The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1901-08-23
RAGING WHITE MOB
Pierce City Mo. In the Hands Of
One Thousand Men
NO MORE NEGROES TO KILL
Leave the City-A Train Was Fired
Into, But Fortunately No One Was
Hurt.

Pierce City. Mo-, Aug. 21.-For near.
ly fifteen hours, ending about noon
yesterday, this town of 5000 people
has been in the hands of a mob of
armed whites determined 10 drive ev-
cry negro from its precincts. In ad-
dition to the lynching of William God
ley, accused of the wanton murder Of
Miss Jazelle Wild, and the shooting
TO death of his grandfather, French
Cooley, the mob cremated Peter
Hampton, an aged negro, in his home,
set the torch TO the houses OF five
blacks, and with the aid of state mi
litia rifles, stolen from the local com
pany's arsenal, drove dozens Of ne
groes from town. After noon the ex-
element died down, the mob gradually
dispensing, more from lack of negroes
upon whom to wreak their hatred than
for any other cause. Many Of the ne
groes who fed the city are hiding in
the surrounding woods, while others
have gone greater distances in seek
ing safety.
Every negro has left the town ex-
cept few railway porters, known to
be respectable, but these must also
leave. The citizens of Pierce City
say that as negroes have committed
several crimes in the last ten years,
none shall live there in the future, the
same feeling already existing at Mo-
| Of W
and the end of the Frisco passenger
division. 1t may be necessary for the
road TO change all porters in Spring
field hereafter.
1t is now believed the man Cooley,
who was lynched, was not the real
culprit. A negro named Starks, un-
der arrest at Tulsa, |. T., across the
border from here, tallies exactly with
! the description of the assailant. He
is held there awaiting Identification.
Unless the man is brought back here,
il is believed there will be no further
trouble. If returned here he will sure
/ ly be lynched. Another suspect, Joe
Lark, is under arrest in Springfield,
Mo. Eugene Barrett, also known as
Carter, in a confession while a rope
was around his neck, accused Joe
ing implicated in the crime, and Lark
was arrested at Springfield. Lark
gave a detailed statement as to his
whereabouts Sunday and he is not be-
| lieved TO be guilty. 1t is not likely
that either suspect will be taken TO
! Pierce City while the excitement runs
high.
Members of the railroad company
l
Gaping negroes with rifles, and this
suggested the idea of taking all the
! guns. The local hardware stores sold
out their arms early, but several appli-
! cations from negroes were refused.
The mob was composed of a thousand
or more, and no masks were worn.
! Thirty negro families were driven
from their houses.
New elements in the killing on Sun
! day afternoon Of Miss Wild have de-
! veloped. Ii appears she started home
from church alone, her brother linger
| ing behind. About one mile from town
the brother found her with her throat
| cut, lying lifeless near a culvert I'M
der which her assailant had attempt
ed to drag her Evidence of a terrible
struggle was shown. A copper-colored
/ negro was seen sllIluS Oh INC ulluSc
a short time before the tragedy &C.
Cured. 1t is supposed tnat the negro
sprang upon her when she was pass
ing and attempted to force her be-
meath the bridge. She probably fought
with such desperation that he could
not accomplish his purpose and cut
! her throat in the struggle.
| Monday bloodhounds were taken to
| h. ir1' ha mr. n.
kerchief was laid before them. They
Immediately caught the trail and ran
at full spec. ! to the home of Joe Lark,
where, on beng admitted, they rushed
into his bedroom and sprang upon the
! bed. II is believed the man under ar
rest at Tulsa. who boarded with Lark,
the Springfield suspect, slept upon this
| bed.