Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1901-08-24
DEATH TO NEGROES.
Three of Them Killed by Mob at
Pierce City, Mo.
One Hanged aud Two Shot in Their Homes
None of Them Were Guilty of the
Crime Which Aroused the
hfob's Fury

Springfield. Mo-, Aug. 21.-After all
the conflicting stories from PIERCE
City have been sifted it develops that
three negroes lost their lives there
as result of the outrage upon Ga
zelle Wild. The dead are: William
Cooley, hanged from the porch of the
Lawrence hotel and his body riddled
with bullets; French Cooley, grand
father of William Cooley, shot in his
own house; Pete Hampton, burned in
his own house, but probably shot be-
fore the fire. Five negro houses were
burned and every negro has left the
town except a few railway porters
known to be respectable, but who
must leave. The citizens of PIERCE
City say that as negroes have COM
mitted several such crimes in the past
ten years none shall live there in the
future. The same feeling already ex-
lists in Monett, four miles east of
Peirce City and the end of the Frisco
passenger division. It may be neces-
sary for the road to change all porters
in Springfield hereafter.
The funeral of Miss Wild took place
yesterday and was witnessed by sew
eral thousand people.
The cause of all this bloodshed was
the killing of Miss Gazelle Wild Sun
day afternoon as she was returning
to her home, one mile in the country,
after attending church in town. She
started home alone, her brother lin
gering behind. About one mile from
town the brother found her with her
throat cut, lying Iifeless near cul-
81, L,
tempted to drag her. Evidence of a
terrible struggle was shown. A cop
per-colored negro was seen sitting on
the bridge a short time before the
tragedy occurred. It is supposed
that the negro sprang upon her when
she was passing and attempted to
force her beneath the bridge. She
fought with such desperation that he
could not accomplish his purpose and
he cut her throat in the struggle.
Her body was not violated. Monday
bloodhounds were taken to the scene
and the girls bloody handkerchief,
which was found near the lime l1ilns.
was laid before them. They imInedi-
ately caught the trail and ran at full
speed to the home of Joe Lark, where,
on being admitted, they rushed into
the bed room and sprang upon the
bed.
The three negroes killed were only,
suspected of completely in the crime.
William Cooley had served an eight
year term for assault and had been
out about two years. The mob hanged
him on general principles. French
Cooley was killed partly because he
was a relative of William and partly
because the mob was after negroes
and didn't care much whom they got
as long as he was black. Hampton's
death was due to his misfortune in
being the occupant of a house which
the mob attacked simply because it
was the home of negroes.
A telegram from Oklahoma City,
Ok, says that VIII Flavors, the cop
per-coIored negro porter who is ac-
cused of the murder of Miss Wild.
was under arrest there and admits
that he was in PIERCE City last Sun
day, but says that he can prove his
innocence by five men. He says he
was at the depot from 1910, the time
when the bob train returns from
Monett, until after the finding of the
girls body.