Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1906-10-04
RAPIST CAUSES DEATH
Exciting Times Witnessed Tuesday
Night at Mobile.
SHOOTING IN PRISON
while Searching For Negro Fiend
Special Police 0ffieer Mortally
Wounded, Passing Away
In n Few Hours.

Mobile. Oct 3.-Roy Holye. a spe-
cial officer OF the Mobile and Ohio
railroad. and one OF the most widely
known and best liked men In this vi.
cinity. was shot and fatally wounded.
and Alderman Sidney Lyons. chairman
OF the city council was slightly injured
IN the hand Tuesday night during a
fight at the county jail between dep
uty sheriffs and a crowd Of men de-
termined TO capture Dick Robinson. a
negro.
The negro. who IL only seventeen
years Of age, Tuesday attacked Ruth
sossman, the twelve.year-old daugh-
ter Of Blount Sossman. who lives three
miles from this city The girl was
passing a secluded spot not far from
her home when she was attacked
Later she was found lying uncon.
scious by the roadside. and was taken
70 her home. Detectives were placed
on the track of the negro. and within
three hours he was captured. When
found he had substituted shor; pants
/ for the trousers he had on earlier in
the day. He was taken before the
girl. who at once identified him. Dep.
uty Sheriff Falch. knowing that the
/ negro would be lynched II brought %
the city. caused him 20 be conveyed 20
station several miles up the Mobile
and Ohio railroad
! Several assaults upon white women
have occurred within The last few
weeks. and the news o. this latest
outrage caused intense excitement As
early as o'clock in the evening
crowds began 20 gather in the down.
town streets. and by $50 o'clock 500
men had formed at the intersection
Of Royal and Dauphin streets. The
crowd was harrangued by several
speakers. who urged them 20 take the
life Of the negro II he were found. and
In a short time the crowd was on the
march for the jail. Sheriff Powers
met the leaders OF the mob and In.
formed them that the man they we're
seeking was not In jail. and had not
been brought here. He offered 90 let
any one whom he personally knew
pass through the jail 10 satisfy the
crowd OF the truth OF the statement
About forty men walked through the
corridors. and some of them returned
and assured the mob that the man was
not there.
While several OF the party. includ
ing Hoyle and Lyons. were still In
the jail. a portion OF the crowd. led
by a man unknown. secured a tele
phone pole. blown down In recent storm.
and dashed Il against the closed part
o. the double door. one-half OF which
was open The door fell with a crash.
and almost instantly a shot came from
q revolver IN the hands OF a man
standing In the gate AZ once the
members OF the mob began fusil.
lade Not more than a dozen men
took part IN the firing. and there was
a stampede The mob was widely scat.
tered. and IN few seconds Alderman
Lyons. who had been inside the jail
came out. announcing that he had been
shot and Hoyle desperately wounded.
Following this announcement a large
part Of the crowd dispersed. notwith-
standing the appeals OF the men who
led the crowd which fired on the
building that the negro section OF the
city be visited and vengeance wreaked
Later about 800 men boarded an out
going Mobile and Ohio train. having
received information that the negro
had been taken TO Eight Mile Point.
determined 10 lynch the negro.
Governor Jelks took active steps
20 prevent any further disorder. and
ordered that thee companies OF mi
litia be brought 10 the city as queck.
ly as possible
Shortly after 10 O'Clock a second
mob gathered In the business section.
and went 10 the jail. convinced that
Robinson was there. and expressed
themselves as determined 20 secure
him az any cost. Sheriff Powers de-
clared that Powers was not In the fail.
The mob demanded that they be allow.
ed 10 send men through 20 make an.
other search. and this was permitted
by the sheriff Eight men entered
and reported that he was not in the
building. The announcement was re.
ceived with incredulity. and there was
demand that the negro be brought
out az once. Excitement was AZ a high
pitch when Captain Frank Iumsdon
addressed the crowd. assuring them
that Robinson was not there This
speech satisfied the crowd. and Il soon
dispersed.
Roy hoyle died az 1870 O'Clock Wed.
nesday morning. The crowd got back
on a Mobile and Ohio train. They did