Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1906-04-17
THIRD NEGRO HANGED
BY SPRINGFIELD MOB
Both Races Were Armed And
- Trouble Was Feared.
MILITIA CONTROLS SITUATION


Dance Was in Progress at Side of
Square, and the Dancers Watched
the Bloody Work of Mob.
Springfield, Mo, April 16.-At 2:15
o'clock Sunday morning, William AL
len, negro, was taken from the coun-
ty Jail here and lynched in the pub
lie square by the same mob that two
hours earlier had hanged Grace Dun
can and James Copeland. The body
of Allen later was burned to ashes,
as were those of the other negroes, be-
meath the spot where they had been
lynched.
At midnight the militia had clear
ed the public square of all people
and slept around the tower where the
three negroes, were lynched Saturday
night. Other squads of militia parad-
ed the negro districts. The streets
otherwise were deserted. There is
feeling now that the trouble is over.
Sunday night a reaction set in, and
most people condemn the action of the
mob.
The authorities assert that Copeland
and Duncan, two of the victims, were
innocent. This is the general belief
Following the dispatch of Duncan
and Copeland, some one suggested that
Allen and Bus Cain, two other negroes
known to be in the jail, should also
be lynched.
The mob, now bloodthirsty and
wrought up to the highest pitch of ex-
citement, readily took w the cry and
soon the charred bones of a third vic
tim lay beneath the statue of the God
dess of Liberty. Cain escaped.
Allen and Cain were beng held upon
suspicion of having murdered O. P.
RuarlI, while Duncan and Copeland
were accused of assaulting Mabel
Edmundson, a white domestic
Their work finally accomplished, the
mob quietly dispersed. But Sunday
the crowds augmented oy hundreds
Of persons from surrounding towns,
filled the streets, making threats of
fur vengeance, and sunday night
several CORY anies Of state militia, or
dC"od out by Governor Folk, together
with . deputy sheriHs, Iatrolled the
stree t5
WAen the mob left the .ail at mid
night with Copeland ana Duncan, IA
prisoners escaped in the excitement.
Among them was Cain. But Allen
was there vet and the second mob
found him hiding under a cot He
was dragged cut, his hands were tied
behind his back, a rope was put about
his neck and he was marched down the
street TO the town square Two men
of the mob climbed upon the stairway
and stood upon the platform of the
statue with Allen between them.
One OF these men, who held a Ian
orn in his hand, faced the crowd be
low and waving his hand toward the
negro, said:
- aides ard Gentlemen: This is
VIII Allen, the man who murdered old
man Ruark. What shall we 60 with
him?"
Hang him." cried the crowd.
Throw him overheard"
The mob was undecided. While the
crowd was debating, the second man
on the platform began tying a rope
to the iron railing.
The negro stood directly above the
smouldering ash heap from which the
smell of buESing flesh arose. But he
stood erect while the man with the
lantern harangued the mob and the
crowd jeered at the negro.
In the meantime the rope had been
placed about Aliens neck, and present.
ly the hangman caught the negro's
ankles, lifted him and threw him for.
ward over. the railing. Allen turned
a somersault in the air and as the
rope became taut, his neck cracked
like a pistol shot. The rope broke
and he fell in the bed Of Goals on top
of the remains of the other two ne
groes.
There he kicked and floundered
around until another rope was brought
which was thrice loopec around the
neck and he was again suspended In
midair
More boxes were brought, another
big fire was kindled and soon the sway
ing figure, now dead, fell into 1t, send
ing up q spray of live sparks. After
that most of the men went home, but
some men and boys stayed by the tow
er all night and fed the fires. When
daylight broke upon the scene, there
remained only the blackened trunks
and charred remains of the three dead
negroes.
Five thousand persons saw the trio
hanged and burned. Among the crowd
of spectators were hundreds of wo
men and children, girls and boys. In
hall overlooking the plaza an Easter
dance was in progress. It's music
stopped, while the dancers crowded the
windows and watched the writhing
black bodies and the flames that finally
consumed them.
Monday quiet prevailed, and the in
dications are that the troubles are
over.
Quiet Easter at ST. Petersburg.
CT pe+arShurp AOril 16-1 rs D. m