Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-16

representing Justice that surm ounted the
electric light tower.
Allen was calm and collected as he
jumped from the tower up which he had
been compelled to ascend. The rope about
his neck broke as his weight fell on II, ana
he dropped into the pyre containing the
charred bodies of his former companions In
prison, Duncan and Copeland. Allen was
taken up the tower again and compelled TO
jump. This time his captors were more
successful in their work.
Mob Sought Fourth Victim.
Il swear that 1 am not guilty OF killing
Rouark," were his last words.
As soon as Allen was dead several men
rushed back to the jail for Bud Cane, a
negro accused also of the murder or
Rouark, but Cane and all but six of the
prisoners in Jail had escaped from the
wrecked prison. The mob finding itself
without suitable prey, went home as day
began to dawn.
The mob used telephone poles and sledge-
hammers to tear the jail to pieces 1t Is a
mile from the Jail to the square, and the
mob marched down one of the principal
streets, shouting and firing pistols. The
jail Is a wreck The mob, after IL had Sc
cured the three negroes, continued it's work
of destruction until nearly all the prison
bars were down.
About $1,000 damage was done in the
prison alone while In the sheriff residence,
which was attacked first, the damage Is
fully as much
Mrs. Horner. the sherifrs wife, who
tainted on account of fear and violence is
in q critical condition.
OF the fourteen prisoners, whites and
negroes, who escaped from the prison last
night during the mob excitement four were
captured during the day.
Morbid Curiosity of Thousands
Thousands of persons yesterday swarmed
about the jail TO see the wreck caused by
the mob and about the public square, where
the three negroes were hanged to an cleo
trio light tower and burned. Every train
brought hundreds of persons to the city
from the surrounding towns, mostly hood
lums
Many from the farming regions caught
the mob spirit readily and shared the SEN
timent of many that the negroes should be
driven from Springfield while the feeling
against the negro race was strong
Negroes who dared to appear on the
streets yesterday were greeted with boots
and jeers, and on several occasions men and
boys collected TO attack them. Both negroes
and whites armed. There was a steady
demand yesterday for firearms. and at many
hardware stores II was reported that the
entire stock OF weapons of every sort had
been sold.
Negroes are said to have seized 500 sticks
of dynamite from stone quarry for defense
purposes II further attempt at lynching Is
made.
Negroes Forced to Hide for Safety.
The greater part of the negro population
was In hiding yesterday. In the negro
quarters many women and children took
refuge in cellars and garrets. Whole fam
lilies fed to the country after having APP
pealed to the authorities for protection.
Prosecuting Attorney Roscoe Patterson OF
Greene county said last night:
Every man implicated In this dastardIy
outrage whose name l am able TO learn
will be punished 10 the full extent OF the
law The members of the mob are not law
abiding citizens They are outlaws. They
broke into the jail. and. besides lynching
three negroes, released prisoners, and thus
became lawbreakers by giving freedom to
imprisoned criminals
The authorities assert that Copeland ana
Duncan two of the victims, were innocent,
and that it is doubtful IL Allen was guilty.
Statement by Gov. Folk.
Gov. Folk, in statement at Jefferson
City, No. said:
"The lynehing at Springfield was a most
disgraeeful occurrence. Whatever the Of
Tense of the negroes may have been, and
however deserving of death they may have
been, rhey were entitled to punishment by
law ard not by a mob. and when a mob
takes the law into its own hands, as this
one did, any member OF IL Is guilty of muir
der will request one of the assistant at
torney generals to aid the prosecuting at
torney of Greene county to punish the Of
tenders, and shall offer a reward OF 500 for
any information that would lead to the conT
viction OF any member of the mob"