The news & observer., 1901-01-17
THOUSANDS ARE PRESENT
The Negro is Burned at Stake in
the City.
WHERE PEARL FORBES WAS MURDERED
The Negro Was Believed to be Guilty Of This
Crime as Well as of the Assault Upon
Miss Eva Roth Last
Saturday.
CBy tho Associated Press.)

Leavenworth. Kansas. Jan. 15.-Fred
Alexander, the negro who. on Saturday
evening, attempted to assault Miss Eva
Roth. and who was supposed to have as
saulted 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
crimes, half dozen blocks from the
center of the city. Probably 5000 people
witnessed the lynching
The negro was taken from his cell at
the State Penitentiary at O'Clock this
afternoon, placed in a hack and brought
TO town. Fifty deputy marshals surround
ed him, and Deputy Sheriffs Stance Mey-
ers and Thomas Brown sat in the hack on
either side OF him.
Fifty buggies and wagons followed the
hack.
At Fourth and Olive streets the police
in the hack following the one in which
Alexander was concealed, jumped out and
chased several negroes In the excite
ment the prisoners hack was frantically
driven to the county Jail where he was
locked in cell Just as a mob reached
the doors.
The Jail doors were locked.
JAIL DOORS BURST IN.
The crowd first attempted to gain ad-
mission by peaceful means, but Sheriff
Everhardy refused to deliver the negro.
Then the crowd pushed its way to the
side door, and the door was forced from it's
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 door was finally bent suf
fciently for the men to climb over it,
Several gained an entrance in this man
ner 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 door, made of heavy
sheet iron, were cut off with sledge ham
mers and chsels and the door of the cell
room broken down.
man with sharp eyes espied shape
less mass crouched down in one corner
of the dark cell. Five minutes work and
the heavy lock on the cell had been
broken off. yell of terror issued from
the cell. Strong men filled the corridors
with hysterical laughter. Outside the
crowd was yelling itself hoarse. Then
into the cell rushed those who were
nearest the door.
FOUGHT TO GET AT HIM.
The mob issued forth in a moment
dragging the negro by the coat collar. He
had been struck over the head with a
hammer but was still conscious. Men
fought to get at him, and. infuriated
struck savagely at him. Up the hill into
rd aim
"Confess before we harm you," said
thev.
II am innocent. / am dying for what
another man did. I see lots of my friends
here: they know l did not do it. If 1
had been guilty l would have said so at
the penitentiary and would have stayed
there for life. The warden told me So.
'The policemen told me so. Would not |
navc told them if ! was guilty?"
you lie,v they cried, and one huge
fellow struck Alexander in the forehead
with his fist three times.
He spoke with the resignation of a man
who sees before him only certain death.
move was made for large cotton
wood tree in corner of the court house
yard
BURN HIM. CRlED THE MOB
My God, men, cried the negro IN
his agony Il have told you that | am
innocent. / can't tell any more. didn't
do IT."
tHe lies; burn him., cried the mob
~Take him where he committed the MUIR
der" suggested one.
Immediately the crowd, carrying the
negro, who was thrown into wagon,
mashed on towards Fourth street. AT
quarter past five o'clock Alexander was
brought to the exact spot where Pearl
Forbes. the murdered girl was found and