The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1906-04-16
PROTESTED INNOCENCE
AS THEY WERE LYNCHED
Three Negroes Victims of Mobs Fren-
~ at Springfield, Mo.--Jail Was
Wrecked and Others
Have Escaped.

Springfield, Mo-, April 16.--Will Al
len, a negro charged with the murder
OF 0. M. Rouark last January, but pro-
testing innocence, was taken from Jail
early Sunday morning by the mob that
lynched Horace Duncan and Jim Cope
land, two other negroes, before midnight.
Allen was hanged in the public square
to the same tower that had served as
scaffold for the two negroes killed
earlier in the night. Duncan and Cope
land were accused of assauiting Mabel
Edmundson, white girl, after beating
her escort into Inconsistencies and drag
ging her into the woods. Duncan and
Copeland were arrested on suspicion but
there was no evidence against them.
Allen was calm and collected as he
jumped from the tower up which he
had been compelled to ascend. The rope
about his neck broke as his weight fell
on it, and he dropped into the pyre
containing the charred bodies Of his
former companion in prison, Duncan and
Copeland. Allen was taken up the tow
er again and compelled to jump. This
time his captors were more successful
in their work. Il swear | am not guilty
of killing Rouark,s were his last words
and Duncan and Copeland had asserted
their innocence in similar words when
they were killed
The lynching took place under a stat
ne representing Justice" that surmount.
ed the electric light tower in the public
square.
As soon as Allen was dead several
men rushed back to the iai for Bud
Cane, a negro accused also of the muir
der of Rouark, but Cane and all but
six Of the prisoners in Jail had escaped
from the prison, which had been wreck.
ed earlier in the night The mob find
ing itself without prey went home as
day began to dawn OF the IA prison
ers, whites and negroes, who escaped
from the prison during the mob excite
ment, four were captured during the
day yesterday.
Mob Voted Guilty"
Aliens death was peculiarly horrible.
He was taken to the top Of the tower
and was compelled to Jump with the
rope around his neck. The rope broke.
and he fell upon the charred bodies of
Duncan and Copeland. In the second
attempt he was swung of, and as he
dangled he was killed by shooting. When
he was taken upon the tower, with the
rope about his neck and protesting his
innocence, the leader Of the lynchers
called upon the mob 60 vote whether
Allen was guilty of innocent. The mob
howled Hang him."
Prosecuting Attorney Patterson and
Sheriff Homer are said to have secured
the names of more than 100 men who
took an active part in the lynchine.
The leaders Of the mob were not dis.
guised, but worked in the full glare of
the electric light
Think They Were Innocent.
Miss Edmondson said last night that
she was positive that Copeland and Dun.
can, two of the negroes hanged, were
not her assailants. and that lie could
identify her assailants If they were
brought before her. It is also eonsid.
cred doubtful that Allen was guilty Of
the murder Of A. NJ. Rolark. the Confcd
crate soldier, for which crime the mob
killed him.
In addition to sending soldiers to
guard against further violation Of the
law, Governor Folk took quick action
10 prosecute the leaders Of Saturday
nights mob. The governor authorized q
reward of $500 cach for the arrest ard
conviction Of members al tho mob. This
ID the limit allowed by law. In nd
dition he instruetcd Rnsh Lake. assist.
mt attorney general. to 10 to Spring
field AZ once 70 aid ii TIE ferretihp cut
aud pros-cuting the leaders in the nights
work.
Negroes who dared 70 appcar on the
streets yesterday wcrc greeted with
Ioots and iecrs, and ca several occs
sions men and boys ec.ected to attack
them. Both negroes and whites are
srnied. There was q steady demond for
Kfearru., and rt many hardware stores
ii was reported that r,e entire stock
Il werpons Of eeei,y ort had been
scid.