Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1908-08-07
2K|LLED, 70 WOUNDED
Bloody Price Paid by Pensacola
Mob to Lynch Negro.
AN ATTACK WAS MADE ON JAIL
Sheriff and Deputies Made Valiant At
tempt to Defend Prisoner, but AT.
ter Two Hours Fight the Mob Was
Victorous-Negro Lynched.

Pensacola, Fla, July 30.-A mob OF
over 1000 persons stormed the Pensa-
cola jail Wednesday night and lynch
ed a negro, but at fearful cost, two
men being killed and over twenty
wounded, some of them fatally.
Among those wounded are several
deputies.
Battle Ragged for Hours.
For several hours the fight ragged
about the Jail, the sheriff and deputies
pouring volleys into the mob but the
mob finally triumphed, winning it's way
into the Jail, securing the negro, and
dragging him to the public square, he
was lynched.
The negro lynched was Leander
Shaw, who. assaulted and nearly killed
Mrs. Lillian Davis in her home in
the suburbs.
First Attack on Jail.
The mob numbered probably thou
sand persons, and gathered early,
but there was no apparent indication
that the crowd, which completely sur
rounded the Jail, contemplated making
rush until nearly two hours later.
The first indication was wnen a rail
road iron was brought into play by
about a dozen men upon the iron gate
of the Jail yard. At the same mo-
ment the entire mob seemed to catch
the spirit, and with yells and curses
dashed for the Jail entrance. Some
climbed over the tall iron fence, while
others hammered upon the gate.
The sheriff with half a Dozen depu-
ties. stood in windows upstairs with
drawn revolvers and riot rifles The
sheriff pleaded with the mob at the
same time telling them he would de-
fend the prisoner at the cost of every
life present
Officers Open Fire.
His words had no effect, and the
moment abe first blow was struck
on the gate, volley of shots flashed
from the upper windows of the Jail.
This was answered by the crowd,
which poured volley after volley into
the jail windows, wounding two depu-
ties. The mob was momentarily
driven back with many wounded and
one dead as a result of the deadly
aim of the sheriff and his deputies.
One man, Bud Nichols, who was
the firnt to enter the Jail yard after
the gate was broken down, was snot
dead, while half dozen of the mob
and two deputies were wounded,
some perhaps fatally.
Mob Victorious.
But the mob was determined to get
the negro and, strongly reinforced by
residents from the scene of the as
sault made another attack.
The officers stood their ground va
liantly, but the mob was finally vic
torious, securing the negro and rid
ding his body with bullets.
The affair has created the greatest
excitement in Pensacola
Neqro's Brutal Crime.
The crime of the negro was most
brutal Thursday Leander Shaw
entered the home of Mrs. Lillian Da-
Wis, the young wife of a resident of
the suburbs. and attempted to assault
her, Mrs. Davis fought desperately for
her honor. She first picked up re-
volve sand ordered the negro from the
house, but he grasped the revolver,
and then, taking his knife out, cut
her throat. giving her infant child
a blow as he passed out
He was captured after fierce fight.
Tue body of Shaw was cut down
by order of the authorities
Mrs. VIM Davis, whose throat was
cut by the negro and for which crime
he died. is yet alive, but it is said
she cannot recover from her injuries
The babe who was struck by the
negro at the time he tried to kill the
mother, its is said, will fully recover.