The Van Buren press., 1900-07-28
BLACK VICTIM OF MOB LAW.
elijah Clark. Negro Charged with Hem
Gus Crime, Lynched Hunts
Vile, Ala.

taken from the Jail in this city last
night and lynched near the spot where
his crime was committed. His body
was riddlcd with bullets. Sheriff Full
CHAM defended his prisoner to the last,
but dense smoke from a combination
of tar, feathers ana oil fred by the
crazed mob, was too much for him
Dangerously Shot.
William Nining, who attempted to
rush through the crowd and up the
Jail steps, was shot and dangerously
wounded
The Fugitive Landed in Jail.
A crowd of $50 men, principally en-
ployes of the cotton mills at Dallas, u
suburb of this city, searched the woods
all Sunday night for Clark, who was
identified at the time he assaulted Miss
Priest by her sister. No success at
tended their efforts, and early yester-
day morning Sheriff Fulgham started
out with posse, and before nine
o'clock had captured Clark on Beaver
Daga creek, ten miles from Huntsville.
lie was soon landed in Jail, and by one
o'clock the news of the prisoners cap
tn was abroad
shcriH's Efforts 10 save the Prisoner.
a mob was soon formed and marched
to the iail. Sheriff Fulgham, seeing
that he had a desperate crowd to COM
bat, wired Gov. 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. II. Stewart and asked for an imme-
date tiial of the negro, and the judge
replied soon after that he had ar
ranged for a special session of court at
three o'clock yesterday afternoon, be-
fore Judge II. S. Speake.
The mob by this time had assumed
alarming proportions, and the sheriff,
thinking to quiet it, appeared at a
window and announced that special
trial had been arranged for the pris-
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Inc outer door 10 'he JAIL a WOODEN
barrier was then attacked ana soon
battered down, the mob gaining en-
al
trance 10 'ne hrst iioor' mere 'hey eh-
eouh'ereu 'he sherln VILE VIM P'e"u.
co WIN ,he,h 10 refrain rom 'ioien'e
oho lei inc law mke i.s COURSE.
Hetre"ted 10 the r"'r" ri"or'
Sheriff Fulgham, however on near
Ing the door being forced, retreated
with his prisoner to the third moor
where he locked himself IN with CLARK
The mob then stopped TO devise ways
aud means OF securing the prisoner
without doing nm harm.
the MOD Ohose str"'e9y'
a dozen tunes the sherin' as ne ap'
reared at the WINDOW waving me-
hands 10 the mon 10 go away couid
nave beer sho'' put 'he iyncners
choSe strategy us .ne ihos' eheo'i'e
way out OF the diihculty' large
rmount OF tar, feathers ana oil was
secured ana piied up Oh 'ne cement
hoor OF the JAIL ana ma'ch applieu,
a soiioeating smoke arose ana sPreaa
quickly throughout the jan
sherih Almost s"n"e"'e"'
The sheriff again retreated 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
disappear from the window, and when
lie did not reappear, Chief-of'Police
Overton broke through the crowd and
ran up the stairs through the blind
ing and suffocating smoke. Reaching
the third floor he found Sheriff Full
ghum In a semi-conscious condition.
Rescued from Certain Death.
The chief dragged the half-conscious
man down the two flights Of stairs
!nto the street. He was quickly taken
TO the city hall, and doctors sum
moned.
Mob Took Possession of Jail.
The sheriff's departure was the sig
nal for the mob TO proceed with its
work, and IL quickly took possession
OF the jail. Fully an hour was con.
tumed In breaking the lock to the cell
IN which the negro was confined, but
Az soon az this was accomplished, two
s"7h e0N"'S" S"'" ""N f"'>"'y "f