Mexico Missouri message., 1906-04-19

O'Clock Sunday morning William Allen
young negro, was taken from tn
county Jail here and lynched in the pub
lie square by the same mob that, tive
hours earlier. had hanged Horace Dun
can and James Copeland. The body o:
Allen later was burned, as had beer
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
iynched. The mob, now bloodthirsty
and wrought up to the highest pitch Of
excitement, readily took up the cry, and
soon the charred bones of third vic
tim lay beneath the statue of the God.
dess Of Liberty. Cain escaped.
The Alleged Grimes.
Allen and Cain were being held upoH
suspicion of having murdered o. P
Ruark, while Duncan and Copeland
were accused Of assaulting Mabel Ed
mondson, a white domestic.
Their work finally accomplished, tn,
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,
panies of state militia, ordered out by
Gov Folk, together with 200 deputy
sherifs, patroled the streets.
Cain Made His Escape.
When the mob left the jail at mid
night with Copeland and Duncan, Il
prisoners escaped in the excitement
Among them was Cain. But Allen wa,
there yet, and the second mob fount
him under a cot. He was dragged out
his hands were tied behind his back,
rope was put around his neck, and h.
was marched down the street to the
tower in the square.
Two men climbed up the iron stair
way and stood upon the platform witt
Allen between them.
The negro stood directly above the
smoldering ash heap from which the
smell OF burning flesh arose. But he
stood erect while the man with the Ian.
tern harangued the mob and the crowd
jeered at the negro. In the meantime
the rope had been placed about Aliens
neck, and presently the hangman
caught the negros ankles, lifted him
and threw him forward over the railing
A sickeninE Spectacle.
Allen turned a somersault 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. There he
kicked and foundered around until an
other rope was brought, thrice looped
around the neck, and he was again gus
pended in midair.
The Fire RepIenIshed.
More boxes were 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 the
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 womer
and children, girls and boys.
In a hall overlooking the plaza ar
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 thai
finally consumed them.
Morbid Relic Hunters.
Sunday souvenirs OF the night, con.
sisting of button from the trousers Oh
one Of the negroes, piece OF the hang
mans rope and other pieces of relics
were eagerly bought by many amone
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. A
reaction has set in and moot people are
condemning the mob'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 8 |
most disgraceful occurrence. Whatever
the offense Of the negroes may have
been, and however deserving of doatb |
they may havs been, they were entitled |
20 punishment by law, and not by
mob, and when a mob takes the law in.
to its own hands, as this one did, any
member of it is guilty Of murder. |
will request ore of the assistant attor.
ney generals TO aid the prosecuting at
torney Of Greene county to punish the
Offenders and shall offer reward Of
$500 for any information that would
lead 70 the conviction of any member
OF the mob"
4 nas oonaIramept Of specie.