Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1901-08-24
TOWN IN HANDS OF A MOB.
Two Negroes Lynched at Pierce City
NO., and others Being
Driven Out

Pierce City, Mo-, Aug. 2i.-For nearly
Is hours, ending about noon Tuesday,
this town of 5000 people was in the
hands of a mob of armed whites, deter
precincts. In addition to the lynching
Monday night of Will Cooley, accused
of the wanton murder of Miss Gazelle
Wild, and the shooting to death of his
grandfather, French Cooley, the mob
on Tuesday cremated Pete Hampton,
an aged negro, in his home, set the
torch to the houses of five blacks, and,
with the aid of state militia rifles,
stolen from the local company's ar
senal, drove dozens of negroes from
town. After noon the excitement died
down, the mob gradually dispensing,
more from lack of negroes upon which
to wreak their hatred than for any
other cause. Many of the negroes who
fed the city are hiding in the surround
ing woods, while others have gone
greater distances in seeking safety.
Every negro has left the town eX-
cept few railway porters known to
be respectable, but who must also
leave. The citizens of Pierce City say
that as negroes have committed sew
eral such crimes in the last ten years,
none shall live there in the future, the
same feeling already existing at Mo-
nett, four miles east of Pierce City, and
the end of the Frisco passenger divi-
sion. 1t may be necessary for the
road to change all porters in Spring
field hereafter.
1t is now believed that the man
Will Cooley, lynched, was not the real
culprit. A negro named Starks, under
arrest at Tulsa, /. T., across the bor-
der from here, tallies exactly with the
description of the murderer. He is
held there awaiting Identification. I'm
less the man is brought back here it
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 Car
ter, in a confession while rope was
around his neck, accused Joe Lark,
Frisco railroad porter, of being impli-
Gated in the crime, and Lark was ar
rested Tuesday 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.
Some here think that Barrett told the
story in order to save his life.
The funeral of Miss Wild took
place Tuesday, and was witnessed by
several thousand people. Pierce City
is near the junction of four railroads
and trains from all directions brought
in large numbers of armed men
tuesday, bent on bloodshed if neces-
sary. When the mob went to the
section of the city occupied by the
negroes, someone in the cabins OPEN
ed fire, but no one was hit. The mob
then destroyed the five houses, but
the financial loss is small. Reckless
firing broke several plate glass win
dows and a train was fired into. None
of the passengers was hurt The rifles
taken from the Pierce City military
company, it is expected, will all be re
turned. Members of the company
themselves were out hunting for the
escaping negroes with rifles and this
suggested the idea of taking all the
guns. The local hardware stores
sold out their arms early but several
applications from negroes were re-
fused. Inc mob was composed of
a thousand or more, and no masks
were used and thirty negro families
were driven from their houses.
New elements in the murder on
Sunday afternoon of Miss Wild de-
veloped Tuesday. 1t appears she
started home from church alone, her
brother lingering behind. About one
mile from town the brother found
her with her throat cut, lying life
less near a culvert under which her
assailant had attempted to drag her.
Evidence of a terrible struggle was
shown. A copper colored negro was
seen sitting on the bridge a short
time before the tragedy occurred.
1t is supposed that the negro
sprang upon her when she was pass
ing and attempted to force her be-
meath the bridge. She fought with
such desperation that he could not
accomplish his purpose and cut her
throat in the struggle. Her body was
not violated.