon after that he had ar
ranged for a special session of court at 3
o'clock before Judge II. c. Speake. The
mob by this time had assumed alarming
proportions and the sheriff thinking to
quiet 1t, appeared at window and an
nounced that a special trial had been ar
ranged for the prisoner for 3 p. m. This
was greeted with jeers by the crowd and
the cry revenge" went up.
DOOR BATTERED IN.
The outer door to the jail, wooden bar
rier, was then attacked and soon battered
down, the mob gaining entrance to the
first floor. Here they encountered the
sheriffs wife, who pleaded with them to
refrain from violence and let the law take
its course. Sheriff Fulgham, 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 to devise ways and means of
securing the prisoner without doing harm
to the sheriff. A dozen times the sheriff
as he appeared at the window. waving his
hands to the mob TO go away, could have
been shot, but the lynchers choose strategy
as the most effective way out of the diff
Guilty.
A large amount of tar, feathers and oil
was secured and piled up on the cement
floor of the Jail and a match applied. A
suffocating smoke arose and spread quickly
throughout the Jail. The sheriff again re-
treated to the corner farthest from the
burning pile. taking his prisoner with him.
More tar and feathers were brought in
and ignited. The sheriff was seen to dis
appear from the window and the mob
waited. He did not reappear and Chief of
Police David Overton broke through the
crowd and up the stairs through the
binding and suffocating smoke. Reaching
the third floor he found Sheriff Fulgham i'm
semi-conscious condition. The sheriff
was dragged to a window, where the air
partly revived him.
"Come out of here, Fulgham, you will be
suffocated." said the chief
mo, Dave" feebly responded Fulgham.
II will stay here. 1 will die doing my
| duty"
SHERIFF DRAGGED OUT
The chief of police dragged the half con-
| scious man down the two fights of stairs
| into the street. He quickly taken to
| the City Hall and doctors summoned
| The sheriff's departure the signal for
the mob TO proceed with its work, and il
! quickly took complete possession of the
| Jail. 1t required fully an hour TO break the
| lock TO the cell i'm which the negro was
| confined, but as soon as this was accom-
| plished, two men secured Clark and
| quickly appeared with him on the front
! steps of the Jail. One of the mob then
| sprang up the steps and turning TO the
crowd begged all persons to put UP their
pistols and handle their guns with care in
| order TO prevent any more bloodshed This
4
| the negro was started down the steps A
| plowlne was placed around his neck and.
| guarded by twenty heavily armed men in
fours. he was dragged out of the Jail yard
| and down Clinton street the shouting and
cheering mob led the victim. followed BY
| fully 1,500 people.
| Clark was hustled quickly to Dallas and
| then 20 the home of his victim. Here he
| was taken before the girl and positively
identified. The Identification complete,
Clark collapsed and had 10 be borne on
! the shoulders Of his captors. Moore s