Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1901-08-22

Driven Away, Furious Crowd Runs
Out of Material and Quiet Returns.
Wrong Man is Lynched.
Peirce City, Mo-, Aug. 21.-For near
ly 15 hours this town of 5000 people
has been in the hands of a mob of
armed whites, determined to drive
tion to the lynching Monday night of
Will Cooley, accused of the wanton
murder of Miss Gazelle Wild, and the
shooting to death of his grandfather,
French Cooley, the mob yesterday Gre
mated Pete Hampton. an aged negro,
in his home. set the torch to the houses
of five blacks, and with the aid of state
militia rifles stolen from the local com
pany's arsenal drove dozens of ne
groes from town. After noon the ex-
citement died down, the mob gradual
ly dispensing, more from lack of ne
groes upon which to wreak their ha.
tired than for any other cause. Many
of the negroes who fed from the city
are hiding in the surrounding woods,
WullC OIuCSS nave SOut STGdIGT us
tance in seeking safety.
Every negro has left the town except
few railway porters known to be re-
spectacle, but who must also leave.
The citizens of Peirce City say that
as negroes have committed several
such crimes in the last ten years none
shall live there in the future, the same
feeling already existing at Monnett,
four miles east of Peirce City, and
the end of the Frisco passenger dis
trict. 1t may be necessary for the
road to change all porters in Spring
field hereafter.
Not the Real cuprit.
It is now believed that the man
lynched was not the real culprit A
negro named Starks, under arrest at
Tulsa, l. T., across the border from
here, tallies exactly with the descrip-
tion of the murderer. He is held there
awaiting identification. Unless the
man is brought back here, it is be-
lieved there will be no further trouble.
If returned here he will surely be
lynched. Another suspect, Joe Lark,
is under arrest in Springfield, Mo.
Eugene Barrett, aleo known as Car.
ter in confession Ms1ile rope was
around his neck yes srday, accused
Joe Lark, Frisco ilroad porter, OF
being implicated in the crime, and
Lark was arrested at Springfield.
Lark gave a detailed statement as to
his whereabouts Sunday and he is not
believed to be guilty. 1t is not likely
that either suspect will be taken to
Peirce City while the excitement runs
high. Some here think that Barrett
told any story in order to save his life.
Peirce City is near the junction of
four railroads and trains from all di.
rections brought in large numbers of
armed men today, bent on bloodshed
If necessary. When the mob went to
the section of the city occupied by
the negroes some one in the cabins
opened fire, but no one was hit The
mob then destroyed the cabins. Reck-
less firing broke several plate glass
windows and train was fired into.
None of the passengers was hurt.
Negroes Driven Out.
The rifles taken from the Peirce
City military company. it Is expected,
will all be returned. Members of the
company themselves were out hunting
for the escaping negroes with rifles
and this suggested the idea of taking
all the guns. The local hardware stores
sold out their arms early, but several
applications from negroes were re.
fused. The mob was composed of
1000 or more and no masks were used
and 80 negro families were driven from
their houses.
New elements in the murder on Sun.
day afternoon of Miss Wild developed.
1t appears she started home from
church alone. her brother lingering
behind. About one mile from town
the brother found her with her throat
cut, lying lifeiess near culvert under
which her assailant had attempted to
drag her. Evidence of terrible strug.
gle was shown. A copper colored ne.
gro was seen sitting on the bridge a
short time before the tragedy occurred.
1t is supposed that the negro sprang
upon her when she was passing and at.
I6IHplSu 10 lOrCc ueF DeQedCn the
bridge. She fought with such despera.
tion that he could not accomplish his
purpose and cut her throat in the
strng@le. Her body was not violated.
PRoLoNG TORTURE OF NEGRO.
Texas Mob Burns Him SlowIy-victim
Accused of Murder.
Whitsboro, Tex, Aug. 21.-The ne
gro. ALI Wilder, charged with the mur.
der of Mrs. Caldwell, the wife of a
Grayson county farmer, at her home
on Saturday last, was captured by a
mob and burned at Nelson's ranch
The burning occurred last night.
The mob was composed of 800 men.
The negro was taken to a tree and
swung up in the air. Wood and fodder
were piled beneath his body and a hot
fire made.
Then it was suggested that the man
ought not to die too quickly and he
was lAt down to tho proupa whit .