The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-12-08
East st. Louis Mob Gives Long
Chase in Attempt 10 Lynch
Joseph Erwin.
POLICEMAN HOLDS THEM BACK
Patrolman Mulqueeny Draws His
Revolvers and Threatens TO
Shoot the First to Advance
on PROSTATE Negro.

Joseph Erwin, a negro. shot Edward
Lawson n one-armed white man. through
the breast above the heart. after robbins
him of SCI in money and his overcoat
yesterday afternoon about $3.50. He also
slightly wounded d. II. Bradley, a negro,
in the back. Lawson is not expected TO
live.
A mob OF several hundred persons
chased the negro fer dozen blocks and
finally into the arms of Policeman =. j.
Mulquecny. who had TO draw both his
reviewers TO keep the crowd back. For
half an hour, while awaiting the arrival
of the patrol wagon Policeman Mulqueeny
stood in the doorway of Il saloon with his
rcvolvcrs levelled on the crowd in order
10 keep IT from getting at Erwin.
Lawson is 80 years old and came To
East ST. Louis yesterday morning with
William Hall. II years old. from Mount
Vernon. Ind. Yesterday afternoon they
went 10 the railroad yards III search OF
work. Near the old East St. Louis race
track they came across Erwin and several
boys. who were cleaning fish which they
had caught in the slough. They watched
them for u moment, when Erwin drew Il
revolver and told Lawson to throw up his
hands.
Hall and the other boys ran when the
negro drew the revolver. Erwin searched
Lawsons clothes first, and, finding no
weapon, turned his pockets inside out for
money. He found s2I and then told Law
son to take off his overcoat, which he did.
AS he handed it to the negro the latter
pulled the trigger of his weapon. 1t is
said. A i4-caliber bullet struck Lawson In
the left breast, going through his ribs and
lungs just above the heart and coming out
on the right side.
Several of the boys, who had run
few hundred feet way turned to come
II, Nf fHn hot hut
turned the revolver on them. infitcting
flesh wound in the back Of d. r. Bradley.
a negro boy.
Erwin then threw his revolver into the
weeds and ran toward the heart Of the
city. The boys in the meantime had
spread the story of the hold-up and shoot
ing among the railroad men, half a hun
dred of whom followed the fleeing negro negro
This crowd was augmented every block.
At Tenth street and Tudor avenue the
negro ran into the arms of Policeman
=. ]. Mulqueeny, who grabbed him and
felled him when he tried to pass him;
shouted. Lynch the negro
Policeman Mulqueeny drew two re-
'olvers. and telling the negro to march
in front of him he turned to the crowd
and called to them that the first man who
approached would be shot. He walked the
negro to Jackson's saloon. where he
turned him over to several citizens. one
of whom telephoned for the patrol wagon.
The news of the shooting spread quickly
md the original mob was augmented by
hundreds of men and boys. Ropes were
brought and for awhile 1t looked as If
the mob intended storming the saloon.
During this time Mulqueeny stood at
the door of the saloon with his revolvers
leveled, and threatened to shoot any who
should attempt to gain entrance to thu,
saloon. The negro. fearing that he would
be lynched. covered on the floor OF the
saloon and pleaded for his life.
The arrival of the police probably saved
the negro from being lynched. as a num-
Der of the mob had made their way
through rear yards and were ready, TO
break into the rear of the saloon when
the patrol wagon arrived.
An ambulance in the meantime had been
summoned and conveyed Lawson TO st.
Marys Hospital. where Doctor III. J:
De Haan, attended him. He stated last
night that Lawson's chances for recovery
were very small.
Erwin was taken to the police station.
where he was positively identified by Hall,
Bradley and several others. who witnessed
the hold-up. He denied his identity.