Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1906-04-28
FIENDISH ATROCITIES.
That Lynching at Springfield. A
Graphic Desert ption.
COLORED MANS NERVE-LEAPED INTO
EMPTY SPACE-HIS BROKEN-CANNIBALS OUTDONE
BARBARIANs IMITATED-WIIL THE law Sleep
(Continued Ion last weekO

A0OnunueQ from last week.
The city of Springfield is built a.
bout a public square equal in size TO
n city block. II is the historic spot
in the city. Gen. Lyon started from
IL on the march to fight the battle
of Wilson creek. Here were the
headquarters Of the troops during
the war. Here Wild Bill Hicok kill
ed "a man in early days. Here the
city began 10 be. Never before had
IL been dehled by a lynching. I'M
the centre of the square stands a
steel tower about Z . feet high. sur
mounted by a sheet-iron figure OF the
Goddess OF Liberty, which faces the
direction from which the mob came,
dragging it's victims. The tower is
used 90 support four big arc lights
which light the square. 10 also sup
ports all the trolley wires for the
four car lines running into the
square. Around the frame work "a
bout 10 feet from the ground. "A band
stand has been constructed The
seats of this stand, which project
from the framework, is the only
wood about the structure.
MOB SPREAD OUT LIKE LAVA.
AS lava would spread out over a
plain, the shouting, profane blood
thirsty mob filled the square. II
was packed with people 20 the curb
The crowd brought the smell OF stale
WhisKey growing stronger all the
while. The yells now had a noarse
grating sound. coming from throats
well worn out and. in many cases.
tongues thickened by drink. The
victims were making no noise.
The colored men were now at the
base OF the tower No time was
lost Ropes were first tied over the
yardarms and then were simply
dropped over the seats OF the band
stand. \ moose was adjusted on
Coker's neck and. with cneer seem
ing TO come from every throat in
the square, his naked form was
pulled up above the heads of the
crowd. There was disappointment.
for he had apparently died Of fright.
That he did not kick or struggle did
not suit the fiendish taste OF the
mob. They wanted n revenge coup
led with lingering pain, evinced by
convulsions upon which they could
feast their eyse; they yelled in a
manner that would be approved in
company of imps, but il was plain
that they were disappointed.
A moment later the desires of the
most hellish ones were pacifed, for
Duncan was swung into the air,
and the kicking of mis- legs and twis-
tings of his body afforded pleasing
diversion TO them. They had yearn
ed all night for such a sight.
BURNING OF THE DEAD MEN.
EXMayor Fenton, now general
superintendent of the street railway
and power company, telephoned TO
the plant and had the lights shut
of. This frightened the mob and
there was an instructive rush toward
the curbs. but they soon became re-
assured and returned 20 their feast
of barbarism
Burn the - and give us some
light" came from the centre of the
crowd.
Burn 'em! Burn 'emi" was ta-
ken up by the whole throng. Men
soon found packing boxes behind
some stores. and somebody contribu-
ted whiskey barrel from a saloon
A small fire was started at first
which threw a ghastly light up o.
yer the swinging figure. Coal oil
was thrown over the clothing, and
the lurid light thrown by the human
torches caught a sea of swinging
hats. Then the figures hung abso-
lutely nude above the rapidly in
creasing fire.
There was not enough fuel to
make a fire high enough to entirely
envelop the men. The slow contor-l
tions of the muscles contracted by
the heat were CHASTITY. A leg would
contract while its mate would
straighten out toward the flames
The crowd was unwilling to believe
that the victims could not still suf-i
fer. ~ Men would take burning
brands and hold them against re-
naming parts OF the body, uttering
unprintable things and reveling in
the stencil OF burning flesh. Boys
of 10 and u years OF age climbed a.
bout In the framework of the tower
and waved their hats to the crowd
They were applauded ana cheered. f.
Men and boys swore simply to hear
the wild bravado OF their own oaths. I
IMPRECATIoNs UPON THE Law. !
They invoked the curse Of fne Al