The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-08-29
SEARCH FOR A FIEND
FIVE HUNDRED DETERMINED
FARMERS BENT ON SUMMARY
VENGEANCE
BLACK BRUTEs FOUL CRIME
Trusted Servant outrages and MUIR
ders Member of His Employ
ers Family, Then
F1ees for Life.

COLUMBUS, Mo, Aug. 2S.-One Of the
most dastardly crimes ever committed
in the borders of Johnson county was
perpetrated last night at the little ham
let of Columbus, off. the railroad sixteen
miles north of her. Mary Henderson,
aged forty years, was murdered in cold
blood by Will Francis, a Twenty-Five
year-old negro after he had assaulted
her. The crime was committed at the
farm house Of Charles E. Hyatt, Miss
Henderson's brother-in-law, a prominent
citizen, and once a member of the state
Populist committee. Francis. who work
ed on Hyatt's farm, fed, but is believed
to be surrounded in the woods near
Holden. The whole country is up in arms,
and it is believed the negro will be burn
ed at the stake.
Miss Henderson was a member of one
of the best families in the county Mr.
and Mrs Hyatt had gone away in the
afternoon leaving her alone in the house.
except for Francis, who had been a
trusty servant for ten years Upon their
return about o'clock in the evening,
they came upon Miss Henderson lying 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. 1t is said she
lived long enough to tell that Francis
was her assailant. The alarm was given
Immediately, and the sheriff at Warrens-
burg notified. A posse. left for Columbus
few minutes afterward. Francis had
already made his escape. Surrounding
counties were notified, and this morning
message came from Independence say
ing that negro answering the descrip-
t1on was being held there One negro at
Sedalia, who answered the description
came near being lynched but escaped by
the Intervention of the police The. negro
population of the county is badly
frightened, and is for the most part hid
ing. One peculiar feature of the case
is that Francis shot a horse, which was
standing in the yard just after commit
ting the crime, presumably to prevent it's
being used to follow him.
+ POSSE IN PURSUIT.
KANSAS CITY, Mo, Aug. 22-"Bossie"
Francis, the negro who OUTRAGED and
murdered Miss Mary Henderson at Co.
lumbus, Mo, last night, has not vet been
captured, but 4C0 or 500 men are tonight
securing the woods IN the vicinity of
the scene of the crime, and it is SAID
Francis cannot possibly escape. It is not
known whether he fed on horseback or
afoot, but the pursuit. was begun SO soon
after the discovery sof the crime that
every outlet from the neighborhood was
closed promptly.
The volunteers will hunt all night, and
Will be relieved by others tomorrow.
Bloodhounds were sought last night but
were not obtainable while the trail was
fresh. Francis will undoubtedly be lynch
ed if caught. but burning at the stake
is not advocated, nor have innocent
negroes been injured or threatened.
Bud Francis, brother of the murderer.
took to the woods after the discovery of
the crime. He was seen today near Cen
terview, and when caught will be strung
up, members of the posse say. and com
PEELED to tell what he knows Of his
brothers whereabouts. Members of a
negro family named Briscoe, living near
the Hyatt farm, are believed to know
something about the murderer's flight
and pressure will be applied to make
them tell. When the men of the family
We're questioned today, Mr.. Briscoe told
them to say nothing. 1t is believed Fran
els passed the Briscoe place after the
murder