Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1906-04-19
3 NEGROES LYNCHED
TAKEN FROM SPRINGFIELD JAIL
AND HANGED AND BURNED.
Two Hundred Deputies Also on Guard
in Missouri City-Both Whites and
Negroes Are Armed and Latter Will
Resist Eviction.

negroes Are Armed and Latter VIII
Resist Eviction.
Springfield, Mo-, April 16.-At 2:15
a. M William Allen, a young negro,
was taken from the county Jail here
and lynched in the public square by
the same mob that two hours earlier
had hanged Horace Duncan and
James Copeland. The body of Allen
later was burned to ashes. as had
been those of the other negroes, be-
meath the spot where they had been
lynched.
Following the dispatch of Duncan
and Copeland some one suggested that
Allen and Bus Cain, two other ne.
also be lynched. The mob, now blood
thirsty and wrought up to the highest
pitch of excitement, readily took up
the cry, and soon the charred body of
third victim lay beneath the statue
of the Goddess of Liberty. Cain es-
capped.
Allen and Cain were being held up
on suspicion of having murdered o.
P. Ruark, while Dundln and Copeland
were accused of assaulting Mabel Ed
mondson, white domestic.
Their work finally accomplished.
the mob quietly dispersed. But during
the day crowds, augmented by hun
dreds of persons from surrounding
towns, filed the streets, making
threats of further vengeance, and sew
eral companies of state militia, or
dered out by Governor Folk, together
with 200 deputy sheriffs, patrol the
streets.
Fourteen Prisoners Escape.
night with Copeland and Duncan four
teen prisoners escaped in the excite.
ment. Among them was Cain. But
Allen was there yet and the second
mob found him hiding under cot.
He was dragged out, his hands were
tied behind his back, rope was put
around his neck and he was marched
down the street to the tower in the
square. The negro stood directly
above the smouldering ash heap, from
which the smell of burning flesh
arose. The hangman caught the ne
gro by the ankles. lifted him and
threw him forward over the railing.
Allen turned 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
en- top of the other two negroes. There
he kicked and foundered around until
another rope was brought, thrice
looped around the neck and he was
again suspended in mid air
More boxes We're brought. another big
fire was kindled and soon the swaying
figure, now dead, fell into it, sending
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. When daylight broke upon the
scene there remained only the black
ened trunks and charred remains Of
the negroes.
Five thousand persons saw the trio
hanged and burned. Among the crowd
of spectators were hundreds of wom-
en- and children girls and boys in a
hall overlooking the plaza a dance
was in progress. Its music stopped,
while the dancers crowded to the win
dows and watched the writing black
bodies and the flames that finally
consumed them
Governor Folk Offers Reward.
In addition to sending soldiers here
to guard against a further violation of
the law, Governor Folk took quick ac-
ton to prosecute the leaders of the
mob. He authorized the offering of a
reward of $500 each for the arrest
and conviction OF members of the
mob. This is the limit allowed by
law. In addition, he instructed Rush
Lake, assistant attorney general. to
proceed here at once and aid the
grand jury of Greene county in fer
reting out and prosecuting the prime