The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1901-08-31
MAN-AUNT IN MISSOURI.
The Citizens of Johnson County
Missouri, Searching for a
Black Brute.
HIS DOOM IS SEALED WHEN CAPTURED,
In the Absence of Other of
the Family VIII Francis Assault
ed and Then Murdered Miss Mary
Henderson,, Aged Forty, at Her
sisters Home in Columbus,

Kansas City, Mo-, Aug. 2s.-A spe-
cial to the Star from W~arrensburg,
Mo, says;
One of the most dastardly crimes
ever committed in the borders of
johnson county was perpetrated,
Tuesday night, at the little hamlet
of Columbus, off the railroad, 16
miles north of here. Miss Mary Hen
derson, aged 40 years, was murdered
in cold blood by VIII Francis, a %
year-old negro, after he had assault
ed her. The crime was committed at
the farmhouse of Chap Hyatt, Miss
Hcnderson's brother-in-law, a prom
inent citizen and once a member of
the state populist committee. Fran
els, who worked on Hyatt's farm, fed,
but is believed to have been sur
rounded in the woods near Holden.
The whole country is up in arms and
it is believed the negro will be burned
at the stake.
Miss Henderson Was Left Alone.
Miss Henderson was a member OF
one OF the best families in the county,
and made her home with her brother
in-law. Mr.. and Mrs. Hyatt had gone
away in the afternoon, leaving Miss
Henderson alone in the house, except
for Francis, who has been a trusty
for ten years. Upon their return,
about seven O'Clock in the evening,
they came upon the body of the woml-
an in the yard. y bullet had pierced
the skull, just above the left ear;
black marks were upon the throat
and signs of a desperate struggle
were apparent.
Posse in Pursuit.
The Giarin was given Immediately
and the sheriff at Warrensburg mott
fed. A posse of determined men left
for Columbus a few minutes after
ward. Francis had fed before the
deed was discovered and thereby pro-
claimed his guilt. Surrounding coun-
ties were notified and Wednesday
morning a message came from indie
pendence saying that a negro answer
ing the description was being held
there. A deputy was sem to indie
pendence to identify. One negro at
Sedalia who answered the description
came near being lynched, but escaped
by intervention of the officers.
Negroes All Badly Worked Up.
All the negroes of the county are
badly worked up and are keeping
close TO their homes in fear of the
whites, who are wrought up to a high
pitch OF excitement. One peculiar
feature of the ease is that Francis
n bAraD xxL.-l. .-. =
the yard, just after committing the
crime, presumably to prevent it's be-
ing used to follow him.
Believed to Be ~urrounded
The very latest information comes
Holden, and is to the effect that
Francis has been surrounded in A
dense wood near there. That he will
he burned at the stake upon sight,
there is not the slightest doubt, and
even if he escapes the county, his re-
turn will no doubt mean his instant
Never in her history has John
sol county been III such a turmoil as
over this affair. The citizens here are
standing on every street corner and
every hotel lobby, awaiting the news
that Francis has been lynched.
Told by Miss Henderson.
A special from Odessa, in the next
county north from Johnson, says hat
il Is believed Francis is near there.
Miss Henderson, it appears, lived long
enough to tell the Hyatt family. on
their return. of the assault, and to
make it plain that Francis was the
assailant. The whole country around
Odessa is up in arms, aiding in the
for Francis.
~. NJ. ~ 80