Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-04-16
A TUG. OF WAR
Between Lynchers and Anti
lynchers at Joplin, Mo.
At the End the Victim, a Negro, Was
Very Much Dead.
Was Accused of Murder and Confessed
His Guilt.

Joplin, Mo-, April ia mob took
an unknown tramp negro from the city
Jail, this evening, and hanged him to
a telegraph pole two blocks from the
Jail. The negro was charged with hav-
ing murdered Police Officer Leslie, who
was shot dead, last night, in the rail-
road yards while endeavoring to arrest
several negroes suspected of theft.
About 3 o'clock this afternoon, the
fugitive was located in a slaughter
house of Joplin. The negro was armed
with a rifle and defied arrest. DR.. Full
lerton slipped in the structure unob-
served and crept up behind the man.
Suddenly he sprang at the unsuspect-
ing fugitive and before resistance
could be made he had the negro on
his back with a knife at his throat.
The negro then surrendered and was
brought to Joplin and placed in Jail.
News of the capture spread rapidly
and the Jail was speedily surrounded.
City Attorney Decker made strong
plea in behalf of law and order, but
this only served temporarily to stay
the mob and few minutes later a
section Of the Jail was battered down.
AS the negro was dragged forth, City
Attorney Decker again interferred and
urged that the negro be given a trial.
For half an hour he talked and the
mob listened to him with the negro
in their custody.
At one time it seemed that the city
attorney would win, as members of the
mob began dispensing, but suddenly
rush was made for the spot where the
negro was being held and he was
dragged two blocks from the Jail, a
rope fastened around his neck and after,
the rope had been thrown over the.
cross arm of a telegraph pole, score
attempted to pull the negro from the'
ground. AS many more seized the ne-5
gro and pulled to prevent him being.
hanged.
For some moments it was a veritable.
tug of war, but achievements on the.
free end of the rope proved the strongets
and the negro, despite his protestationSs
of innocence, was finally swung into
the air and strangled to death, while
shouts of satisfaction went up from
the mob. III
The lynching of the negro served only
temporarily to satisfy the indignation of:
the mob and, later tonight. hundreds Of
the negro section of the city, burning
houses. stoning negroes, and finally driv-
ing every negro from the confines OF Jop-
lin. The police were powerless. Stones
were thrown, doors and windows OF ne
gro houses were broken in and finally sew
eral houses were fired, many Of which
were burned to the ground. The mob
made endeavors to prevent the fire de-
partraent from eXtingushing the flames
and were partially successful. All the OF
fcers OF, the city, township and county
were called out, but the mob swept them
and proceeded with the rioting.
Mayor, Trigg ran from corner ,,r to cor
appeals to the mob to cease, but beyond
cheering the mayor vociferously the mob
swept on and the depredations continued
The saloons were hurriedly closed by the
mayor. After the hundreds of frenzied
men composing the mob had vented their
wrath in the north end of the city: they
rushed to the southern end, where lived a
number of negroes. Their houses were
vacant and not a negro could be found.
The streets were thronged and at Ill
o'clock the whole city was in an uproar
So far as known at that hour, no fatal
flies had occurred. although many per-
sons had received minor bruises.