Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1901-01-18
ATTACKED THE JAIL.
Mob Beat Down the Doors and
Dragged the Wretch
TO THE SCENE OF HIS CRIME
Thousands of People at Leavcnworth
Witnessed the Death Agonies of n
Man Who was Accused of Criminal
Assault and Murder.

Alexander, the negro who on Satur-
day evening attempted to assault
Miss Eva Roth, and who was sup
posed to have killed Pearl Forbes in
this city in November last, was on
Tuesday taken from the sheriff's
guard by a mob and burned at the
stake at the scene of his crimes, half
dozen blocks from the center of
the city. Probably 5000 people wit
messed the lynching.
The negro was taken from the
state penitentiary at 3 p. m, placed
in a hack and brought to town. Fifty
deputy marshals surrounded him.
Alexander was locked in a cell in
the county Jail just as the mob
reached the doors. All the doors of
the Jail were then locked. The
crowd first attempted to gain admis-
sion by peaceful means, but Sheriff
Everhard refused to deliver the ne
gro. Then the crowd pushed its
way to the side door and the door
was forced from its hinges. Then
the crowd surged into the corridors.
A huge iron bar was secured and the
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
The side door, which was made of
heavy sheet iron, was the next OBJ
ject of attack. Several men had
provided themselves with sledge ham
mers and cold chisels and in few
moments the hinges were cut and off
came the door.
The mob issued forth in a moment,
dragging the negro by the coat col
lar. He had been struck over the
head with hammer, but was still
! conscious. Men fought to get at
him, and struck savagely at him,
hitting only his captors, who guarded
| him well.
Across Third street and up into the
court house yard they dragged him.
Then they stopped.
Confess before we harm you,"
said they.
81 am innocent. / am dying for
what another man did. ] see lots of
my friends here; they know l did
not do it. If l had been guilty L
would have said so at the peniten-
tiary and would have staid there
for life. The warden told me so. The
| policemen told me SO. Would not L
have told them if l was guilty?"
"You lie," they cried, and one fell
| low struck Alexander in the forehead
| with his fist three times. This seemed
not to have the slightest effect on
| the negro.
Alexander was brought to the
scene of the murder of Pearl Forbes,
at the corner of Lawrence avenue
| and Spruce street. The exact spot
where the murdered girl was found
was located, and there a semi-circlc
was formed. Alexander was brought
up in a wagon with a dozen men. The
wagon was stopped in front of the
| ravine, and the leader of the men
who held Alexander called for si-
| lence. The roar ceased and Alexan-
| der was showed forward into full
view of the crowd. The prisoner
raised his shackled hands and began
to speak.
You are going to kill me what
ever | say he said, 'but you men
are wrong. l want to tell you right
now, you've got the wrong man. L
did not do that and some day you
men here will run up against the man
who did. l know it amt any use
to say so, for you're going to kill me,
but 1 did not do it,"
The first thing done was to plant n
railroad iron upright in the mud.
| This was made fast to cross irons
| firmly bound to the upright iron with
| wire. Around the improvised stake
| boards were piled. To this the man
was dragged and chained in stand
ing position to the upright railroad
| iron. Chains and irons were wrapped
about him, and with his hands still
| shackled. he was made fast to the
post. Coal oil was then poured over
| him.
Before the match was applied John
| Forbes. father of the murdered girl,
stepped up to Alexander and asid:
Are you guilty of numbering my
daughter?"
Mr. Forbes. if that's your name,
| you have the wrong man." said the
negro.
Coal oil was then applied for the
| second time and while it was being
| done Alexander called 10 acquaint-
ances in the crowd and said goodbye
| to them. He did not seem to realize
| that he was to be burned at the stake
| and talked nationally until John
Forbes lighted the match. Again
Alexander was asked to make a con-
fession, but he replied that he had
nothing to say.
In five minutes the negro was
hanging limp and lifeless by the
chains that bound him. AS soon AS
the crowd saw that life was extinct,
it began slowly to disperse.
| After Alexander's arrest he was
taken before Miss Roth, who identi-
fed him. Since then mob has sur
rounded the penitentiary day and
night. Yesterday the crowd became
so formidable that Gov. Stanley or
dered two companies of militia to be
in readiness to start for Leavenworth
at a moments notice.
The sheriff was taken sick during
the excitement at the jail and 10 now
confined to his bed