Evening star., 1901-01-16
Shocking Fate Dealt to Fred Ale1an-
der at Leavenworth.
PROTESTED INNOCENCE TO TEE LAST
Alleged Murderer of Girl Victim
of a Frenzied Mob.
FATHER LIT THE MATCH

enworth in November last, was taken from
the sheriffs guard by mob yesterday and
burned at the stake at the scene of his al
legged crime, half a dozen blocks from the
center Of the city.
Probably 5000 people witnessed the lynch
Ing.
The negro was taken from his cell at the
state penitentiary at 8 o'clock in the after
noon, placed in a hack and brought to
town. Fifty deputy marshals surrounded
him, and Deputy Sheriffs Stance Myers and
Thomas Brown sat in the hack on either
side Of him.
There were fifty buggies and wagons in
the procession which followed the hack.
The trip to town was made quietly, and
there was no attempt to create a disturb
ance on the road.
When the corner of 4th and Olive streets
was reached the police who were in the
hack following the one in which Alexander
was concealed jumped out and chased sew
eral negroes.
This created a diversion which attracted
the attention of every one, and during the
excitement the hack in which Alexander
was concealed was frantically driven to the
county Jail, where he was locked In a cell
just as the mob reached the doors. All the
doors OF the jail We're then locked.
The Door Torn Down.
The crowd first attempted to gain admis
sion by peaceful means, but Sheriff Ever
hardy refused to deliver the negro. Then
the crowd pushed its way to the side door,
and, using one man battering ram, the
door was forced from the hinges. Then the
crowd surged into the corridor by the mar
row doorway. A huge iron bar was secured
and the iron door of the cell room attacked.
This was finally bent so that 1t could be
forced far enough back for men to climb
over 1t. Several gained an entrance in this
manner. In the meantime, the crowd had
pushed down the side gate of the stockade.
and in moment there was a yelling pack
in the Jail yard.
The side door. which was made Of heavy
sheetiron, was the next object of attack.
Several men had provided themselves with
sledge hammers and cold chisels and 1t was
the work of only few moments before
the hinges were cut from inside and of
came the door. More men pushed inside,
the iron bar was again called into play,
and the doors of the cellroom broken down.
Then the cry went up: He is not here!
He has escaped
Search the courthouse. There Is a tun-
mel between there and the Jail, and he has
been taken out that way
Then man with sharp eyes espied the
negro crouched down in one Of the
corners of the dark cell. An exultant cry
went up:
HE is here! We've got him! Bring the
keys!'
Sledse Hammer Used.
Several keys were found lying around
the corridors, and these were passed into
the crowd. They would not work. Then
again sledge hammer was called into ac-
ton. and in five minutes the heavy lock
had been broken off. A yell of terror is
sued from the cell. The tension at this
time was so great that strong men filled
the corridors with hysterical laughter. Out
side the crowd was yelling itself hoarse.
Then into the cell rushed those who were
nearest the door.
The mob issued forth in a moment, drag
ging the negro by the coat collar. He had
been struck over the head with q hammer,
but was still conscious Men fought to get
at him. and, infuria ted, struck savagely "a
him, hitting only his >captors, who guarded
him we'll
Don't hurt him. they cried. "Well
burn him" was the response.
Outside the stockade the crowd surged.
Alexander and his captors were surrounded
by a solid wall Of human flesh. Across
Sd street and up the hill into the court
house yard they dragged him. Then they
stopped STILL
Declares His Innocence.
Confess before we harm you." said they.
It am innocent. 1 am dying for what
another man did 1 see lots of my friends
here: they know I did not do it. If 1 had
been guilty I would have said so at the
penitentiary and would have stayed there
for life. The warden told me SO. Ihe po,
lcemep told me So Would not L nave tod
them if l was guity?'
''You Iie," they cried, and one huge fell
low struck Alexander In the forehead with
his fist three times. This seemed not TO
have the slightest effect on the negro
When he talked his voice was steady. lie
smoke with the resignation of a man who
sees before him only death, slow perhaps
but certain. ~
At a quarter past o'clock Alexander
was brought to the scene of the murder of
Pearl Forbes, at the corner of Lawrence
avenue and Spruce street. The exact spot
where the murdered girl was found was
located by the leaders of the crowd ana
there a semi-circle was formed Alexander
was brought up in a wagon with a dozen
men. The wagon was stopped III front Oh
the ravine and surrounded by the crowd;
the leader of the men, who held Alexander,
called for silence. The roar ceased ana
Alexander was showed forward into full
view of the crowd. A howl went up, which
quickly hushed as the & prisoner t sneat ra.a1u
Twice he started, but the crowd drowned
his trembling voice. ~ =
You are going to kill me whatever l
saw" he said ''but you are wrong want
to tell YOU right now, you've got the wrong
man. I did not do that, and some day you
men here Will run up against the man VINO
did l know it amt any use to say so, Tor
vou' re going to kill me, but I didn't do 1t. -
| The men standing behind Alexander then
showed the negro from the wagon, and he
was dragged down the embankment to the
nile of wood, WITH MS HdIluS Stlll SHdChleu
and there bound to the stake.
Long before the wagon containing the
doomed man arrived at the place. crowd
| had gathered Many carried rails and
| boards Several seized railroad irons and
! carried them to the ravine. The spot chosen
| for the stake was the exact spot on which
Pearl Forbes body was found on the morn
| ing of November T.
| The first thing done was to plant rail-
| road iron upright in the mud. This was
| made fast to cross irons firmly bound to
| the upright iron with WIRE Around the i'm
| provised stake wood and boards were piled
| TO this the man was dragged and chained
| in a standing position to the upright rail-
| road iron. Chains and irons were wrapped
| about him, and, with his hands still
| shackled, he was made fast to the post.
| Coal oil was then poured over him.
| Before the match was applied, John
! Forbes, father Of the murdered girl, step
! ned up to Alexander and said:
'Are you guilty of numbering my daugh-
| teri?
| "Mr Forbes, II that's your name. you
| have the wrong man. said the negro.
| Burn him! Burn him.! cried the crowd
| What Shall We