The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-01-22
BURNED AT THE STAKE
Fearful Death ola Negro at the Hands
ofa Kansas Mob-Thousands Witness
His Horrible Death.

The following press dispatch of Tues
day night, giving an account of the
burning at the stake of a negro in
Kansas was crowded out of our issue
Of yesterday. We give it this morning.
50 our readers can see that all the
"atrocious crimes against the negro"
are not perpetrated at the south:
Leavenwortn, Kan, January 49,
Fred Alexander, the negro who on
Saturday evening attempted to assault
Miss Eva Roth, and who was supposed
to have assaulted and killed Pearl
Forbes. in this city, in November last.
was taken from the sheriff's guard by
a mob today, and burned at the stake.
at the scene of his crime, half a dozen
blocks from the center of the city.
Probably 5000 people witnessed the
lynchiag. The negro was taken from
his cell at the state ptnitentiary at 3
O'clock this afternoon, placed in a hack,
and brought to town. Fifty deputy
marshals surrounded him. and Depu-
ty Sheriffs Stance Myers and Thomas
Brown sat in the hack on either side
Of him. Fifty buggies and wagons fol-
lowered the Lax At Fourth and Olive
streets the police in the Jack following
the one in which Alexander was con-
cealed jumped out and chased several
negroes. In the excitement, the prIs-
oner's hack was ~franically driven to
the county Jail. where the prisoner was
locked in a cell just as the mob C
ed the door.
The Jail doors were locked. The
crowd first attempted to gain admission
by peaceful means, but Sheriff Ever
hart refused to deliver up the negro.
Then the crowd pushed it's way to the
side door. and using one man as a
battering ram. the door was forced
from its hinges. Then the crowd
surged into the corridor by the narrow
doorway. A huge iron bar battered the
iron door OF the cell room The dool
was finally bent sufficiently for the men
to climb over it. Several gained an
entrance in this manner
Meantime, the crowd had pushed
down the side-gate Of the stockade, and
a yelling pack appeared in the jail
yard. The hinges Of the side-door.
made of heavy sheet-iron, Here-cut OF
with sledge-hammers and chisels, and
the door OF the cell-room was broken
down. A man with sharp eyes espied
a shapeless mass crouched down in one
"a Ia ooLh III 4 lIAA4OlC
work, n the heavy ock On the sell
had been broken off. A yell Of terror
issued from the cell. Strong men filed
the corridor with hysterical laughter.
Outside the crowd was yelling ftself
hoarse. Then into the cell rushed those
who were nearest the door.
NEGRO DECLARED HIS INNO-
CENCE.
The mob issued forth in a moment,
dragging he negro by the ~coat-collar.
He had been struck owe the head with
a hammer, but was still conscious.
Men fought to get at him. and. in
furiated, struck savagely at him. Up
the hill into the courthouse yard they
dragged linn.
! Confess before we harm you.' said
they.
81 am innocent. I am dying for
what another man did. / see lots of my
. friends here. They know / did not
T; do #. II / had been guilty I would
have said % at the penfneatiary, and
T; would have stayed there for life. The
/ warden told me so. The policemen
| told me so. Wouldn't / have told them
il I was gufity?"
You lie" they cried. and one huge
| fellow struck Alexander In h FORE
| head with his fist three times. Alex
ander spoke with b resignation OF q
man who sees before him only certain
death.
A move was made for a large cotton
wood tree il a corner OF the ourt-
house yard.
NY God. men. cried the negro. In