Morgan County democrat. (Versailles, Mo.) 1900-1906, 1906-04-20
FOUL BLOT UPON
MISSOURI SHIELD
THREE NEGROES HANGED AND
BURNED AT SPRINGFIELD.
THE MOB SPIRIT RAMPANT
All Three of the victims Were Ac-
cused Of Foul Crimes, Hut In
Neither Case HID the Charges
Eeen Proven.

O'Clock Sunday morning William Alien
a young negro, was taken from the
county Jail here and lynched in the pub
lie square by the same mob that. two
hours earlier, had hanged Horace Dun
can ard James Copeland. The body o.
Allen later was burned, as had beet
those of the other negroes, beneath The
spot where they had been lynched.
Mob Thirsted Tor More.
Following the dispatch Of Duncan ant
Copeland, some one suggested that Al
len and Bus Cain, two other negroes
known to be in the Jail, should also be
lynched. The mob, now bloodthirst!
I'M wrought up to the highest pitch o.
excitement, readily took up the cry, and
FOOT the Ncharred bones of a third vic
tim lay beneath the statue of the God
dess Of Liberty. Cain escaped.
Thc Alleged Crimes.
Allen and Cain were being held upon
suspicion of having murdered q. p
Ruark, while Duncan and Copeland
were accused of assaulting Mabel Ed
mondson, a white domestic.
Their work finally accomplished, the
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 out by
Gov. Folk, together with 200 deputy
eheriffs, patroled the streets.
Cain Made Ills Escape.
When the mob left the Jail at mid.
night with Copeland inc Duncan, u
prisoners escaped in the excitement.
Among them was Cain. But Allen was
there yet, and the second mob found
him under a cot. He was dragged out,
his hands were tied behind his back, q
rope was put around his neck, and he
was marched down the street to the
tower in the square
Two men climbed up the iron stair
way and stood upon the platform with
Allen between them.
The negro stood directly above the
smoldering ash heap from which the
smell of burning flesh arose. Blu he
stood erect while the nan with the lar.
tern harangued the mob and the crowd
jeercd at the negro. In the meantime
the rope had been placed about Aliens
neck, and presently the hangman
caught the negro's ankles, lifted him
and threw him forward over the railing.
\ Sickenin9 Spectacle.
Allen turned a somcrsault in the air.
and as the rope became taunt his neck
cracked like a pistol shot. The rope
broke and he fell in the bed OF Goals on
top of the other two negroes. Their he
kicked and floundered around until an
other rope was brought, thrice looped
around the neck, and he was again sus-
Tended in midair.
The Fire Re%DIcnished.
More loxes we're brought, another
big fire was kindled and soon the sway.
ing figure, now dead, fell into it, send.
ing up an arrowy spray Of live sparks
After that most OF the men went home
but some men and boys stayed by thu
tower all night and fed the fire.
Five Thousand Witnesses.
Five Thousand persons saw the trio
hanged and burned. Among the Grove
of spectators were hundreds Of womeI
and children, girls and boys.
In a hall overlooking the plaza al
TLdSttI uhIlSS wac " piok'CSo' SAS Ahu
sic stopped, while the dancers crowded
to the windows and watched the with
ing black bodies and the flames tina
finally consumed them.
Morbid Relic Hunters.
Sunday souvenirs OF the night. con
eisting Of q button from the trousers o.
one OF the negroes, a piece OF he'll hang
mans rope and other pieces OF relic'
were eagerly bought by many amont
the crowds that gathered at the scene.
The authorities assert that Copeland
and Duncan, two of the victims, wer
innocent. This Is the general belief.
reaction has set In and most people ar
cOndemning The nob's work.
Gov. Folk viii Take Action.
jefferson City, Mo, April 16.-Gov
Joseph w. Folk, In a statement, Sun
day, said:
THE lynching at Springfield was
most disgraceful occurrence. Whateve
the ofYerse of the negroes may hav
been, and however deserving OF deaf
they may havs been, they were entitle
TO punishment by law, and not by
mob, and when a mob takes the law in
10 It's own hands, as this one did, an.
member OF It Is guilty Of murder.
will request ore OF the assistant attor
Fey generals to aid the prosecuting at
torney Of Greene county to punish tn