Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-01-19
VOL XVIIINO 5

lRAvKNwosTH, KAN. Jan. I5-Fred
Alexander, the c0Iored man who on
Saturday evening attempted Co assault
Miss Eve Roth, and who was ssupposed
TO have assaulted and killed Pearl
Ferbes. in this city, in November lsst,
was taken f.om the Sherifi's guard by
q amob to-day. and burned at the stake
at the scene of his crime, half q dcz
blocks from the centre of the city.
Probably GOO people witne ssvd the
lynching, The colored man was taken
Mc m his cell &C the State penitentiary
at S,o'cloek this afternoon, plsced in q
hack, and brought Co town. Fifty dep
uty marshSls surrounded him, and
Deputy Sheriffs, Stance Myers and
Thomas Brown sat in the hack on eth
er side of him.
MANY -vRHIoLKs FOLLOWED.
Fifty buggies and wagons followed
the hack. Al Fourth ard Olive Stree Is
the police ia the hack following the
one in which Alexander was concealed
1umped out and chased several colored
men. In the excitement, the prison
er's hack was driven franticsIly to the
county jail. where the prisoner was
locked in cell just as the mob reach.
ed the door.
The jail Gours were locked. The
crowd first attempted to gain admis
sion by peaceful means, but Sheriff
Everhsrt refused to deliver up the COL
ored man.
A MAX AS A BATTKRING RAk.
Then the crowd pushed it's way to
the aide door and using one man as a
battering ram, the door was forced
fren its hinges. Then tho crowd surg
ed into the corridor by the narrow
doorway. A huge iron bar battered
the iron door of the cell room, The
door was finally bent suffi sientl, for
the men to climb over it. Several
gained admissIon in this way.
YRLLsED LIKE DEMONS.
Meantime the crowd had pushed
down the side-gate of the stockade,
and yelling pack appeared in the Jail
yard. The hinges of the side-door.
made of heavy .sheet-iron, were cut of
with sledge-hammers and chisels, and
the door of the cell room was broken
dewn. 4 man with sharp eyes espied
a shapeless mass erouched down in one
corner Of the dark cell. Five minutes
work, and the heavy lock on the cell
had been broken of. A yell of terror
issued from the cell. Strong men filed
the corridor with hystericsl laughter.
Outside the crowd was yelling itself
hoarse. Then into the cell rushed
those who were nearest the door.
DRcLARED HIs NNooSNcR.
The mob issued forth in q moment
dragging the man by the coat-collAr.
He had been struck over the head
with hammer, but was still conscious
Men fought to get at him. and infur-
iated, struck saSagely at him. Up the
hill into the courthouse yard they
dragged him.
Confess before We harm you," said
they.
81 am innocent. am dying for what
another man did. 1 see lots of my
friends here. They know l did not
do it. II l had been guilty 1 would
have said so at the penitentisry, and
would have stayed there for life. The
warden told me so. WJuldn't l have
told them il was guiltyp
CERTAIN DEATH AHEAD.
"You lie." they cried, and one huge
fellow struck Alexander in the fore,
head with his fist three times. Alex
ander spoke with the resignation of o
man who sees before him only certain
death.
A move was made for q large cotton
wood tree in q corner of the court
house yard.
PLEA TO THE ALMIGHTY.
"My GOD, men," cried Alexander, in
his agony, IT have told you that was
innocent, Ican't tell you any more, 1
didn't do it,"
He lies burn him." cried the mob.
take him where he committed the
murder" suggested one.
Immedistely the crowd, carrying