Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1904-03-11
LYNCHED A NEGRO.
Slayer of a Policeman Shot and
Hung by Springfield, o., Mob.
hynchcrs Strung Murderer UP to Tcle-
graph Pole After He Had Rcen
Shot to Death and Then
Filled His Body with
Bullets.

Springfield, o., March s.-A mob of
500 men gathered at the county jail
last evening at o'clock with the
avowed purpose of lynching Richard
Dixon, the negro who on Sunday shot
Policeman Charles Coils. Sheriff
Floyd Rout2ahn appeared on the Jail
steps and pleaded with the mob to
disperse, but he could be heard with
difficulty. His appeal was Intellectual
and he was compelled to go within.
Coils died at noon Monday and
there was strong feeling throughout
the city that unless the negro was
killed by mob violence he would never
hang.
AT 0 o'clock the mob had increased
to 500 men and the Jail yard to the
south and east was completely filled.
The electric light wire leading to the
sheriffs residence and the Jail was
cut and both places were in darkness.
The mob forced an entrance to the
Jail by butting in the east doors with
railroad iron. At 1O:3O the mob
melted rapidly and it was the general
opinion that no more attempts would
be made to force an entrance.
Small groups of men, however,
could be seen in the shadows of the
court house, two adjacent livery
stables and several dwelling houses.
At 10:45 the police were satisfied that
there was nothing to fear. Shortly
before IL o'clock a diversion was
made by small crowd moving from
the east doors around to the south
entrance.
The police followed and a bluff was
made at jostling them off the steps
leading up to the south entrance
The crowd at this point kept grow.
ing, while yells of Hold the police"
"Smash the DOORS" Lynch the Mig
ger" were made, interspersed with
revolver shots. All this time the
party with the heavy railway iron
was beating at the east door, which
shortly yielded to the battering ram,
as did the inner iron doors. The mob
then surged through the east door,
handful of deputies and began the as
sault on the iron turnstile leading to
the cells.
The police from the south door
were called inside to help keep the
mob from the cells and in five min
utes the south door had shared the
fate of the east one. In an incredibly
short time the Jail was filled by mad
mob of $50 men, with all the en-
frances and yard gates blocked by
fully 1900 men, thus making it impos-
sible for the militia to have prevent
ed access to the negro, had it been on
the scene. The heavy iron partition
leading to the cells resisted the mol
effectually until cold chisels and
sledge hammers arrived.
The paddock to the turnStile was
broken and the mob soon filed the
corridors leading to the cells. Seeing
that further resistance was useless
and to avoid the killing of innocent
prisoners, the authorities consented
to the demand of the mob for the
right man. He was dragged from his
cell to the Jail door and thence down
the stone steps to a paved court III
the Jail yard. Fearing an attempt on
the part of the police to rescue him,
the leaders formed a hollow square
Some one knocked the negro to the
ground and those near to him fell
back four or five feet.
Nine shots were tired into his pros
trate body and, satisfied that he was
dead, dozen men grabbed the life.
less body and with triumphant
cheer the mob surged into Columbia
street and marched to Fountain ave
nue., one of the principal thorough
fares. From here they marched south
to the intersection of Main street and
a rope was tied around DiXon's neck
Two men climbed the pole and threw
the rope over the topmost crosstie
and drew the body about IS feet
above the street. They then descend.
ed and their work was greeted with a
cheer.
The fusilade then began and for &c
minutes the body was kept swaying
back and forth from the force of the
rain of bullets which was poured IN