Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-07
TWO ARE SWUNG
| UP FOR CRIMES
ON YOUNG GIRLS
Masked Men Organize Commit
tee to Murder.
HELD UP THE TRAIN
For Hours It Was Known That the
Men Would Die.
WHY TROOPS WERE NOT SENT
Governor Jelks Issues a Statement, In
Which He Attempts to Ex.
plain His Position.
For Hours It Was Known That the
Men Would Die.
WHY TROOPS WERE NOT SENT

Gov. Jelks made statement yes
terday afternoon in which he en-
deavored to explain why it was
that he did not send the militia to
stop the double lynching near Mo-
bile yesterday. No lynchings in
the south in many long day have
created more excitement in the
popular mind, perhaps for the rea.
son that it was known hours be-
fore. The negroes are said to have
criminally assaulted several white
girls.
Special Dispatch to The Star.
MOBILE, Ala. October Gan Organised
committee Of 200 masked men, many Of
them well known. who left Mobile today,
hanged two negroes after taking them from
train on the Southern railway thirty
miles north of here '-s-r g. -ti.-
When the mob held I'D the train the
negroes. who were charged with attacking
a white woman IN Mobile, were on the way
to this city in custody of Sheriff Poweri
They had been captured in Birminghana.
and the news Of the ~sherif's departure
with the prisoners was wired ahead. One
tack which was made on the county jail
here few days ago. In this attack .spe-
cial officer was killed while defending the
jail and number Of men in the mob were
wounded While the attack was in progress
the negro was placed on board a train and
taken to Birmingham. -
Turned Over to Sheriff. *
Another negro. previously caught h
Birmingham, and the prisoner who was tho
cause of the Jail attack were turned over
to Sheriff Powers at s am. He at once
boarded the train for Mobile
Two thousand men had met the Louis.
vile and Nashville train here at an earlier
hour, and were disappointed not to find
the negroes aboard. The special COMMITTEES
was then selected to meet Sheriff Powers
outside the city.
The train on the Southern road had
SCdTCely started lTOH birmingham Wlen ID0
Mobile committee was on its way north
When the two trains were within a mile
Of each other the committee left its train
and prepared to hold up the southbound
train.
The masked men had only few seconds
to wait. AS the train with the pr soners
aboard appeared around curve it was
sgnaled to stop. The engineer brought the
train to a stop at the Richardson switch.
AS soon as the passengers caught sight
of the masked men clambering upon the
platforms of the cars they were thrown
into a panic.
Its a hold-up," they cried.
Passengers Reassured
Immediately they began to conc al their
valuables, but the first men of the COM
mittee who entered the car treasured the
passengers and explained their errand.
Meantime the prisoners, who susp ected
the purpose of the mob, were covering in
fear on hands and knees. Sheriff Powers
drew p revolver, but the Weapon was
promptly knocked from his hand and he
was held in his seat while the prisoners
were dragged into the aisle.
As the prisoners were led away from the
train the passengers Joined the mob and
took part in the lynching.
Burn them at tae stake" cried several
men
The prisoners, one Of whom was boy
seventeen years old, fell their knees
and begged for mercy. Moses were placed
around their necks without further delay,
and the ropes were thrown over the branch
of a tree. The members of the mob and
the passengers joined in dragging the VIC
Tins into the air. As soon as their work
had been finished the committee boarded
the train and returned to Mobile
Governor Jelks' Statement.
BIRMINGHAM. Ala. October "a spe-
cial from Montgomery says that Gov. Jelks
this afternoon made public the correspond
ence passing between himself and the sheriff
and citizens of Mobile county in explana-
ton OF why the militia was not sent to
Mobile with the negroes Thompson and
Robinson, lyrched near that city today.
The governor admits receiving a telegram
from members of the Mobile bar last night
asking that military be furnished, and
makes public the telegram he sent in reply.
stating that soldiers would be put ON the
train when 1t reached Montgomery. The
correspondence shows that telegram was
sent to Birmingham last night ordering
Sheriff Powers to bring his prisoners by
way of Montgomery. but that this tele-
gram was not delivered in time to reach
the sheriff before he left for Mobile by way
of Selma The governor makes the state
ment that he would have placed soldiers
aboard the train had 1t come by way of
MONTGOMERY,