The Morning examiner. [volume] (Ogden, Utah) 1904-1910, 1909-01-24
NEGRO IS
HANGED
BY MOB, 5.
Determined Men Over
power Deputies and
Leave With Murderer

Mobile. Ala, Jan. $50 quietly did
they go about their work that the
usual serenity of Mobile, past the
midnight hour. was but slightly dis
turbed, when. at ! is this morning a
handful of determined mon took a
negro from the county jail and lynch
ed him almost In The heart Of the city's
residence district
The victim, Douglas Robertson, a
mulatto. powerful of build, and for
years regarded as desperate negro,
who on Thursday shot and killed Dep
uty Sheriff Philip Eatch and wounded
another officer was led from his cell
in the county jail to the place of
lynching, so quietly that residents
along the path of the Mob's march
were undisturbcd
The mob had intended, It is thought
taking Robertson TO the scene of his
crime, but on account of his cries, In
spite OF an effort to gag him, his cap
tors hanged him to a tree on the
southeast corner OF St Emmanuel and
Church streets. just one block re
moved from Mobiles most prominent
residence thorougnfarcs
According to one authority, two men
walked into the Jail and covered Dep
uty SheriflS GilliS and KrauSc with re
volvers and commanded them To throw
up their hands, accompanying their
order with a demand that they open
the door leading to the cells. The dep
uties, powerlesS and caught unawares,
obeyed without resistance Probably
twenty more I'm the meantime had
gone upstairs. leaving the two men to
guard the deputies Later two of
these came back down and demanded
the keys to Roberson's cell, which
were given them
ellis and KrauSe were then left
, alone and ordered not to leave their
seats or use the telephone, under pen
atty of death. The mob securing the
man, quietly left the jail and started
with their captive toward the scene
of his crime.
The negro was not heard 10 utter a
word when his captorS started away
with him. However, before they had
gone more than three blocks. he in
some way extricated the gag from his
mouth. Like a flash three revolver
shots disturbed the quiet of the night
| and in moment a large thTee-Quarter-
inch rope was thrown across a limb
| and Robertson was hanged.
A feature In connection with the
! lynchlng is that in spite OF the fact
that It was freely whispered about the
city last night that an attempt would
be made TO lynch Robertson early this
morning, after the street cars had
stopped running and when few people
would be stirring, such remarks were
received with a smile and no one be
| lieved they had any foundation. How
ever. as one o'clock approached. ru'
nlorS became very frequent. but no one
thought the prisoner could be secured
AT 2.15 o'clock the coroner arrived
on the scene, selecting jury. which
adjourned 10 the police station after
viewing the body, and the following
verdict was rendered:
AT an inquIsition taken and held
this 23 day of January. upon the body
| of Douglas Robertson, we the jury
/ find that he came to his death BY be
ing hanged by parties unknown to this
! jury
After hanging about one hour. the
! body was cut down by the police ana
taken to the guard house. whore il
will be turned over TO the city later in
the day.
Robertson was clad in his under
clothing and his hands were tied.
While trying TO arrest Robertson
| Thursday on A charge Of assault and
battery. Reputy Sheriff Fatch and
| Deputy Sheriff William McCarren
were fred upon by the negro at close
range. the first bullet striking Fatch
in the stomach. from which he died
! Thursday night, McCarrcn was but
slightly wounded in the left foot
The negro was captured after two
wounded officers had chased him for
several blocks, firing as they ran. The
capture was made by two other officers
and when arrested, it was found that
the negro had been wounded three
times by bullets from the revolveTS of
Fatch and McCarren,