The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-16
CAUSE OF THE LYNCHING.
Alexander Accused of Assaulting Two
Women and killing One.

LEAvENwORTH. Kan. Jan. 15.-Fred
Alexander was arrested for attempting to
assault Miss Eva Roth on Saturday night
last and he was charged with the assault
and murder. Nov. 6. of Pearl Forbes. Miss
Roth was employed as seamstress in one
of the large stores. and was returning
home after work. Alexander had followed
her for several blocks, when, to throw him
off the track, she entered a neighbor's
house a few blocks from her home. Later.
believing that he had left, Miss Roth again
started for home. When at a point nearly
opposite the residence of Prof. Evans, Of
the High School. a fashionable district on
South Broadway, she was again met by
Alexander, who seized her around the
throat and bore her to the ground. In fall
ing his fingers slipped from her throat long
enough to enable her to cry for help. Her
cry was heard by Prof. Evans. but when
he had reached the spot the negro had fled.
A crowd soon gathered, among them a col
ored girl. who said the mans name was
Alexander. Alexander was soon captured
and taken to the police station.
News of the assault spread rapidly and IL
was not long until the streets about the
jail were crowded with excited men, de-
t6TlllIeu 10 lylCH hlCAdlluCi. IL pohNt III
the meantime, however. had spirited Alex
ander away and when the doors were brok-
en- in he was not to be found. The police
a placed him in a hack and driven rap
idly away TO the state penitentiary at
Lansing. Before he was taken to the pen
itentiary Miss Roth had confronted her as
sailant and identified him. The mob dis
persed when it became apparent that an
assault upon the penitentiary would prove
futile.
Sunday at a secret meeting. attended by
people OF all classes, a vigilance committee
was formed. Its avowed purpose vas to
lynch Alexander when he should be brought
back to Leavenworth for trial, and TO rid
the city of the dozens of suspicious charac-
tiers that had overrun ii during the past
month or so.
about the penitentiary door. 1t grew in
numbers during the day and as night ap-
preached a determination to storm the
walls was expressed freely. A majority OF
those present were armed, many with shot
guns. TO prevent the prisoners being
spirited away, guards were placed at the
different entrances. In the afternoon, John
Roth. father of Alexanders victim, had
and the sheriff of L~eavenworth had started
To serve 1t. but turned back when he real
lied that he would not be able to bring his
man back to -Leavenworth alive.
Many citizens, among them rhe father of
Pearl Forbes. addressed the crowd, coun-
selling that the law be allowed 20 take its
course. They urged that the Ienitentiary
was strongly guarded. and that an attempt
TO reach the negro would result In the
death of many innocent people. The speak
ers were hooted at and ridiclled, out after
midnight most of the crowd dispersed.
Many, however, remained about the prison
walls all night, and to-day their numbers
swelled with each hour. Later, when II
became known, that Sheriff Everhardy, of
Leavenworth. would come for the prisoner.
the mob increased in size rapidly and be-
came so formidable that Governor Stanley.
in response to a telegram from Warden
Tomlinson, ordered two companies OF mill
TIA to be in readiness to start for Leaven
worth at a moments notice. Governor
Stanley ordered Warden Tomlinsol TO re-
fuse to turn Alexander over 10 the sheriff
unless he agreed in writing 10 protect him.
Shortly after noon Sheriff Evernardy and
his deputies started to the penitentiary,
determined to bring the negro 10 Leaven-
worth for his trial. The fact was soon in
the mouths Of hundreds of people along
the line and they hurried 10 the scene.
The assault and murder of Pearl Forbes
occurred on Nov. 6 last. Miss Forbes, who
was twenty years old, was employed in a
candy factory. She had started from work
at 6 o'clock. walking. as was her custom.
She failed to reach home that night and
her body was found in a rayine near her
home on the following morning. Marks
on the throat indicated that she had been
murdered by strangulation. and the sur
roundings gave evidence OF a terrible strug-
gle. She had first been assaulted. Several
arrests were made, but no clew to the GRIM
inal could be found The scene of this
crime was but a few blocks distant from
the spot where Alexander attacked Miss
Roth, and Alexander, when arrested. was
accused of both offenses. In the penitenti-
airy he was sweated severely in an effort
TO make him admit the Forbes crime, but
he steadfastly insisted that he had nothing
to do with Ii. Miss Forbes was the laugh
ter of William Forbes. a contracting car
penter.