The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1906-08-01
Assailant of Miss Ethel Me-
Claim Pays Penalty
Arraigned, Tried, Convicted, Sent
enced and Executed In Fifty
Five Minutes.
NO DISORDER IN MAYFIELD.
(stan correspondence.)

Allen Mathis. negro. was hanged at
Mayheld. KY. last night. Just at
dusk. for crimlnally assaultlng Miss
Ethel McClain. telephone operator.
the only daughter of a widow. last
week. The trial and execution OF the
negro was one OF the quickest on
record. lasting Just 80 minutes and
within 20 minutes from the time
the verdict was read Mathis was
dead. The hanging was conducted In
the jail yard and the crowd was so
dense that It was impossible to get
within a quarter OF square OF the
scaffold Ave minutes after the ne
gro arrived at the jail. No disorder
prevailed. the citizens permitting the
law 10 take It's course.
Summary History.
Allen Mathis was 10 years old and
born In Brownsville. Tenn. He re-
sided at Mayheld severai years fol-
lowing the death of his parents, and
was employed at tobacco parns as
laborer. Robberies occurred in May
field and suspicion pointed towards
Mathis. He slept out several nlghts
in the woods and was going to the
woods at dusk on the evening the
assault was made.
Miss McClaln was returning home
from work and on the railroad track
on the outskirts OF the town met the
negro who demanded her purse.
Finding It empty the brute grabbed
her and by force accomplished his
purpose.
lie escaped but was caught the
next morning at Clay Switch. few
miles south OF Mayheld.
Upon being returned to Mayheld
there was demonstration by a
mob. and the prisoner was brought
to Paduoah for safe keeping. A
mob attempted to take him here, but
lacked leader. The mob was ar
rested and sent home on the train.
Mathis was taken from Paducah
to Louisville Sunday and on Monday
deputy sherlrs arrived for the pris-
oncr. A special yenlre had been en-
paneled and an indictment returned
against the brute. Even before the.
Indictment was reported the scaffold
was built and a public anxious to
see Justice done the brute. awaited
the arrival OF the prisoner for trial.
A special jury was kept sitting
Monday and Tuesday and at Gas
O'Clock the prisoner arrived.
Deputy sherlffs from Mayheld. as
sisted by the Madlsonville. Ky. mi
litla, had the negro in a special ear.
The train was met at the Mayheld
depot by the Mayneld military COM
pany and Mathis was hustled out OF
the train on arrival.
From the time the train pulled
into the Mayneld station and stopped
until the last dying struggles of the
black brute. only 55 minutes elaps-
ed. yet Justice in Its strictest legal
form had been melted out
Train Arrives.
The special car bearing Mathis
and his military guard. arrived at
Mayield at o'clock. The depot
platform was lined with eager spec
tators but no trouble was experience
ed in getting the negro from the
train. A strong Gordon of soldiers
was formed and the negro was as
sisted from the train. He was hand
cuffed and did not seem. from APP
pearances 70 realize the seriousness
OF his position. He wore SLOUGH hat
resembling a cap. which was pulled
down over his eyes. He marched
firmly with the deputy sheriffs until
cries OF "lynch him." mob him. )"
awakened him to the danger he was
in. He chung to the support Of the
deputies and seemed relieved when
the court house was reached.
The trip to the court house was
short and no time was wasted. Judge
n. ]. Bugg read the indictment and
a plea of guilty was entered. The
jury was Instructed and an agree
ment was reached before the jury
got to its room. The only time con-
sumed by the jury was in the writ
ing OF the verdict and 80 minutes
after arrival at the depot the verdict
was returned and death sentence pso-
nounced.
Mathis looked up in meek appeal