The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-10-05
LYNCHING AT COLUMBUS.
Davis Duucau Was Strung Up by
Men Of Eagle Lake.
ne HAD ATTEMPTED An ASSAULT
On Young Lady and Was Captured
ouieky-sheriff sutord was Held
at Eagle Lake,

: Columbus, Texas. october 4.-A body
OF about seventy-nvo Of the representative
men OF Eagle Lake, number OF them arm.
cd with winchesters came up on the
southern Pacific passenger train at
O'clock this Afternoon with the avowcd
purpose OF lynching a negro named Davis
duncan, otherwise known as "utt," ac-
caseu OF attempting 90 assault young Indy
az Eagle Lake about ? o'clock this morning.
Ihe negro was frustrated in his attempts
by Nlr. George Best Of this city. who was
whiting for train at the depot near the
telephone exchange, where the attempt oc.
CURED, and who heard the young indy's
screams The fellow had climbed into the
room and. after considerable scunilns. drew
knife and threatened to Nil the young
lady n she screamed again At that time
Mr., Best reached tho scene and the negro
escaped by jumping through n window from
the second story OF the McCarty building.
Marshal Kinard Of Eagle Lake captured
the negro and brought him to Columbus on
an early morning train before half dozen
men Of Eagle Lake knew Of the occurrence.
Sheriff Burford was notified here by tcle-
kinafd wns leaving for Columbus on an.
other train Nnen the party OF Eagle LIKE
men left there at noon today they had
sheriff Burford held by force ana prevented
him from leaving for Columbus with them,
When the men reached the Jail here they
encountered an obstacle they had not
counted on Mrs. w. r. Burford. the wife
Of the sheriff, declared she would never
gs.tF .4f a., Al
the JAN alive until Mr. Burford reached
here.
Besides Mrs Burford, her children. young
girls, were IN the jail. There was a strong
guard Of deputies inside TO defend the Jail
There is no doubt the crowd would have
stormed the Jail but Tor Mrs. Burford aud
the children
At $50, when the deputies at the tall
were OF their guard for moment. the
crowd outside made a rush for a lower
window, which they entered They smash
cd the lock on one door and compelled z
man who knew the combination TO open the
last door. The negro was taken By n crowd
OF 500 or 400 men TO the volksfcst grounds
o mile from the jail, where he was placed
on a horse a rope tied to a limb and the
horse led from under him. He was hanged
at 5:45 and he was dead In fifteen minutes
from strangulation Before he was strung
up he made a confession duplicating two
other negroes.
No one was allowed to take souvUirs of
any description and no one was allowed TO
shoot into the swinging body, No pictures
we're taken, The crowd was orderly and
no attempt was made at concealment
The body Is left hanging OF dark as a warn
Ing 10 other tends Of this kind
Sheriff Burford was prevented frN1
reaching Columbus overland by the over
flow water from the lower river IN Alleyton
bottom He got here tonight after having
walked and ridden through the mud and
slush. but was unable to do anything lie
undoubtedly made every effort to reach
home to save the prisoner, but it was too
late
SOLDIERS GOT ORDERS Toe LATE.
La Grange Texas october 4-Captain
Theodore Knoll Of the La Grange Light
Guard this afternoon received message
from the governor to get his company TO
ee'her and proceed AZ once to Columbus
10 assist the sheriff 81 Colorado county IN
brourht TO that city from Eagle Lake
Captain Knoll with his company to the
number OF twcntv.threc men left by special :
train for Columbus about 6 o'clock p. M. /
They arrived al Columbus too late TO pro
tect the negro
NOW QUIET AT EAGLE LAKE
Eagle Lake. Texas, October 4.-Eyery
thing is quiet here now, news having been
received that the negro had been iynehed
At Columbus. There was considerable ex-
eitemcnt for a time. caused by the attempt /
cd outrage aud the desire for vengeance
The attempted assault was committed this
morning about O'Clock. The young lady
was alone in the telephone building when |
the negro entered: she screamed ae soon /
as she saw him and Mr.. George Best, WIZ l
was waiting for q train OF the depot, Il
short distance away, hurried 70 her rescue |
In the meantime the negro had pulled |
knife and was threatening the young lady |
II she persisted In screaming. She con |
finued 70 scream and thc negro struck her |
Hearing Mr.. Best coming. the negro nea /
INF was tracked by his bare feet to his |
home nv the city marshal who placed him |
nnder arrest. cnught q freight train and |
hurled him 10 Columbus TO prevent lynch /
INC AS soon as the alarm was given a (
crowd resolved Itself into band Of pur- /
suers and left on the frst train for Colum /
bus taxing measures 10 prevent the Inter /
ference OF Sheriff Burford. who had ar. |
rived here In the meantime. He was sud /
denly beset and disarmed and WINS prevent. I
ed tyon, getting on the train. He followed |
NJ soon as he conld get n horse, but It is /
understood that he had to travel part OF /
ne way on foot. arriving at Columbus too 1
loo 10 Drpvcnt the execution.