Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-11-25
THREE NEGROES
HANGED BY MOB
IN TENNESSEE
EXCITING SCENES WITNESSED
IN TIPToNVlLLE
Staying OF OFFICERS LEADS TO
TRIPLE LYNcHiNe
Prominent Lawyer and others Plead
in Vain for Posse to Spare Vie
tins, but Hearers Ignore
Appeal

MON CITY, Tenn. Nov. 24.-The
title town of Tiptonville, border
~ ing on Reelfoot lake, which has
been the scene of many stirring incl
dents in the last month, witnessed the
lynchins late this afternoon of three
negroes who were arrested this morn
ing for having murdered Special Deputy
Sheriff Richard Burruss and fatally
wounded John Hall. deputy sheriff.
The negroes were Marshall Steinback'
Edward Steinback and Jim steinbaek.
These brothers created a disturbance
at a religious meeting near TiptonVille
Saturday night and when the oIlcerS
attempted to arrest them nght en-
sued in which the negroes shot the
officers and made their escape.
1t was barely daylight Sunday morn
ing before a posse of citizens from mp
tonvilIe and surrounding places was IN
pursuit, but they successfully eiuaeu
the white men until O'Clock TINS
morning, when they were surrounded
and captured in a swamp near the va
1age of Ridgely.
The vicinity is known as the olo
river-bed canebrake and 1t is dlncult
to trace man or beast through its tan
giles. Once captured, however, the ne
groes, covered by a hundred guns
were quickly landed in jail at Tlpton-
vile. They had two guns in their
possession, but had run out OF ahlIhuIil-
ton.
News of the capture. spread rapidly
and in addition to the 600 members OF
the posse, men began arriving by every
road and soon the Jail was surrounded
bv a mob which had no hesitancy in
threatening a lynching quickly ana
surely.
One of the first citizens to mount the
steps of the jail and make an appeal
TO the mob was ]. L. Burnette, well
known lawyer.
Mr.. Brunette recalled the recent night
riding outrages which had dlsgraced
the vicinity.
He admonished his hearers not to do
anything desperate but to let the law
take its course, although at the same
time promising that full justice would
be done the three black men.
This met with growls of disapproval
and Mr.. Brunette, seeing that his re-
marks We're of no avail pleaded with
the men, if they were determined TO
lynch the negroes, to wait until night
fall.
Taylor Hall, a brother of the in
iured deputy sheriff, followed Mr..
BQfn6Ll6.
He said in effect that postponement
of the lynching until tonight would be
satisfacto to him.
Mob Relentless
The mob, however, was relentless
and 1t was evident that it would be
impossible to stem the tide of feeling
As a last resort, S. j. Caldwell, a
townsman, and Sheriff Haynes went
before Justioe Davis and explained the
situation, telling of the menacing at
titude of the crowd which thronged the
principal streets leading to the jail.
Justice Davis at once agreed to open
his court at 5 o'clock, summon jury
of twelve men, and allow the negroes,
after all the evidence that could be
adduced was heard, to be duly sem
fenced to death.
Meanwhile Governor Patterson was
advised by telephone of the situation
and ordered company of militia in
this city to proceed with all haste and
if possible secure the negroes and con-
duct them to a place of safety. The
troops were started at once but failed
to arrive in time to prevent the lynch
ing.
At the trial, the evidence of those
who had seen the killing was heard.
In an incredibly short time the case
was given to the jury, which in few
minutes returned a verdict of guilty,
fixing the penalty at death.
The sentence had barely been passed
upon the three negroes when the mob,
with a wheop and a yell, swarmed the
court room, and, Selling the prisoners,
rushed them to a large tire near the
edge of town and hanged them firing
volley after volley into the air as the
bodies We're drawn up from the earth.