The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1903-04-23
MOB HANGS NEGRO
SLAYER OF OFFICER
LESTER AT JOPLIN.
Frantic Crowd Break Down Jail
Wall With Battering Ram
Drags the Prisoner Out And Strings
Him to a Telephone Pole.

Him to Telephone Pole.
Joplin, NO., April 15.-Mob law
ruled in Joplin to-day. An unknown
negro, who shot and killed Police
Officer Theodore Lester last night,
and found in the woods to-day by |
mob OF several hundred armed men |
was brought to the city and strung
up to a telephone pole at 6 o'clock |
this evening.
Bloodhounds were brought from |
Webb City and placed on the trail,
but the negro eluded the posse and |
remained in the thicket through the |
night, on Turkey creek, two miles
north OF the city. This morning the
man hunt was resumed, when sew
eral hundred armed men and boys
took to the woods. They scattered
in all directions, but could not find
the murderer.
At 2 o'clock the negro came from
his hiding place and went into a
slaughter house near Midway park,
where he told a story ofhaving fallen
from train, and was badly injured.
Instead he was suffering from the
wound he received last night at the
hands OF the officer he killed.
Lee Fullerton and N. r. Bullock,
two employees of the place, suspected
him as the guilty negro, and prepar-
ed to capture him. Fullerton pulled
a six shooter and Bullock drew q
long butcher knife on him and COM
manded him to surrender. This he
did after some parleying. He was
loaded into wagon by the two men
and brought to the city.
MOB AT THE JAIL.
In the meantime a large crowd had
congregated at the police station,
and upon the negroes arrival the news
quickly spread, and soon crowd OF
over 5000 people had gathered. The
people became frantic and demand
ed the prisoner.
At hrst it was thought the wrong
man had been captured and several
prominent citizens climbed upon
boxes to warn the crowd. The mob
would not listen and Kissed them
down.
| Securing battering ram they pro-
ceeded to break down the east wall
OF the jail. After an entrance was
effected. the negro was carried out,
begging piteously for his life. He
claimed to be innocent, and said he
did not shoot the officer, but admit
ted that he was present at the time.
The mob beat him iuriously, and
the negro fought like tiger. He
was partially dragged and carried
two blocks away to the corner OF
/ Second and Wall streets. Here sew
eral severe fights took place and
, guns were flashed, Officers and citi-
zens were on one side and the men
who wanted the negroes life on the
, other. Several prominent men made
: speeches, but it had no effect what
| ever on the mob.
During this time the negro laid
! upon the ground begging for mercy
Three ropes were thrown to the lead
ers Of the gang, but each time they
t were cut. Finally Sam Mitchell, one
] of the leaders, climbed telephone
Q pole and swung a rope over it anG
= the negro was soon swinging in the
;. air.
Q Several men in the crowd carried
. guns, but only one shot was take1
/ at the body. The negro was appar
!. entity dead when strung up and mad'
Q but three or four struggles. Tit
d crowd quickly Quoted and the body
It was cut down and taken to the un
o dertaking rooms.
NEGROES TERROR STRICKEN.
A mob OF fully 5000 men are surg
ing the streets, determined to driv'
It every negro out Of the city. Negro
d men and women alike are fleeing il
70 all directions for their lives, and sew
10 eral shots were fired at them.
It The police are unable to cope will
y the situation and further bloodshet
d isieared. Several members of the mol
|. rushed into the Imperial barber shoI
a as six negro BARRIERS fed from tn
/. rear. The crowd has surrounded
r several negro shanties in anotoriou
l. part OF the city.
Il L