The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1911-08-25
NEGRO BURNED
TO- Death On
BRUSH HEBF
WRETCH WAS Used Of AS.
tJlTtEG WEE
5 HEsyYAs LYNcHED ON THE
IMAM STREET. OF OKLAHOMA
TOWN i
WOMAN nay NiI1j'T RECOVER

lsPEcTAToRs WATCH THE PER.
sEoRMANcE FROM MOTOR CARS,
CAUGHT BY coLoREp POSSE
AFTER ELyDlNG WHITE MEN.
PURCELL, OKLA, Aug. 25-Whi1e
5000 men, women and children, stood
Iby, shouting their approval Peter
Garter, a negroewho had been cap
tured by three members Of his own
race and identified as the man who
Hast night attacked Mrs. Minnie sprag
gins, wife ola farmer, was burned to
death on a.ibrgsh pile in, the main
Esueet,ef Purcell at S o'clock yester-
day. Deputy Sheriff Hayes and I'm
der Sheriff Farrls, who attempted to
rescue the negro from the crowd, were
overpowered aud locked in the court
1house. 4 VI
Mrs. Spraggins was assaulted Whlle
alone in, her home, one mile south of
Purcell. After the deed. the negro set
lare to the house, but Mrs. spraggins'
husband saw the flames while working
lin the fields and rushed back in time
to rescue his wife. She said that
Carter, who formerly worked on the
farm, had attacked her.
Carter was found and taken into
custody, but on the way to jail he es-
capped. Farmers Of the neighborhooa
made an all-nlght search, but in vain.
Suspect Found Under Car.
This afternoon Hugh Henry, negro
iainltor, noticed strange negro hid
Ing under a box car near the Okla
|Ehoma Central Railway station. With
itAe aid Of two other negroes, who
thad armed themselves TO aid in the
search for Mrs. spraEglns' assistant,
Ehc pulled Garter from beneath the car
| HE was taken To the main street OF
Purcell, where asgreat crowd had
gathered. a, n iais
"Turp that niger over to nsS,," So! said.
a tall farmer, WHO suddenly seemed
70 assume command Of the crowd
The janitor and his two aides 6beyed,
Carter was taken across the street and
in an instant many men and boys
we're gathering brush and plling it
around, his, feet Id, q
AT this iunctgTe Deputy Sheriff
Hayes and Under Sheriff arris arrived
and pleaded with the mob to turn the
prisoner over to the law.
Men of Purcell, II you lynch this
man, 1t will be the darkest blot Oh
yourselves and the town OF Purcell
that any town ever experienced
That's all right, sheriff." shouted
one of the mob, ,"but we must protect
our wives and daughters from black
hounds" Fl
Officers Locked In Jail.
The sheriff pleaded with the mob,
saying the negro would be given an
instant trial and that there would he
no chance for him to escape After
he concluded the officers were led
the court house, presumably 10 con-
fer with some Of the leaders, but as
they entered the key was turned in
the lock and the officers were heln
prisoners Until the negro was dead.
As soon as tho sheriff and his assist
ant had been locked UP the negro was
led to where an oll.soakod brush heap
had been built around telephone
pole. He was tiedto the pole, shriel
ing and implorlngIfor mercy. The pile
was lighted and the crowd' chcered
as the flames licked the victims face.
Men and women in motor cars stood
up to watch him die. After the
flames died down the crowd slowly
dispersed. The negro's body was
burned to crisp.
Mrs. spragglns, who is not expected
TO live, said Carter entered her home !
last night and struck her on the head q
With piece Of gaspipe, beating he'd !
until she was unconscious. An old .
was torn up and scattered c
,ver her body and the negro set it I
a0re and fed, \
Woman Attacked Twice.
AS Mrs. spragglns was crawling L
rom the fire theinegro reappeared' and q
again struck her with the pipe, break Z
ng her jaw. d
spraggins, who had gone outcn the v
arm to do some work. noticed the "
lanes and, rushing to the house, res,
ued his wife, unconscious. In q few n
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