The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-08-02
-FOUR NEGROES
HANGED TO TREE
RusselIvilIe, KY, Scene of
a Quadruple Lynching-
Work Quietly Done.
WHITE FARMER MURDERED
VICTIMS OF MOB HAD APPROVED
THE DEED.

Russellville, KY, Aug. Flour ne
groes. Virgil Tom and Robert Jones
and Joe Riley. were taken from Jail
here early today and hanged to tree
on the edge of town.
No shots were fired by the mob,
which was composed of about fifty men,
and the people of the town knew moth
ing of the affair until daylight revealed
the four bodies dangling from a tree
just outside Russellville on the Nash
Vile pike. The following note was
found pinned on one of the bodies:
Let this be a warning to you mig
gers TO leave white people alone or you
will go the same way. Hugh Rogers
better shut up or quit"
The negroes who We're lynched were
members of lodge and at a meeting
recently, II is said. they approved of the
murder of James Cunningham, a white
farmer. by his negro tenant, Rufus
Browder. This murder occurred in the
southern part of Logan county, and 1t
Is supposed here that the mob was made
up Of men from that part of the coun-
try.
No Guard Around Jail.
The negroes had been in Jail for sew
eral days, and while there had been con-
siderable unrest since the attempt on
the part of the mob to take Browder
the slayer of Cunningham, from the jail
some nights ago, no more trouble was
anticipated and there was no guard
around the prison. The efforts to get
Browder failed. owing to the fact that
he was spirited out of the Jail by the
sheriff and sent to Bowling Green and
later to Louisville, where he is confined
awaiting trial The mob came into
town so quietly that not one of the res
idents was awakened from slumber.
Proceeding at once to the county jail,
the jailer, Jack Butts, was summoned
to the door. his residence being directly
connected with the prison.
Jailer Powerless.
When he appeared he found himself
covered by rifles and shotguns and was
given the command to turn over the
keys or be shot down. After a short
parley with the members of the mob.
in which he tried to persuade them to
go away without doing any violence. he
finally handed over the keys. The mob
then entered the jail and. finding the
four negroes, forced them to go with
them.
Two of the men, not given time to
dress. cNere taken along in their night
shirts. and the whole party proceeded
the city on the Nashville pike. where
the negroes We're strung up in row.
No Shots Fired.
Contrary to the usual custom of mobs,
no shots were fired at the swinging
victims, and the mob dispersed as soon
as IL had finished It's work. There is no
clue to the members of the band, as
the jailer. the only witness. did not rec
ogniZe them.
The bodies of the negroes were cut
down during the morning.
The negroes were members of a
lodge In the southern part of Logan
county. and just when the entire county
was stirred up over the brutal murder
of Mr.. Cunningham by Browder. they
held a meeting and expressed their APP
prevail of Browder's deed. The excite
ment in that vicinity ran so high for a
time that 1t was feared a race war
would result but the four leaders in the
meeting were arrested and brought to
this city. and these were the men
lynched early today.
Result of Brutal Murder.
The murder which started the trouble
was one of the most brutal in the his
tory of Logan county. Browder, who
was a tenant of Cfnninghams place,
swore vengeance. The next day he re-
turned and lay in wait for Cunningham
When the latter came near his hiding
place, Browder fired at him, killing
him instantly. The negro then escaped
but was captured and placed in Jail at
Rnssellville. A mob was Immediately
formed, but the sheriff. hearing that
violence would be attempted. had Brow
der taken into the woods for the night.
and when the mob made its appear
ance, succeeded in convincing II that the
negro was not in the jail The band
dispersed and the next morning Brow
der was taken to Bowling Green, and
later to Louisville.
The meeting of the negro lodge and
It's endorsement of Browder's deed oc-
CURED Immediately afterward.
The tree from which the negroes were
hanged has been used for the same pur-
pose before.
LIE sAACAgr rIEDE