The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-08-30
MOB STORMS JAIL
EFFORT TO LYNCH WILLIE THoMr-
 SON IN MOBILE.
Negro Accused of Criminal Assault Upon Two Little white GirIs-The Black Spirited Away by
 the Sheriff.

MoOiics Aue. ZS.--(Spec1dL J-ETeCi-
 pitancy on the part of determined men
 and fifteen minutes advantage on the
 part of Sheriff John F. Powers saved
 Willie Thompson. negro. from sum
 mary justice at the hands of 1000 white
 men tonight Thompson was this
 morning given preliminary hearing
 before Recorder N. R. Clarke. on two
 charges of carnal knowledge of child
 under the legal limit. The evidence
 was so complete that the black, after
 hearing the evidence of his two vic-
 tims, little white girls of respectable
 parentage, and each not over 8 years
 old, confessed. and. to shield himself.
 declared his victir.s 1ured him into a
 trap. Judge Clarke ordered Thompson
 remanded to the custody of the sheriff
 without bail The preliminary hearing
 was held secret from the general
 public. but special edition Of The Mo
 bile Item told the people the horrors
 of the crimes
 Thompson In the meantime had been
 hurried to the county jail in charge of
 Detective Lacey At o'clock tonight word was passed from one to another,
 and a plan was mapped out for dealing
 summary justice to the black. The sheriff heard of what was doing and he | summoned all of his deputies to the | county jail Armed with Winchesters
 and pistols. they were ready for the
 raid on the jail and patiently they l
 At o'clock men began gathering on the lot at Cont and Bayou Streets. By 10. o'clock there were at least 300 men on the grounds. At 10 o'clock, after full understanding, the men moved north and made their way to the coun- 1 ty jail. The gate was locked, put strong blows soon demolished 1t. AS
 the mob surged into the yard, num- Der of shots were fired and returned from inside the bastile. but all were skyward and no one was injured. Af- ter entering the yard, the mob, joined by many more men, halted at the en- trance to the jail by Sheriff Powers. who gave his word of honor that Will | lie Thompson was not within the walls of the prison. His statement was veri- | fled by a newspaper man who was ! within the jail. Sheriff Powers's statement tended for a time to stem I Soon. however, the city patrol wagon drove up. Chief Rondeau, Lieutenant Davis and several policemen inside. | These made their way through the moo | to the jail door, but too late. because | the men had battered down the iron door of the jail at the main entrance and gained access to the jail
 Then ensued a scene which boded i'll | for the defenders and aggressors as well. determined man grappled with the Sheriff and pinioned his arms. He was asked where was Thompson. The ! Sheriff said the negro had been removed from the jail in custody of Phil Eaten. and another deputy. While this was going on The Advertiser correspondent made his way through the upper floors of the jail and from whites and blacks was assured the negro had been spirit ed away.
 In the meantime the mob was clam \ bring for the prisoner. Sherin Powers and Chief of Police Rondeau informed | the men the negro had been taken | away. This did not satisfy the mob 1 and a committee, headed by Mir. Fow- Ter, father of one of the little victims of the negro, made a close scrutiny 9f
 the iail and failed to find the man. Mf
 Fowler returned to the front door oi
 the jail at 11:30 and assured the mot
 that the negro was not in the jail. This
 however, failed to appease the men ane | they howled until midnight.
 Col. R. B. DuMont was called on D!
 sheriff Powers for infantrymen One O
 the companies of the Mobile Battalion had a meeting tonight, but the ma1o
 portion, including the officers had dis nersed before the order to remain To
 Sutv came and those in barracks. af Ter waiting for a commanding officer went to their respective homes.
 Thompson is beyond the clutches O
 the mob at midnight. While the mol was gathering at Cont and Jenersol streets, Stuart McRae went about tn'
 principal streets with a petitlon to GoV Hrror TaIlxs asking him to order spec iai grand jury and court to dispose O. the case. Hundreds of leading citizeni signed the petition. At 1910 the mot had dispersed.