Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1901-01-17
EXPIATED HIS CRIME
A Negro Fiend Burned at the Stake
at Leavenworth.
A BIG MOB BROKE INTO The JAIL


the SunAower State.
Lcavenworth, Kan, Jan l6.-Fred
Alexander, the murderer OF Pearl
Forbes and the tiend who attempted
to criminally assault Miss Eva Roth
last Saturday night, surrounded by
the yelling mob, his clothes torn, his
face bloody with his own blood, was
dragged from his cell in the court
house and loaded into a wagon with
his captors and taken to the place
where Miss Forbes body was found
and burned to death.
The negro was taken fro m his cell
at the state penitentiary at three
o'clock yesterday afternoon and load
ed into u hack and brought to town,
Fifty deputy marshals surrounded
him and Deputy Sherifs Stancemy-
crs and Tom Brown sat in the hack
on either side of him. There were
so buggies and wagons in the process
sion which followed the hack in and
it was a funeral march indeed for
Fred Alexander. The trip to town
was made quietly and there was no
attempt to create disturbance on
the road. When Fourth and Olive
streets was reached the police, who
were in the hack following the one
in which Alexander was concealed,
Jumped out and chased several ne
groes. This created q diversion which
attracted the attention of everyone,
and in the excitement the hack in
which Alexander was concealed was
franticaIly driven to the county jail
and, just as the mob reached the
doors, he was locked in the first cell
on the east side of the cell house.
All the doors of the Jail were locked
and the crowd first attempted to gain
admission by peaceful means. Sheriff
Everhardy refused to deliver the ne
gro up.
Then the crowd pushed its way
to the side door and, using one man
as o battcring ram, the door was
forced from its hinges. Then tho
iron door OF the cell room was at
tackled and the mob dragged out the
flend. Men fought to get at him.
Outside the stockade the crowd
surged. Alexander and his captors
were surrounded by solid wall of
human flesh Across Thir1 street and
up the hill into the courthouse yard
they dragged him. "Take him where
he committed the murder suggested
somebody. The suggestion met with
instant approval and at t.l5 o'clock
Alexander was brought TO the scene
OF the murder OF Pearl Forbes, at the
corner of Lawrence avenue and Spruce
street. The first thing done was to
plant a railrond iron upright in the
mud. This was made fast to cross
irons, firmly bound to the upright
iron with wire Around the mpro-
yised stake boards and wood was
piled. TO this the man was dragged
and chained in n standing position
to the upright railroad iron. Coal
oil was then poured over him and the
match touched to him. Alexander
was asked TO make n confession, but
he replied that he had nothing to
saw. As the flames leaped about him
Alexander claspcd his hands together
and began to swing to and fro while
the crowd yelled, In less than five
minutes he was hanging limp and life.
less by the chains that bound him.
From six until eight o'clock there
was n continuous stream of people
going to the scene of the burning
When the fire had died Gown suili-
GENTLY to allow the crowd to APP
proach what remained Of Alexander
there was a scramble to oltain relics
bits Of charred flesh, pieces Of chain
and scraps of wood.
u
Topeka, Kan, Jan. 16.-Gov. Stanle,
is very indignant at the result of tn
lynching at Leavenworth yesterday
afternoon. lie says it will result il
the restoration of the death penalty
In Kansas. He condemns Sheriff
Everhardy, of Leavenworh, in I'm
measured terms Most of the mem
hers Of the state legislature. when in
terviewed last night, expressed thu
same idea as Gov. Stanley with re
gard to restoring the death penalty
They say that the only way to avoi,
future acts of the kind will be I,
make II possible to hang a man 70
the commission OF capital crime.
The judiciary committee of the sen
ate announced last night that a bill
would be prepared making death tn
penalty for murder and also for rap
eases where force was used. The bi
will without doubt be r1ade In
within q few days.
-----------------.--------
Taylor and Finley's Extradltion Wanted
Indianapolis, Ind, Jan. 16.--Go
Durhin was notified yesterday aftel
noon that detective with requis
ton papers was coming from Kcl
lucky after former Gov. W. s. Ia,
lor and Charles Finley, former Sc,
rotary of state Of Kentucky, and tbs
the expectation was that the Indian
governor would surrender the fug
tiyes.
Implement Men In Session.
Kansas City, No., Jan. 10Th