Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-04-16
BURN BLACKS At STAKE
Mob Violence at Springfield, Mo-,
Results in Lynching OF
Three Negroes
MAY HAVE BEEN INNOCENT
Women Whom They Were Accused of
AssauIting Say the Wrong Men Were
killed--Mob Wrecks Jail and Pris-
eners Escape-state Militia Sum
snoned to Restore Order.

work of the mob that Sunday morning
lynched three negroes in the public
square. There are hundreds of strang-
ers In the city, and Springfield still is
in the grip of the mob spirit. Altho
no urtoward move was made during
Sunday, many threats We're heard, ana
Sheriff Horner fearing fresh out
break when darkness should fall, tele-
graphed Governor Folk early in the
day for aid. The governor responded
promptly and within few hours SIX
companies of militia We're on the way.
The first of these companies arrive
In the evening, and was followed dur
ing the night at intervals by others.
Governor Folk has authorized the
offering of reward of $500 each TO:
the arrest and conviction of members
Of the, mob. In addition he instructor
Rush Lake, assistant attorney general,
to aid in ferreting out and prosecuting
the leaders in yesterdays wor..
OF The fourteen prisoners, whites and
negroes, who escaped from the prison
during the excitement, four We're cap
tured during the day.
Crowds in City.
Thousands of people Sunday
swarIned about the Jail to view the
wreck caused by the mob, and about
the public square where the three me-
groes were hanged and their bodies
burned. Every train brought hundreds
Sof persons to the city from surround
Ing towns, mostly hoodlums. Many
came, from farms, caught the mob spis-
1t and Joined the sentiment that tie
negroes should be driven from the city
while the feeling against the race was
strong.
Negroes who dared to appear on the
streets were greeted with boots and
jeers, and ON several occasions crowds
Of men and boys collected to attack
them. Both the negroes and whites
are armed. There was a steady de-
mantl Sunday for firearms, and many
hardware stores sold their entire stock
of weapons. Many preachers in Easter
sermons denounced the lynchers and
called on the authorities to enforce the
law or resign. Prosecuting Roscoe Pat
terson said:
Every man implicated in this das-
stardly outrage, whose name l am able
to learn, will be punished to the full,
extent of the law. The members of the
mob are not law abiding citizens, they
are outlaws. They broke into the Jail,
and besides lynching there negroes re-
leased prisoners, and thus became law
breakers by giving freedom to i'm
prisoned criminals"
Were Not Disguised.
The leaders Of the mob were not
disguised, but worked in the full glare
Of the electric lights. Prosecuting At
torney Patterson today appealed to
Judge Lincoln to summon a special
grand jury at once. This appeal will
be augmented by a petition signed by
hundreds of the best citizens.
Will Allen. a negro charged with the
murder of O. M. Ruark last January,
but declaring himself innocent, was
taken from Jail by the mob that
lynched Duncan and Copeland, charged
with assaulting a young woman, and
hanged to the electric light tower in
the public quarter early Sunday.
Allen was calm as he jumped from
the scaffold. 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 compan-
Ions in prison. He was taken up the
tower again, and this time his captors
were more successful in their work.
Il swear that am not guilty of kill
ing Ruark," were his last words.
Justice Knocked.
The lynchings took place under a
statue representing Justice" that sur
mounted an electric light tower.
AS soon as Allen was dead several
men rushed back to the Jail for Bus
Cain, also accused of numbering Ruark,
but Cain with all but six prisoners, had
escaped from the wrecked Jail AS
daylight approached the mob dispers-
ed. The Jail is a wreck, the mob not
stopping after they had secured the
men, but continuing their destruction
until all the prison bars were down.
About $1,000 damage was done in the
prison alone while in the sheriffs res
idtsnce, which was attacked first, the
damage is fully as much. Mrs. Hor-
fear of violence, is in a critical condi-
ticn.
The murder of Allen was most spec
tacular of the three. The mob found
Allen hidden in the rubbish of the Jail
He was dragged out, his hands were
tied behind his back, a rope was put
around his neck, and he marched down
the street towards the square. Two
men climbed up the iron stairway and
stood upon the platform with Allen be-
tween them One of these men held
lantern. faced the crowd below, and
waving his hand toward the negro
said:
"Ladies and gentlemen: This is Will
Allen, the man who murdered old man
Ruark. What shall we do with him &
aHang him." cried the crowd. Throw
him overheard
"Can anyone identify tbs nigger?'
asked the spokesman.
"Hold up the lantern" someone
shouted. The man put the lantern up
50 it shone into the face of the negro
and someone in the crowd said:
eyes. / identify him; hang him."
At this the crowd laughed.
care you Will Allen?" asked the ora
"Yes, but 1 did not kill Ruark." he
answered.
.Make him confess the crowd
shouted. The man with the lantern
shouted again:
rs this aigger guilty? Yes or no"
Some one shouted yes" others
cried mo-
rhe second man on the platform be-