Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1901-01-23
BURNED AT THE STAKE.
Horrible Fate OF Negro In LeaveTWorth,
Kansas.

Kansas.
Lesvenworth, Kan, January 49,
Fred Alexander, the negro who on
Saturday evening attempted to
assault Miss Eva Roth, and who was
supposed to have assaulted and
killed Pearl Forbes in this city, in
November last, was taken from the
Sheriff's guard by mob to-day and
burned at the stake at the scene of
his crimes, half dozen blocks from
the centre of the city. Probably
5000 people witnessed the lynching.
The negro was taken from his cell
at the State penitentiary at 3 o'clock
this afternoon. Fifty deputy mar
shals surrounded him and Deputy
Sheriffs Stance, Myers and Thomas
Brown sat in the hack on either side
of him.
Fifty buggies and wagons followed
the hack. At 4th and Olive streets
the police in the hack following the
one in which Alexander was con-
cealed jumped out and chased seve-
raj negroes. In the excitement the
prisoners hack was frantically driven
to the county Jail, where he was
locked in cell just as the mob
reached the doors. The Jail doors
were then locked.
The crowd first attempted to gain
admission by peaceful means, but
Sheriff Everhardy refused to deliver
the negro. Then the crowd pushed
its way to the side door and using
one man as battering ram, the
door was forced from its hinges.
Then the crowd surged into the
corridor by the narrow doorway. A
huge iron bar battered the iron door
of the cell room. The door was
finally bent sufficiently for the men
to climb over it. Several gained an
entrance in this manner. Meantime
the crowd had pushed down the side
gate of the stockade and q yelling
pack appeared in the Jail yard. The
hinges of the side door, made of
heavy iron, were cut off with sledge
hammers and chisels and the door of
the cell room broken down.
A man with sharp eyes spied a
shapeless mass crouched down in
one corner of the dark cell. Five
minutes work and the heavy lock on
the cell had been broken off. A yell
of terror issued from the cell.
Strong men filed the corridors with
hysterical laughter Outside the
crowd was yelling itself hoarse.
Then into the cell rushed those who
were nearest the door.
The mob issued forth in q moment
dragging the negro by the coat col
lar. He had been struck over the
head with hammer, but was still
conscious. The men fought to get
at him and infuriated struck saw
agely at him.
UP the hill into the Court House
yard they dragged him.
"Confess before we harm you,"
said they.
81 am innocent. l am dying for
for what another man did. | see
lots of my friends here; they know
that | did not do it. If l had been
guilty l would have said 80 at the
Penitentiary and would have stayed
there for life. The warden told me
30. The policemen told me 80.
Would not I have told them if |
was guiltyP"
"You lie," they cried, and one
huge fellow struck Alexander in the
forehead with his fist three times.
He spoke with the resignation of
man VINO sees before him only GER
tan death.
A move was made for large cot
7 tonwood tree in a corner of the
Court House yard.
"My God, men," cried the negro
in his agony, 81 have told you that
| am innocent. / can't tell you any
more. did not do it,"
"He lies; burn him." cried the
mob.
"Take him where ne committed
the MURDER" suggested one.
Immediately the crowd, carrying
the negro, who was thrown into a
WAGON, pnshed on towards 4th street.
AT a quarter past O'Clock Alexan-
der was brought to the exact spot
where Pearl Forbes, the murdered