The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1906-04-20
TRIPLE LYNCHING
Negroes Strung Up to Statue
Representing Justice"
TWO WERE UNCONSCIOUS

nope ABOUT I01r0 MAN NECK
Broke, but His Life Is Also
Finally Disposed Of--The Mob
Storms and Wrecks Jail
Springfield, Mo-, April 16.-Will AL
len, negro, charged with the murder of
a man named Rourke, was taken from
Jail yesterday by the mob that had
previously lynched two men named
Duncan and Copeland and hanged in
the public square. Allen was perfectly
calm and collected as he jumped from
the scatfold. The rope about his neck
broke as his weight fell on it and he
dropped into the pyre containing the
charred remains of his former com
panions in prison. He was taken upon
the tower again and this time his cap.
tors were more successful in their work.
Il swear that l am not guilty Of killing
Rourke," were his last words.
The lynchings took place under
statue representing Justice" on an
electric light tower. When Duncan
and Copeland were dragged from their
cells in the Jail they could say nothing
but "Oh," oh" oh" and it is thought
that long before they were dragged into
the square that they were completely
unconscious from fright When they
were strung up to the statue of justice
their bodies were limp as though they
were dead. Neither was there the
slightest resistance.
There were two mobs, one well or
ganized and composed of men and an-
other composed altogether of boys and
rowdies. The first mob reached the
Jail at about the same time as did the
mob composed of boys and ruffians in
general While the latter were making
great noise outside the Jail, shooting,
threatening and throwing stones at the
windows, the organized mob succeeded
in breaking in.
Aliens captOrs took him to the top
of the tower and compelled him to jump
off with the rope around his neck. The
rope broke and he fell upon the cbarred
bodies of Duncan and Copeland In
the second attempt he was swung off
and as he dangled he was killed by
shooting.
When Allen was taken upon the
tower, with the rope about his neck
and protesting his innocence, the leader
of the lynchers called upon the mob to
vote whether Allen was guilty or limo
cent. The mob howled "hang him"
All but six prisoners out of more
h. To-, -
have made their escape, among them
being Gus Kane, negro, charged with
the murder of O. M. Rourke, the same
crime for which Allen was lynched.
Previous to the lynching of Allen a
mob of 5000 persons took from the Jail
Horace Duncan and James Copeland.
negroes, hanged them to the electric
tower and built a fire under the sus-
pended men. The negroes, both under
q years of age, were in Jail, charged
with assaulting Mabel Edmondson a
white girl, Friday night.
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. Circuit Attorney Arthur
Sager of st. Louis was a witness Of the
tragedy. He slipped into the cellar of
the jail and cut off the gas, hoping to
confuse the mob. but he was too late.
The inside of the Jail is completely
wrecked, the mob not stopping after they
had secured their men, but continuing
their work of destruction until prac-
tically all the prison bars were down.
About $4,000 damage was done to the
prison alone, while in the sheriff'S resi-.
dence the damage is fully as much.
Sheriffs in the surrounding country
have been notified of the prisoners es.
cape.
Whites and blacks are reported az
having armed themselves heavily and
the negroes of the city are said to have
seized 300 sticks of dynamite from a
stone quarry for defense purposes if
any further attempt at lynching is
made.
The greater part of the negro popu.
lation is in hiding. In the negro guar.
tiers many women and children took
refuge in cellars and garrets Whole
families fed to the country after having
appealed to the authorities for protec-
ton.
At meeting Of the members of the
Ministerial Alliance yesterday after
noon. a call was issued for mass meet
ing of citizens tonight to consider ways
and means for securing evidence and
aiding in the prosecution of the mob
There is feeling that more outrages
against the negroes will be committed
Miss Edmondson says that she is posi-
tive that Copeland and Duncan. two of
the negroes hanged. were not her as
sailants. and that she can identify her
assailants If they are brought before
her 1t is also considered doubtful that
Allen was guilty Of the murder of o. NJ.
Rourke. for which crime the mob killed
him.
Army Relieved OF Reeicide
Tondon AnriI 1.-THE RalUrada