The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1906-04-20

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O'Clock Sunday morning William Allen
a young negro, was taken from th'
county jail he.e and iyuched IN the pub
! lie square by tn same mob that, tw,
hours earlier, had hanged Horace Dun
caH ard James Copeland The body o,
| Alien later was burned az had beef
those OF the other negroes, beneath thu
spot where they hau been lynched.
Mob Thirntcd For More.
Following the dispatch Of Duncan auc
| Copeland. some one suggested that Al
len and Bus Cain, two other Hegroc
known to be In the jail, should also ",
lynched The mob. now bloUItaIrs'}
and wrought up to the highest pitch
excitement readily took up the cry, aur
t0on the charrcd bones Of third vic
tim lay beneath the statue Of the God
dess Of Liberty Cain escaped
The Alleged Crimes.
Allen and Cain were being held upoi
suspicion OF having murdered o. =
Ruark. while Duncan and COpclauC
were accused OF assaultng Mabel Ed
monGson. a white domestic
Their work finally accomplished, he
mob quietly dispersed; but SUNDAY
crowds augmented. by hundreds Of per
sons from surrounding towns. filled the
streets, making threats Of further ven
geance, and Sunday night several com
parties Of state militia ordered Our Jy
Gov Folk together with 200 deputy
sherffs patrolcd the street.
Cnin Made his Escape.
When the mob left the jail at mid
night with Copeland and Duncan. li
prisoners escaped in the excitement
Among ;hem was Cain Bat Allen wa.
there yet and the second mob found
him under q COT He was dragged OIi
his hands were tied behind bis back
rope was put around his neck. and h'
was marched down the stree, ~ ne
tower In The square
Two men climbed up the iron stair.
way ana stood upon the platform with
Allen between them,
The negro stood directly above the
smolaer.ng ash heap from which the
smell Of burning flesh arose. But be
stood erect while the man with the lar.
tern harangued the mob ana the crowd
jccred at the negro. In the meantime
the rope had been placed about Aliens
neck. and presently the hangmaD
caught the Hegro's ankles. lifted him
and threw him forward over the railing
\ sicE--..:a Spectacle.
y f,. . N,a al
and as the rope became iauut his neck
cracked like a pistol shot The rope
broke and be fell in the bel Of Goals on
top Of tie other two negroes. There he
kicked and n0undereG around until an.
other rope was brought, thrice loopet
around the neck and be was again suB-
Tended In mIdlir
The fire RcpicnIshcd.
More boxes were brought another
big fire was kindled and soon the sway.
Ing figure. now dead fell into IL. send
ing up an arrowy spray Of I've sparks
After that most Of the men went home
but some men and boys stayed By the
tower all night and fel the FIRE
Five Thousand Witncssrs.
Five thousand persons saw the trio
hanged and burned Among the crowd
Of spectators were hundreds of women
and children, girls and boys.
In a hall overlooking the plaza an
Easter dance was In progress Its mu.
sic stopped, while the dancers crowded
to the windows and watched the with
Ing black bodies and the flames that
finally consumed them
Morbid Relic Bupters.
Sunday souvenirs OF the night, con-
slsting Of q button from the trousers OF
one OF the negroes. a piece Of the hang !
mans rope and other pieces Of relics |
were eagerly bought by many among
the crowds that gathered at the scene.
The authorities assert that Copeland |
and Duncan, two Of the victims. were |
Innocent This Is the general belief. 4
reaction has set H. and most people are
condemn!nG the mOb'G work
Gov. Folk win Take Action.
Jefferson City. Mo, April lG-Goy. |
Joseph w. Folk, in u statement, Sun
day, said:
The lynching at Springfield was 0
most dis2racefu occurrence. Whatever
the offense OF the negroes may have
BEEN and however deserving OF death |
they may have been, they were entitled
to punishment by law. and not by o
mob, and when a mob takes the law in.
TO It's own hands, as this one did. any
member OF 1t is guilty Of murder.
viii request ore Of the assistant attor.
ney generals to aid the prosecuting at
lorney Of Greene county to punish the
offenders ana shall offer a reward OF
$500 for any information that would
lead to the conviction Of any member