Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1904-03-08
alexandria Gazeftr.
TUESDAY EVENING. MAR. s. 1901.
LYNOHING IN OHIO.

A mob of 2, 500 men last night lynched
Richard Dixon, the negro, who, Sunday
shot Policeman Charles Coils in the
formers room at the Jones Hotel in
Springfield, Ohio. He had gone to
Dixon's rooms on the negro's request.
Dixon said his mistress had his clothes
in her possession and had got the consent
of Jones, the colored proprietor, to keep
Dixon away from his house.
Coils accompanied Dixon to the
room, and in a short time the man and
woman engaged in a quarrel which re-
suited in Dixon shooting the woman,
who is variously known as Anna or
Mamie Corbin, in the left breast just
over the heart. She fell unconscious at
the FIRST shot, and Coils jumped toward
the negro to prevent his escape from the
room. Dixon then fred four bullets in
to Coils, the last of which penetrated his
abdomen. Coils emptied the chambers
of his gun at the flying negro. He WIS
not hit, however, and went Immediately
10 police headquarters and gave himself
up. At 1880 last night group of boys
gathered in front of the Jail, and by 8
o'clock 300 men had congregated about
the jail yard and steps.
Shortly before IL o'clock diversion
was made by a small crowd moving from
the east doors of the Jail around to the
south entrance. The police followed,
and an attempt was made'to drive them
off the steps leading up to the south en-
trance. The crowd at this point kept
growing, while yells of "Hold the
police!" "Smash the doorsW Lynch
the niggerp were made, interspersed
with revolver shots.
In an incredibly short space of time
the Jail was filed by mad mob of 25O
men with all the entrances and yard
gates blocked by fully $500 men, thus
making it impossible for the militia to
have prevented access to the negro, had
it been on the scene.
Seeing that further resistance was use
less 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 then down the stone steps to a
paved court in the Jail yard. Fearing
an attempt on the part of the police to
rescue him the leaders formed hollow
square. Some one knocked the negro to
the ground and those near to him fell
back four or FIVE feet.
Nine shots were fred into his PROSTATE
body, and satisfied that he was dead q
dozen men grabbed the lifeless body aud
with a triumphant cheer the mob surged
into Columbia street and marched to
Fountain avenue, one of the principal
thoroughfares of the town. From here
they marched south to the intersection
of Main street, and a rope was tied
around Di1on's neck. Two men climb
ed the pole and threw the rope over the
topmost cross tie and drew the body
about eighteen feet above the street.
They then descended, and their work
was greeted with a cheer.
The fusillade then began, and for
thirty minutes the body was kept sway
ing back and forth from the force of the
rain of bullets which was poured in on
il. Frequently the arms would fly up
convulsiyely when muscle was struck,
and the mob went fairly wild with de-
light. Throughout it all perfect good
order was maintained, and every one
seemed in the best OF humor, joking with
his nearest neighbor while reloading his