The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-07-30
Two Men Killed and Over a Score Wounded. Some of Them Fatally. Mob Once Repulsed. Renews Attack and Through a Ruse. Sue ceed in 0verpowering Sheriff and His De- puties.
Negro Brute is Taken from His Cell and Carried to Public Square, Strung Up on a Tele- graph Pole and Body Riddled With Bullets.

Pensacola, Fla. July 2s--(special)-- Two men dead and over score wounded. some probably fatally. Is the record of an attempt tonight by de- termined and well armed mob to storm the county jail and take out the negro. Leander Shaw. who today assaulted Hrs. Lillian Davis. near here.
 The mob, numbering probably one thousand. gathered early. but there was no evidence that the crowd. which com pletely surrounded the county jail. cons templated making rush until nearly two hours later.
 The first indication was when rail- road iron was brought into play by about dozen upon the iron gate of the jail yard. At the same moment the entire mob seemed to catch the spirit and with yelIs. and curses dashed for the jail. Some climbed over the tall iron fence. while others hammered upon the gate.
 The sheriff with half q dozen depu- ties. stod in windows upstairs with drawn revolyers and winchester rifles. The sheriff pleaded with the mob, at the same time tslling them he would defend the negro at the cost of every life present His words had no effect. and the moment the first blow was struck on the gate. Q volley of shots AN 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. by the deadly aim of the sheriff and his deputies.
 At midnight the mob. which had been reinforced by many recruits from the surrounding country, made another at- tack upon the jail.
 The sheriff and officers were over powered by some of the men who crept over the rear wall and covered them with rifles and revolvers. Others broke down the door of the cell containing the negro He was quietly hustled to the center of the plaza and hanged to an electric light pole. after which fully five hundred shots were fired into his dangling body.
 In this latter fight. H. C. Kellum. a street car conductor, was killed, while two deputies and four or five of the mob were wounded.
 At 1 o'clock Thursday morning quiet had been restored. and the mob had dispersed.
 sheraa's Statement
 Shortly after the lynching Sheriff Van Pelt gave out the following state nent:
 While I regret the death and the wounding of many others have done nothing except what was called upon to do when I took the oath of ofice.
 T pleaded with the mob for moro than an hour and told them what would be the consequences If they at- tackled the jail
 T was in duty bound to protect the negro and proposed to do so. They would never have gotten him but for the fact that and my forces were en- gagged with the mob in front when a portion of the men climbed the rear wall ana oVoFpoWeFeu uS
 At 12 o'clock the body of Shaw was still hanging ,and on hds breast was pinned a placard bearing these words: 'God Bless Our Home"
 It was not until after o'clock that any shots were fired, when the mob started to batter down the gates. Then the firing became promiscuous. Deputies were firing from the jail windows while the mob climbed the fence surrounding the Jail and fired at the deputies.
 Bud" Nichols, whose son is a dep uty. and who only today had tried to prevail upon his son to leave the ser vice of the county, was one of the first to be killed. Another man was shot and killed. The killing of these men seemed to put damper upon the mob and they withdrew to some extent. al- lowing those inside the jail to remove their wounded
 Two hours later the attack was re- newed and by a flank movemen: the mob succeeded in eluding the officers in front and climbing over the back wall in large numbers overpowered the officers battered down the cell door of Shaw. secured their prisoner and hustled him to the public square where he was quickly strung up and hundreds of shots fred into his body.