The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-06-07
NEGRO LYNCHED IN
 FLORIDA CAPITAL
Is Hanged In Jail Yard At
 Tallahassee
WAS ALREADY CONDEMNED
Confessed to the Murder of Sheriff angston-Lynching Was Not Ex- pected-Present Sheriff Was
 In Georgia.

Tallahassee, Fla. June 6.-Dangling from a limb in the county jail yard. and within sight of the dome of Florida's cap- itol, the lifeless body of Maik Morris eolored, greeted the people of this city this morning. Already condemned to death for the murder of William Lang ston, late sheriff of thls county, this ne- gro would have on Friday, June II, just five days hence, paid the penalty of his crime with his life at the hands of the law. A mob of not more than 15 men deereed otherwise, however, and at 3 o'clock this morning Morris was dragged from his cell in the jail and strung to the limb of a tree within the jail inclosure As if to add em- phasis to their lawlessness the masked band emptied round of cartridges into the lifeless body of the negro and rode away, without the slightest molestation.
 Sheriff Houston was in Georgia, and when the lynchers arrived at the jail they brought the iailer to tie door with the ruse that they had a prisoner, then over powered him, took his keys. secured the negro Morris, locked the iailer in Morris cell and soon accomplished their work
 Lately Morris had been acting strangely and it is believed that fear that the negro would attempt to escape the gallows through feigned insanity prompted the act of the mob which this morning took the law into their own hands to avenge the death of Sheriff Langston.
 Langston was killed by the negro Nor ,...
 attempting to arrest him for a crime com mitted In Georgia. There was consider able excitement following the killing of the officer, and for three days posses with bloodhounds secured the turpentine woods and swamps in search of Morris, lynching being recognized as inevitable in case of capture at that time He was later captured in Georgia and taken to Jacksonville for safe keeping until the date of his trial here. Morris pleaded guilty to the charge of murder, received the death sentence and Governor Gilchrist named an early date for his execution, since when there has been no intimation of lynching.
 The coroners inquest today failed to de- velop any clew as to the identity of the men composing the mob
 On being interviewed the iailer stated that about o'clock this morn ing some one called to him from the gate. Thinking it a deputy with prisoner, he came down, opening the gate, he looked squarely into the barrel of a shotgun and before he could move was covered by five pistols. Being alone, he was absolutely helpless, with nothing to do except obey orders.
 The jailer said there were only 15 in the party, all masked, and they talked only when absolutely necessary then speaking in high pitched tones to disguise heir voices.
 Sheriff Houston returned tonight He says he will use all means possible to ascertain the guilty parties.
 Gov. Albert W. Gilchrist was in- formed of the lynching Immediately after breakfast this morning at the mansion. It was impossible for him to hear the one volley fired into the negros body. as the governors mansion is on the opposite side of the city from the jail. He said he had no sta tatement to give out today.
 The jail is three blocks from the state capitol. The gallows on which Morris was to have been hanged Friday will be taken down.