Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1901-01-19
FRENZY OF A MOB.
Fred Alexander Burned at the
Stake by Leavenworth People.
Kerosene Was Poured Over the Body and
Cords Of Wood Piled About Him-He
Was Accused of Numbering Ono Girl
aud Assaulting Othsrs.

Was Accused OF Numbering One Girl
and Assauiting Others.
Leavenworth, Kan, Jan 16.-Frei
Alexander, the murderer Of Pearl
Forbes and the fiend who attempted
to criminally assault Miss Eva Roth
last Saturday night, surrounded by
the yelling mob, his clothes torn, his
face bloody with his own blood, was
dragged from his cell in the court
house and loaded into wagon with
his captors and taken to the place
where Miss Forbes body was found
and burned to death.
The negro was taken fro m his cell
at the state penitentiary ut three
o'clock yesterday afternoon and load
ed iuto o hack and brought to town.
FIFTY deputy marshals surrounded
him and Deputy Sheriffs Stancemy-
ers and Tom Brown sat IN the hack
IN either side of him. There were
70 buggies and wagons in the process
sion which followed the hack in ana
II was q funeral march indeed for
Fred Alexander. The trip to town
was made quietly and there was no
attempt to create disturbance on
the road. When Fourth and Olive
streets was reached the police, who
were in the hack following the one
in which Alexander was concealed,
jumped out and chased several ne
groes. This created q diversion which
attracted the attention of everyone,
and In the excitement the hack in
which Alexander was concealed was
frantically driven to the county jaii
and, just rs the mob reached the
doors, he was locked in the first cell
on the east side Of the cell house.
All the doors Of the Jail were locked
and the crowd first attempted to gain
admission by peaceful means. Sheriff
Everhardy refused to deliver the ne
gro up.
Then the crowd pushed its way
to the side door and, using one man
rs q battering ram, the door was
forced from its hinges. Then the
iron door Of the cell room was at
tackled and the mob dragged out the
fiend. Men fought to get ut him.
Outside the stocknde the crowd
surged. Alexander and his captors
were surrounded by n solid wall OF
human flesh. Across Thrill street and
up the hill into the courthouse yard
they dragged him. "Take him where
he committed the murder" suggested
somebody. The suggestion met with
instant approval and ut els o'clock
Alexander was brought 10 the scene
Of the murder Of Pearl Forbes, ut the
corner OF Lawrence avenue and Spruce
street. The first thing done was to
plant railroad iron upright in the
mud. This wns made fast to cross
irons, firmly bound to the upright
iron with wire. Around the impro-
vised stake boards and wood was
piled. To this the man was dragged
and chained in a standing position
to the upright railroad iron. Coal
oil was then poured over him and the
match touched to him. Alexander
was asked to make a confession, but
he replied that he had nothing 10
say. As the flames leaped about him
Alexander clasped his hands together
and began to swing to and fro while
the crowd yelled. In less than Ava
minutes he was hanging limp and life
less by the chains that bound him.
From six until eight O'Clock there
was continuous stream OF people
going to the scene Of the burning.
When the fire hnd died Gown sufii-
GENTLY to allow the crowd to ap-
proach what remained of Alexander
there was scramble to obtain relics.
bits of charred flesh, pieces of chain
and scraps OF wood.
VIII Restore the Death Penalty.
Topeka, Kan, Jan. 16.-Gov. Stanley
is very indignant at the result of the
lynching at Leavenworth yesterday
afternoon. He says II will result in
the restoration of the death penalty
in Kansas. He condemns Sheriff
Everhardy, of Leavenworth, in un-
measured terms. Most of the menu
bcrs Of the state legislature. when in
terviewed last night, expressed the
same idea as Gov. Stanley with re.
gard to restoring the death penalty.
They say that the only way to avoi'l
future acts Of the kind will be to
make II possible to hang a man for
the commission Of capital crimes.
The judiciary committee Of the sem
ate announced last night that bill
would he prepared making death the
penalty for murder and also for rape
cases where force was used. The bin
will without doubt be made a law
within q few days.