The Savannah morning news., 1901-08-21
UNDER RULE OF MOB
PIERCE CITY, MO-, SCENE OF WILD
LAWLEssNEss.
ALL NEGROES DRIVEN AWAY,
EXCEPT RAILWAY POnCERs
KNOWN TO BE RESPECTABLE.

In Addition to the Lynching of WILL
lam Cooley and the Murder of His
Grandfather Monday Night, the
Mob Yesterday Cremated Another
Aged NegrO-Now Believed That
Man Lynched Was Not the Neai
CuIprit-Another Suspect Under
Arrest.
Pierce City. Mo-, Aug. 20.-For near
ly fifteen hours ending about noon to-
day this town of 5000 people has been
in the hands of mob of armed whites,
determined to drive every negro from
its precincts. In addition to the lynch
ing last night of William Cooley, ac-
cused of the wanton murder of Miss
Gazelle Wild, and the shooting to death
Of his grandfather, French Cooley, the
mob to-day cremated Peter Hampton,
an aged negro, in his home, set The
torch to the houses of five negroes, and
with the aid of state militia rifles.
stolen from the local company's arse
nal. drove dozens of negroes from town.
After noon the excitement died down,
the mob gradually dispensing, more
from lack of negroes upon whom to
wreak their hatred than for anv other
cause. Many of the negroes who fed
the city are hiding in the surrounding
woods, while others have gone greater
distances in seeking safety.
Every negro has left the town except
few railway porters known to be re-
spectacle, but these must also leave.
The citizens of Pierce City say that as
negroes have committed several crimes
in the last ten years, none shall live
there in the future the same feeling al
ready existing at Monett, four miles
east of Pierce City, and the end of the
Frisco passenger division. 1t may be
necessary for the road to change all
porters in Springfield hereafter.
IL is now believed that the man. Will
liam Cooley, lynched last night, was
not the real culprit. A negro named
Starks, under arrest at Tulsa, |. T.,
across the border from here, tallies ex-
actly with the description of the assail-
ant. He is held there awaiting identi-
fication. Unless the man is brought
back here it is believed there will be
no further trouble. If returned here he
will surely be lynched.
Another suspect, Joe Lark. is under
arrest in Springfield, Mo.
Barrett Accuses Clark.
Eugene Barrett. also known as Car
ter, in confession while a rope was
around his neck to-day, accused Joe
Lark, a Frisco railroad porter of being
implicated in the crime and Lark was
arrested to-day at Springfield. This
afternoon Lark gave detailed state
ment as to his whereabouts Sunday,
and he is not believed to be guilty. 1t
is not likely that either suspect will
be taken to Pierce City while the ex-
citement runs high. Some persons
here think Barrett told any story in
order to save his life. fThe funeral
OF Miss Wild took place to-day, and
was witnessed by several thousand peo-
pie.
Pierce City is near the junction OF
four railroads and trains from all di-
rections brought in large numbers of
armed men to-day, bent on bloodshed If
necessary. When the mob went to the
section of the city occupied by the ne
groes, some one in the cabins opened
fire, but no one was hurt. The mob
then destroyed the five houses, but the
financial loss is small. Reckless firing
broke several plate glass windows and
train was fired into. None of the
pdSSCH6Clo W do ne TiIlES taken
from the Pierce City military compa-
ny, it is expected, will all be returned.
Members of the company themselves
were out hunting for the escaping ne
groes with rifles and this suggest
ed the idea of taking all
the guns. The local hardware
stores sold out their arms early, but
several applications from negroes were
refused. The mob was composed of a
thousand or more and no masks were
worn. Thirty negro families were driv-
en- from their houses.
New Developments.
New elements in the killing on Sun
day afternoon of Miss Wild developed
today. 1t appears she started home from
church alone, her brother lingering be-
hind. About one mile from town the
brother found her with her throat cut,
lying lifeless near culvert. under
which her assailant had attempted to
drag her. Evidence of a terrible strug-
gle was shown. A copper-colored ne
gro was seen sitting on the bridge a
short distance away shortly before the
tragedy occurred. 1t is supposed that
the negro sprang upon her when che
was passing and attempted to force her
beneath the bridge. She probably
fought with such desperation that he
could not accomplish his purpose and
cut her throat in the struggle.
Monday bloodhounds were taken to
the scene and the girls bloody hand
kerchief was laid before them. They
Immediately caught the trail and ran
at fun speed to the home of Joe Lark,
where on being admitted, they rushed
into his bedroom and sprang upon the
bed. 1t is believed the man under ar
rest at Tulsa, who boarded with Lark,
the Springfield suspect, slept upon this
bed.