The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1901-01-17
ANlAWFUL PENALTY.
Negro Meets a Terrible Death at
the Hands of Mob.

iNhhsy IO.--I IGO
Alexander, the negro who 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 Tues
day afternoon taken from the sher-
IFS guard and burned to the stake
at the scene of his crimes, half doz-
en- blocks from the center of the city.
Probably 5000 people witnessed the
lynching. The wretch protested his
innocence 70 the last.
The negro was taken from his cell
at the state penitentiary at three
O'Clock Tuesday afternoon and loaded
intosa hack and brought to town.
Fifty deputy marshals surrounded
him, and Deputy Sheriffs Stancemy-
ers and Tom Brown sat in the hack
on either side of him. There were so
buggies and wagons in the procession
which followed the hack in, and it was
funeral march indeed for Fred Al
exander. The trip to town was made
quietly, and there was no attempt to
create a disturbance on the road.
When the corner of 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 a diversion which
attracted the attention of everyone,
and in the excitement the hack in
which Alexander was concealed was
frantically 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 admis-
sion by peaceful means.
. Attacked the jail.
Sheriff Everhardy refused to de-
liver the negro. Then the crowd
pushed its way to the side door, and
using one man as a battering ram,
the door was forced from its hinges.
Then the crowd surged into the CORR
dor by the narrow doorway. A huge
iron bar was secured, and the iron
door of the cell room attacked. This
was finally bent so that it could be
forced far enough back for men to
climb over it. Several gained an en-
trance in this manner. In the mean
time the crowd had pushed down the
side gate of the stockade, and in a
moment there was yelling pack in
the iailyard. The side door, which
was made of heavy sheet iron. was
the next object of attack. Several of
the thoughtful ones had provided
themselves with sledgehammers and
cold chisels, and it was the work of
only few moments before the hinges
Were cut from inside. 1t was off it's
hinges in moment. More men
pushed inside and the iron bar was
again called into play, and the doors
of the cellroom broken down. Then
the cry went up: "He is not 2; he
has escaped. Search the cot use,
there is tunnel between, and i, has
been taken out that way" Then a
man with sharp eyes spied a shapeless
mass crouched down in one corner OF
the dark cell. An exultant cry went
up: Here he is; we've got him;
bring the keys"
In the Mob's Hands.
Several keys were found lying
around the corridors, and these were
passed into the crowd. They would
not work. Then again a sledgeham-
mer was called into action, and in five
minutes the heavy lock had been
broken off. A yell of terror issued
from the cell. Outside the tension
was so great that strong men filled the
room with hysterical laughter. Out
side the crowd was yeiiing in manner
that has perhaps never before been
heard in the city of Leavenworth. In
side the cell rushed those who were
nearest the door. The mob issued
forth in Il moment, dragging the negro
by the coat collar. He had been struck
over the head with hammer, but was
stir conscious. Men fought to get at
him. These Infatuated beings struck
savagely at him, and hit only his cap
tors, who guarded him we'll Outside
the stockade the crowd surged. Alex
ander and his captors were surrounded
by a solid wall of human flesh. Across
Third street and up the hill into the
courthouse yard they dragged him.
Then they stopped still.
Protests His Innocence.
Confess before we harm you," said
they.
Il am innocent. I am dying for
what another man did. l see lots of
my friends here; they know l did not
do it. If l had been guilty would
have said SO at the penitentiary and
would have staid there for life. The
warden told me so. The policemen
told me so. Would not have told them
It | was guilty?"
When he talked his voice was steady.
He spoke with the resignation of man
who sees only before him death, slow,
perhaps, but certain, and was prepared
to meet it in its most awful form.
When he had finished talking a move
was made for large cottonwood tree
in the northeast corner of the court
house yard. He was backed up against
It, and a chain was hunted for. One
could not be found, and while they
waited Alexander was given another
chance to confess.
"My God, men," he cried in his
agony, II have told you that | am in
1ocent. l can't tell you any more.
didn't do it,"
''He lies; burn him." cried the mob |
Take him where he committed the |
murder. suggested one. rhe sug-
yestion met with instant approval
md the crowd, carrying the negro,
pushed on to Fourth street. AT a |