The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-08-25
MOB BURNS NEGRO
Brush Pile Is Built in the
Streets of Purcell.
Victim Is Covered With Oil and
Thrown In.
OFFICERS LOCKED UP
Turned Over to Crowd by Men,
bers Of His Own Race.
Had Assaulted and Beaten a
OFFICERS LOCKED UP
Had Assaulted and Beaten a
Woman in Her Home.

Purcell ok, Aug. 25.-Pete Carter
+na neqro identified as the one who
assaulted Mrs. Minnie Spraggins ana
set fire to the Spraggins home one
mile south of Purcell. was burned TO
death on a. brush pile in the main
street of Purcell at 8 o'clock yester-
dav afternoon. a crowd oil S'UVV PEI
sons witnessing the negro dea1h'
r-rder Sheriff Harris and Deputy
sheriff HAYES. after making uespeh
.,te Effort to prevent the burning OF
Inc negro. were locked in room III
ire court house by the mob.
While men and women looked on,
few men soaked the brush pie WIN
coal oil and then poured the OIL on tne
,,s.ero-s hodv. The work was quickly
do1o A moment later a flaming loren
vas touched to the fagots and a plaze
shot M. hiding the screaming DlacN
rbo negro was caught by three other
,,ocroes near the oklahoma Central
,.siIUav station as he was making
,,repsratfons to leave Purcell. HIGH
lev Henry. a negro janitor at Ihe co u
house found him hiding unueI d poA
car with the aid of two other ne
s-rocs who had armed themselves an
ioined in the search for Carter, ne was
tsl-en ia the main street of PurceH.
There he was turned over to the crown
which had gathered when the report
that the negro had been captured was
spread. 1,,+,,
r4a1-es were among the first to reach
the spot where the mob had gathereu
and made a strong effort TO preNeh'
the lvnching assuring the leaders OF
the mob that there would ne no chdhce
of the negro's escape.
Tho officers were allowed to talk &c
the crowd and were led TO the cour'
house, presumably to confer with some
If the leaders. AS they entered
room in the building the key wa
turned i'm the lock and they were hel'
,,risoners until the negro was dead. A
coon as the officers had been locke'
ain the negro was led out and place.
on an oiI-soaked brush heap bull
around a telephone pole. He was tie
tn the mole and the torch was applied
cheers came from the crowd as tn
flames licked his face and men an
women in automobiles watched hlr
die. AS he was dashed to the pole tn
negro shrieked for mercy. After tn
flames died down the crowd Slow
dispersed
Ms snraegius was able to tell II
story of the crime Thursday. She sa
Garter entered her home at o'clot
Wednesday night and struck her on Il
head with a piece of gas pipe, knock1I
nov down He then beat her. Il
woman says. until she was almost u
conscious and attacked her. He thu
tore I'D a mattress. scattered it over h
body and touched a match to it, fe
ing from the house.
lust as she began to crawl from [
blazing mattress the negro returne
T<neelfng beside her. he again beg
10 heat her with the gas pipe. brea
ing her jaw bone and bruising her ba
" about the body. AS soon as the +
gro left the house she managed
cravl outside. where she lay under
bench near the house.
Her husband. who was returni
home. noticed the flames and ran
the house. She was found unconscio
where She probably would have be
enffocsted in a few minutes.
The negro was later found by
oficers at his home in bed He v
arrested and turned over to G