Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1901-08-23
A RElGNgOF' TERROR,
HLUll NIl3Ll NV 5liI.isIhl4 IlIts5 SLLlI It7U
Established by Infuriated Whites
ri Missouri ,Iown. g Z.
BECROESDRlVEN FROM THEIR HOMES.

--!I1l4Gtt l9&9 r
BECROES DRIVEN FROM THEIR HOMES.
rAeir Residences Fired, and One
Black Man Is Crcmated-Thct Oc-
currence Follows Lynchinl Of
Two Blaclss at Pierce City. x
Pierce City, Mo-, Aug. 21.-For nearly
as hours, ending about noon Tuesday,
this town of 5000 people was in the
hands 81 a mob farme ed whites. deter
mined TO drive every negro from it's
precinct IS. In addition tothe 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,
m aged negro, in his home, set the
torch xe 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 eastof Pierce City, and
the end of the Frisco passenger divi-
sion. 1t may be necessary for the
road to change all port ers In Spring.
field hereafter.
II May Have Been Innocent.
It 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 Dor
der from here, italics exactly with the
description of the murderer. He is
held there awaiting Identification. I'm
less the man is brought back here it
SIS believed there will be NO furthe,
trouble. II returned here he will sure
" be lynched. Another suspect, 10.
Lark, is under arrest in Springfield
Mo.
Eugene Barrett, also known as Car.
ter, in confession while rope was
around his neck, accused Joe Lark, a
Frisco railroad porter, of being impli-
Gated in the crime. and Lark was ar
rested Tuesday at Springfield. Lark
gave detailed statement as to his
whereabouts Sunday, and he is not be.
heved 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.
Work of the Mob.
The funeral of Miss Wild took
place Tuesday, and was witnessed by
several thousand people. Pierce City
rs 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 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 ont 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
thousand or more, and no masks
were used and thirty negro families
We're driven from their houses.
Murder of Miss Wild.
New elements in the murder OF
Sunday afternoon of Miss Wild de
veloped Tuesday. 1t appears sh
started home from church alone, he
brother lingering behind. About on,
mile from town the brother fount
her with her throat cut, lying life
less near a culvert under which hel
assailant had attempted to drag her
Evidence of a terrible struggle was
shown. copper colored negro wa.
seen sitting on the bridge shor,
time before the tragedy occurred.
IT is supposed that the negro
sprapg upon her when she was pass
ing and attempted to force her be
meath the bridge. She fought will
such desperation that he could no
accomplish his purpose and cut he
throat in the struggle. Tier body wa
not violated. Monday bloodhound
were taken to the scene End tn,
girls bloody handkerchief was lait
before them. They immed;atel,
caught the trail and ran at full speed
to the home of Joe Lark, where o,
being admitted rushed into his bed
room and sprang upon the bed. 1t il
believed that the man under arres
at Tulsa who boarded with Lark, TIL
Springfield suspect, slept upon thi
bed.
Foreign Crop Reports.
Wa vhi Ufnp Autr Of -1obr lip,l.