Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-08-30
NEGRO HLUDES A MOB
Latest Exhibition of Missouri
Cussedness Continues to
Lack a Denouement.
MURDERER HAS NOT BEEN FOUND
Mob Tortures Few Negroes to Extort
Information-Peirce City
Sheriff Censured.

Kansas City, Aug. 30.-Armed men
and bloodhounds this morning again
took up the search 40 miles south of
Kansas City for Bessie Francis, the
murderer of Mary henderson, which
will be continued till the negro is run
down. A counsel among the pursu-
ers has already decided that the ne
gro's punishment shall be meted out
at the stake. w. C.. Hyatt, Mis- S
Henderson's brother-,nlaw, approves
of this method.
Kansas City. Mo. Aug. 30.-"Bos-
Sic Francis. the murderer of Miss
Mary Henderson at Columbus. Mo. on
Tuesday evening, has thus far eluded
his purSuerS. and the large mob that
has been searching for him has par
tally diSbanded. discouraged over the
failure of its efforts. after having been.
as its members supposedi at the point
OF capturing the negro. a pack of
bloOdhOundS was obtained yesterday
from Manhattan, Kan. and taken to
the Hyatt farm, the scene of the mur-
der. They found the trail of Francis
readily. and followed it straight TO
the coal mine at Blackwater. owned
by Il negro. John Hardin, whose wife
Is an aunt of Francis. The mob, com
posed of 200 men, felt sure that Fran
els was hidden in the mine shaft but
as he was known to have two pistols
none of the men ventured to go down.
One Man Who Wasn't Afraid.
\. w. Rice. owner of the blood
hounds. entered the mine. taking the
dogs with him. but failed to find
Francis after a thorough search. Late
yesterday afternoon Deputy Sheriff
Temple of Warrensburg, called Il
council. and after discussing the situa-
tion the men decided To diSperSe for
the night. leaving a few of their num-
Der on guard at important points.
"ESOssie" Is Well Known and Popular.
''BOSsie" Francis is known to all the
negroes in the county, and is very
popular among them. No one sup
poses that he has gone far from Co
lumbuS and il is thought that no ne
gro in the neighhorhOod would refuse
him food and shelter. There are sew
eral negro settlements in the district,
and there 5re negro cabins every
where. There seems to be no doubt
that Francis first fed to his uncle'S
house at Blackwater, and then took
refuge in the woods. At this season
of the year the vines and Nveeds along
the numerous creeks make thick cover.
Mob TOrtures Supposed witnesses.
The mob was not engaged all day in
hunting the woods. Ii had three ne
gIoes to torture first into telling what
they knew. This was early yesterday
morning. when it captured Emmett
Davenport. Charles BriscOe (who lived
near Columbus and Bud Francis. Il
brother of the murderer between Co
lumbuS and Holden. The men acted
,S..f., II 1,trN 6nf
knew nothing about Francis where
abouts. To make them talk it was de-
cided to string all three up. They
were strung up until davenport agreed
To tell what he knew. and declared the
fugitive was in n coal mine near 10y.
But he could not be found there.
Finds Fault with the sheriff:
Jefferson CITY. Mo. Aug. 30.-Adju-
taut General cameron, in a report TO
Governor Dockery on the recent Peirce
City race war. holds Sheriff ManlOVe.
of Lawrence county. responsible for
the lynching of the three innocent ne
groeS. He says: "Will Cooley and
Gene Carter had been suspicioned. and
the sheriff and his posse went ont to
arrest them. but for some cause did not
see fit to do so. Monday afternoon the
excitement at Peirce City was intense.
and threats of lynching certain ne
Sr0eS thought to he implicated in the
murder of Miss Wild were made open
ly. Under this excitement the sheriff
saw fit to leave for his home at Mount
Vernon. 1t is generally believed in
Pierce City that had Sheriff AIanlove
remained there during Monday when
the excitement ran high and threats
of lynching were openly made. and
asked the aid of the militia the trouble
and loss of life would have been avert
cd"