The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1908-10-09
night RIDERS
KILL negroes
Wreak Vengeance on Dave
Walker, OF Color.
Kin Him, Daughter and Baby In
Mothers Arms--Three Others
May Die.

Hickman, KY, Oct, 4.--Niglt riders
wreaked terrible revenge upon Dave
Walker, colored said 10 have cursed
white woman and charged also Wi II
| having drawn revolver upon white
man, by setting fire 10 mis- house
here tonight and shooting MIN and
members of mis- family as hey emerg-
ed from TIE burning cabin. Walker,
mis- 5-year-old daughter and Il small
baby were killed outright, while the
mot er, who WAS carrying the baby
in her arms az the time it met its
death wound was shot through the
stomach and will die. Three otner
children were srOt down and may die
as result of tneir wounds, wni,e tle
oldest son of Walker is missing. II
is believed that ne was burned alive
in tie cabin.
TIE night riders, numbering about
fifty surrounded tie house of Walker
shortly before midnight and command
ed MIN To come out and take a whip
ping. Walker declined and fired upon
Tie night riders. wnereupon they satu-
rated timbers of the house with coal
oil and set fire TO tnem. In an in
credible space of time the mouse was
mass of flames and ire snrieks of
those on the inside were horrible to
near. Finally Walker, pleading for
mercy, threw open the door of his
cabin and ran out into the open. He
was riddled with bullets and fell
screaming to the ground.
Following close upon the heels of
ner husband Walkers wife appeared in
the doorway. Sue neld in her arms
their infant child and begged the night
riders for mercy. Disregarding her
pleadings the Infatuated mob opened
fire and bullet pierced the body of
the infant in its mothers arms. A sec
ond snot struck the mother in me alb
domen and sre fell, sill holding the
uedu DOuy Oh Utf lllIdnl.
Terror-stricken by the flames, which
were licking all sides of the cabin. yet
fearing 10 venture into lhe.open the re
naming children of Walker made the
night nideous with their screams. The
5-year-old daughter was the first 10
venture through the doorway. follow
ing the fate of ner mOtrer, father and
the baby, but three other children fol
lowed c,ose at her heels. The girl was
killed outright, and tine other children
received wounds which ii is believed
will prove fatal. There is hardly
doubt but the oldest son of
Walker preferred death by burning
rather than to place himself at the
mercy of the mob, and it is probable
lnat his cnarred body will be found
among the debris.
Before arriving at the home of
Walker the night riders stopped at tine
home of Joe Williams, a white man,
and compelled him to accompany them
TO the scene of the slaughter When
Inc night riders dismounted they left
Williams To look after the horses a
short distance away. AS soon as the
last member of rne family mad fallen
the night riders mounted their horses
and rode rapidly away without having
left be ind the slightest trace that
might lead TO the identity of any mem
Der of the band. News of me affair
spread rapidly throughout lie conf
munity and everybody is Mortified.
Walekr is said 10 Rave mad tie repu-
ta,iOn of being surly negro. II was
charged that ne had cursed a wnhe
woman and threatened 10 shoot tie
white man VINO went 10 the defense of
TIE woman. TIE mob, it is believed,
visited the home of Walker WITH tire
original intention of .horse-wiipping
him, but wnen lie fired into their
nidst ne so aroused their indignation
tnat their thirst for blood was. not
satiated until the last member OF the
Walker family had been SHOT.