The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1906-04-20
FOUL BLOT UPON
MISSOURI SHIELD
THREE NEGROES HANGED AMI
BURNED AT SPRINGFIELD.
THE MOB SPIRIT RAMPANT
All Three OF the Victims " ere Ac'
cused of Foul Crimes, Hut In
Neither Case HAD the Charges
Been Proven.

Been Proven.
Springfield. Mo. April IA; 81
O'Clock Sun<ly morning William Allen
a young negro, was taken from tn
county jail here and lynched in the pub
lie square by the same mob that, "
hours earlier. had hanged Horace Dun
can and James Copeland. The body o
Allen later was burned, as had beer
those OF the other negroes. beneath ia.
spot where they had been lynched.
Mob Thirsted Tor More.
Following the dispatch Of Duncan anc
Copeland. some one suggested that Al
.en and Bus Cain. TWO other negroes
known to be in the jail, should also be
.ynched. The mob. now blOodthirsty
and wrought up to the highest pitch OF
excitement. readily took up the cry, and
soon the charred bones OF a third vic
tim lay beneath the statue Of the God.
dess Of Liberty. Cain escaped.
The Alleged Crimes.
Allen and Cain We're being held upon
suspicion of having murdered o. p
Ruark. while Duncan and Copeland
were accused of assaulting Mabel Ed
mondson, a white domestic.
Their work finally accomplished. tn.
mob quietly dispersed; but Sunday
crowds augmented, by hundreds Of per
sons from surrounding towns. filled tn,
streets. making threats Of further ven
geance. and Sunday night several com
panies Of state militia, ordered out b..
Gov. Folk, together with 200 deputy
sheriffs. patroled the streets.
Cain Made His Escape.
When the mob left the Jail at mid
night with Copeland and Duncan, Il
prisoners escaped in the excitement
Among them was Cain. But Allen wa
there yet. 7 the second mob founC
him under a cot. He was dragged out
his hands were tied behind his back, 1
rope was put around his neck. and b,
a marched down the street TO tn,
tower in the square
Two men climbed up the iron stair
way and stood upon the platform will
Allen between them.
The negro stood directly above the
smo,Gering ash heap from which the
smell Of burning flesh arose. But he
stood erect while the nan with the Ian.
tern "harangued the mob and the crowd
jeered al The negro. In the meantime
the rope had been placed about Allen.
neck. and presently the hangman
caught the negro's ankles. lifted him
and threw him forward over the railing
4 sickening Spectacle.
Allen turned a somersault in the air,
and as the rope became taunt his neck
cracked like a pistol shot. The rope
broke and he fell in the bed Of Goals or
top Of tie other two negroes. There he
kicked and flcundered around until an
other rope was brought, thrice looped
around the neck. and be was again JUS
pended in midair.
The Fire ~epIenisbed.
More boxes were brought. another
big fire wa kTndled and o o the sway
ing fgure. now dead, fell into il. send
ing up an arrowy spray Of live sparks
After that most Of the men went home
but some men and boys stayed by the
tower all night and fed the fire.
Five Thousand Witnesses.
Five thousand persons saw the trio
hanged and burned. Among the crowe
Of spectators were hundreds Of womer
and children, girls and boys.
In a hall overlooking the plaza ar
Easter dance was in progress. Its mu
sic stopped. while the dancers crowded
to the windows and watched the with
ing black bodies and the flames thai
finally consumed them.
Morbid Relic Hunters.
Sunday souvenirs of the night. con
sisting Of a button from the trousers OF
one Of the negroes. a piece Of the hang
mans rope and other pieces II relics
were eagerly bought by many amone
the crowds that gathered al the scene.
The authorities assert that Copeland
and Duncan, two Of the victims. were
innocent This is the general belief. A
reaction has ct in AMI most people are
condemning the mob's work.
Gov. FoIk VIII Take Action.
Jefferson City. No. April i6-Gov.
Joseph W. Folk. in a statement. sun
DAY. said.
The lynching at Springfield was q
most dlsgraceful occurrence. Whatever
the oiierse Of the negroes may have
been. and however deserving OF death
they may have been. they were entitled
70 punishment by law. ard not by a
mob. and when a mob takes the law in.
to It's own hands. as this ore did, any
member Of It IS guilty of murder.
nHfNN DgtHra ArL F
ney generals TO aid the prosecuting at
torney Of Greene county to punish the
offenders and shall offer a reward Of
5000 for any information that would
lead 10 the conviction Of any member
Of the mob
4 Mig Consin = ment OF specie.
Queenstown. April lG.-The steamer