Mexico weekly ledger., 1902-05-29
BY MOB
PariA No, Jail stormed and Abe
Witherup Led to Death.

from TIE Paris jail at O'Clock this
morning, marched to the bridge on the
north edge Of the town and hanged.
The work was done by a mob from
the country. The men rode into town
at midnight and went at once to the
jail. Sheriff Clark had been warned
Of their coming, and, assisted by
Deputies Martin Clark and Polk Mas
terson, was on guard when the mob
arrived.
With revolvers the officers held the
crowd at bay and threatened TO shoot
any man who attempted to force an
entrance to the jail yard. The mob
fell back, while the father and broth
er Of witherup's yictirA approached
and pleaded with the sheriff Tor the
jail keys. They, too, we're warned
away, and, after lingering about the
place for an hour, the mob withdrew
to Smiths blacksmith shop.
Nine men were detailed *. ever
~ . HANaRfaa1nM
power the officers. Sledgehammers
were secured, and the Jail was again
surrounded. The officers drew their
revolvers, but before they could use
them they we're oyerpowered, diSarm-
ed and marched away. Parts OF the
stockade that surrounded the jail
were quickly torn away and the work
OF forcing an entrance to the prison
began. With sledgehammers and
crowbars the mob opened one iron door
after another until the prisoner was
at their mercy.
At this junction Hon. ]. Il White
cotton, speaker OF the house Of Repre-
sentatives, forced his way into the
Jail and in eloquent terms pleaded
with the men TO allow the law to take
its course and spare Monroe county
the shame Of a lynching. Under the
spell Of Whitecotton's earnest plea the
leaders wavered and stopped and
would probably have spared the pris-
oner's life, but for the frenzied cries
for vengeance from Others Ia the rear.
wHITEcorroN SWEPT ASIDE.
With a shout Of defiance Whitecot-
ton was swept aside. Witherup was
seized, a rope was thrown about his
neck and be was hurried to the bridge
a quarter Of a mile away. The loose
end of the rope was tied to the rail.
ing, and at the command Of the mob'
leader the father and brother Of
witherup's victim pushed him of. His
neck was broken and death was instan'
taneous. The mob then dispersed and
the body was left hanging until th'
arrival Of Coroner johnson this morn
ing.
The action OF the mob is greatly de
plared by the better element in Parii
and vicinity. Witherup's trial hat
been ordered for June 30, in order tina
swift justice might be meted out, am
IL is felt that there vas no proyoca
ton for the lynching.
Judge Eby was notified b~ytelephonl
this morning. He instructed Prose
cutting Attorney McAllister to a
once ~apprehend the members Of tn
mob and ordered their arrest at once
As none OF the men were masked
score or more ofthem were recognized
and information win be filed agains
them to-day.
wITHERUP's CONFESSION.
Before the lynchlng Witherup wa
given an opportunity 70 make a state
ment He acknowledged hayin
murdered VIM. Grow On April II an
baviug thrown the body into a creel
His confession in full was as follows:
81 killed Willie Grow because b
attacked me with a rocking chair an
l was forced to defend myself. II
.struck me twice before / struck hin
We quarreled some time ago abor
: the way the victuals were salted, b
: had settled it peaceably. Our la
: trouble was about the contract f
: the place we had rented. That was {
THURSDAY evening before supper.
I called Grow a liar, but VI did n
I come to blows. After supper he to
me never to accuse him Of lying agai
z and l told him be was a liar If be sal
the contract was like be had elaine
! Then he sprang up and struck n
with a rocking chair. l tried 70 g
out Of bis way, but he struck n
again. Isaw l had to defend myseI
50 I grabbed a Ratchet that was {
the table close by. AS Grow came
me again l struck him in the he
with the Ratchet. 1t didn't stop hir
a 1 struck him again and he fell, and
e don't know how many times / strui
, him after that. This was about dar
i When I saw that be was dead / 6
: my team, hitched them to the wagI
II we had borrowed from William Ora
Q placed the body in the wagon be
lowered it up with hay and drove in
slow walk 10 the Paint Back, down
ID North Fork. When l got there q
o first thing l did was to sink bis b
and coat, and then / threw the DO
I'm. After this I got In the wagon a
drove In a slow walk back home.
al ibid the Ratchet under the hOul
and then ! started 10 wash the bio
stains OF the floors and walls al
other places. ] worked at this
i nearly morning, and then laid do'
and tried to sleep, but somehow
= couldn't rest Isaw the blood spC
as soon as / got up, and saw III
something must be done TO hide the.
|. 50 1 drove oyer 70 Hunneseil Frid
morning and bought a bucket Of 7
paint from a man named Spaldir
and when ! got back / used It 70 COY
the blood spots about the house.
It Kept the Ratchet bid under the hou
K TIL / started to the home Of GrOV
3 parents on Monday. Then I put It
b a sack and dropped II ia. the water
10 the fnst ford on Brush creek this 81
of Clinton, near where 10 Jart
Hives"
ATTELPT TO HIDE cRINE.
In order 70 avert suspicion, With
up then came TO the home Of Grol
= parents, just east Of Paris, and
= ported him missing. He remain
with the family, while the father
out TO search for his boy. Several ia
later the boys body was found 10
ING in the river. With several ghasl