Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-07-04
Governor HadIey Asks Attorney
To Probe Circumstances
Surrounding Deaths.
MEN DIE AT MOB'S HANDS.
One Hung la Court Yard Willie Other
Swings From Tree at Charles
ton, Mo.

Charleston. Mo, July Am exodus
IN the negro population.of Charleston
Is reported in progress following the
double lynch.ng Of yesterday when
Robert Coleman and sam Fields were
hanged by an Infatuated mob for the
murder Of william Fox. a Mississippi
county farmer. An investigation OF the
enair at the request Of Gov. Hadley
will be made by the prosecuting attor-
ney today
sheriff Culp and his deputies. whom
he hastily swore in after the lynching
threats were made. were powerless
against the crowd which attacked the
county jail
No shots were fired on either side.
In the crowd which packed the court
house yard in front Of the Jail were
many women and children and the Of
ficers feared 10 shoot ON that account.
On the outskirts of the crowd were sew
cral automobiles. the occupants stand
ing on the seats the better to watch
the attack on the Jail
Seemingly the mob waited only for a
leader The yells of the officers 20 give
up the negroes became louder aud more
insistent Then, without warning. about
4 o'clock in the afternoon. a man
seemed to take charge and the crowd
surged forward. a concerted rush was
mcde on the jail and IN moment the
front fence Of the yard was trampled
down.
The sheriff and his men. yainly beg
ging the men In the van to dispense,
were brushed aside There was no
turning back then, even had the leao-
ers been so inclined, for the hundreds
in the rear were pushing forward,
shouting for the lives of the negroes.
USE RAILROAD TIES.
A railroad tie was showed forward as
a battering ram with men grasping 1t
ON each side and pushing In the rear.
the ram was swung against the heavy
front door OF the jail. While the mob
shouted with increasing rage, the door
gave way and the crowd poured into
the building. Another door was in the
way This was smashed in second
and the crowd surged up stairs to the
second floor. where the two negroes
We're confined
Those In the yard--the women and
children-could hear the sounds of "A
sledge hammer as the lock was knocked
on the cell door. In a few minutes q
shout announced that the lock had been
broken.
Coleman was dragged forth and
iynched in the Jail yard. while the
crowd cheered. a man climbed up a
tree and put one end Of the rope over
a limb. The negro was jerlced up and
soon swung clear of the crowd.
While Coleman dangled, another body
OF men rushed from the jail, dragging
and pulling the other negro, Sam
Fields rope was placed around his
neck and the mob, shouting, started
west along Court street.
REVOLVER USED.
The negro said he would show the
men where he and Coleman had hidden
the revolver they had used I'm chooting
Fox the man whose death the crowd
avenged. The men In charge, after a
short parley, decided TO take the negro
10 find the revolver. The rope still
about his neck. and drawn tightly by
his captors, Fields was shrown into
carriage.
Followed by the crowd on foot, IN
carriages and automobiles. the car
rage containing Fields started to the
scene OF the shooting half a mile from
town.
After going part Of the way the
negro told the captors he guessed
after all he could not find the pistol
A stop was then made and Fields was
jcrked out OF the carriage. without
any prellminarios the rope was tossed
over the limb OF n tree and Fields was
terked up
His body was still swinging this
morning. Hundreds from the city and
county visited the place and gazed
Curiously at the tree and the body The
body Of the other negro was allowed
to swing until 6 o'clock when Il was
cut down by several persons who want
ed pieces Of rope as souvenirs. For
some time afterwards the body lay on
the ground.
The crime which n mob avenged by
leo, NaHaH
O'Clock Sunday night. William Fox. a
farmer Of Mississippi county. was driv-
Ing toward his home, four miles south
of Charleston. The negroes were walk
ing along the road and asked for a
ride. Fox told them to get in No
sooner We're the two in the wagon than
they attacked Fox and demanded his
money Fox tried 20 defend himself
and was shot down. Tho negroes
escaped
Though weakened by the loss n
blood, Fox managed 10 drive his team
TO n neighbours house. where he told
them what had happened The news
was telephoned to Charleston and
bloodhounds were put on the trail
with the aid Of the dogs the two
negroes were arrested and put in the
county jail. They were hurried away
10 the house where Fox lay wounded
ana he Identified them.
No sport for July 4th like bathing
- Saltair