The Van Buren press., 1901-08-31
MAN.HUNI IN MISSOURI.
The Citizens of Johnson County,
Missouri, Searching for
Black Brute.
AIS DOOM IS SEALED WHEN CAPTURED,
In the Absence of other Members OF
the Family VIII Francis Assault
ed and Then Murdered Miss Mary
Henderson, Aged Forty, At HeI
Sisters Home in Columbus.

Kansas City, Mo-, Aug. ga spe-
Ct to the Star from Warrensburgr
NJ says:
Cne of the most dastardly crimes
&c committed in the borders OF
j ,nson county was perpetrated
i ,day night, at the little hamlet
O, olumbus, off the railroad, IL
IN north of here. Miss Mary Hen
del i, aged 40 years, was murdered
in \ blood by Will Francis, 22'
year negro, after he had assault
ed he The crime was committed at
the ia house of Chap Hyatt, Miss
Hcndersons brotber-in-law, prom
inent citizen and once a member OF
the state populist committee. Fran
els, who worked on Hyatt's farm, fled
but is believed to have been sur
rounded in the woods near Holden
The whole country is up in arms and
1t is believed the negro will be burned
at the stake.
Miss Henderson Was Left Alone.
Miss Henderson was member OF
one OF the best families in the county
and made her home with her brother.
in-low. Mr.. and Mrs. Hyatt had gone
away in the afternoon, leaving Miss
Henderson alone in the house, except
for Francis, who has been trusty
for ten years. Upon their return
about seven o'clock in the evening
they came upon the body of the wom'
an in the yard. A bullet had pierced
the skull, just above the left ear;
black marks were upon the throat
and signs of a desperate struggle
were apparent.
Posse In Pursuit.
The eiarm was given Immediately
and the sheriff at Warrensburg noti-
fed. A posse of determined men left
for Columbus a few minutes after
ward. Francis had fed before tn
deed was discovered and thereby pro
claimed his guilt Surrounding coun'
ties were notified and Wednesday
morning o message came from indie
pendence saying that a negro answer.
ing the description was being held
there. A deputy was sent to indie
pendence to identify. One negro at
Sedalia who answered the description
came near being iynched, but escaped
by intervention of the officers.
Negroes All Badly Worked Up.
All the negroes of the county are
badly worked up and are keeping
close 10 their homes in fear of the
whites, who are wrought up to high
pitch OF excitement. One peculiar
feature of the case is that Francis
shot a horse, which was standing In
the yard, just after committing the
crime, presumably to prevent its be-
ing used to follow him.
Believed to BE Surrounded.
The very latest information comes
from Holden, and is to the effect that
Francis has been surrounded In a
dense wood near there. That he Will
he burned at the stake upon sight,
there Is not the slightest doubt, and
even II he escapes the county, his re-
turn will no doubt mean his instant
death. Never in her history has john
son county been IN such turmoil as
over this affair. The citizens here are
standing on every street corner and
every hotel lobby, awaiting the news
that Francis has been lynched.
Told by Miss Henderson,.
A special from Odessa, in the next
county north from johnson, says that
II ~ believed Francis is near there
Miss Henderson, 1t appears, lived long
enough TO tell the Hyatt family, on
their return, of the assault, and TO
make Il plain that Francis was the
nssuIlant. The whole country around
Odessa Ia up In arms, aiding In the
search for Francis.