The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1913-02-12
WRONG MAN IS LYNCHED
False Testimony Given BY Negro
Woman the Cause Right Party
Burned at Stake.

Houston. Miss, Feb. 5 -Dizell
Rucker, negro. charged with
complicity in the murder Of Mrs
John Clifton Williams. the girl
bride Of the chancery clerk Of
Chickasaw county. was burned at
the stake here this afternoon.
Rucker was taken in charge by
a mob variously estimated at from
500 to 700 people, and quick job
was made of it.
Despite his frantic screams for
mercy, the negro was dragged to
the court house yard. tied to the
brink of the cistern. fagots tied
about his feet and saturated with
coal oil and a match touched to the
funeral pyre.
The mob started its work shortly
after one o'clock. and an hour later
Rucker's body was a charred and
unacceptable mass.
Before the match was applied
Rucker confessed to the crime. He
had been employed by the father
of the girl-bride for several years.
WRONG MAN LYNCHED.
With the capture and confession
of Rucker it became certain that
the negro Andrew Williams, hung
yesterday for the crime, was an.
innocent man. The hanging Of
Williams Friday followed the state
ment of two negro women. Dora
Rucker and Anna Evans. The two
women and Williams lived in a row
of shanties directly behind the
house ia which the murder occur
red, and all were arrested on sus-
picion. Apparently with the idea
of protecting themselves, the negro
women told the officers tnat they
had seen Williams drag the body of
the chancery clerks wife out Of the
back door of the latter's house and.
throw it into the cistern pit. Ac-
cording to their story, Williams
then went to a hydrant, washed the
blood off his hands, and entered the
house. threatening them with death
in case they told.
With the knowledge of the falsi-
ty Of this story, which had led to
the shedding of innocent blood, the
local officers hurriedIy took the me-
gro women from the jail and have
the prisoners now in hiding. Dis
covery of their whereabouts is
almost certain to be followed by
mob violence. as this entire section
|of the county is seething with ex-I
citement tonight.
Rucker was a young negro,
scarcely twenty years old. He had
long been employed at the hotel
here kept by w. E. Farr. father Of
the dead woman. whose maiden
name was Bessie Farr.
Rucker was discovered to be the
murderer in an unusual manner.
Lyles Farr. brother of the MUIR
dered woman, suspecting Rucker Of
knowledge Of the crime. engaged
him in conversation at the hotel
today regarding the killing. DUR
ing the course Of the talk Farr ex-
pressed particular desire to recover
the engagement ring torn from the
hand of his sister by her murderer.
Boss. can show you that in
ten minutes, was Rucker's aston
ishing reply.
Thereupon he led Farr through
the hotel and into a rear room,
where, half hidden in the dust of
a sill. the diamond ring was discov-
erred.
Rucker was Immediately over
powered and taken in charge by Al
crowd that quickly gathered at the
hotel. He never reached Jail.
Confronted with the evidence
against him, the negro. who was
considered little more than half
witted, readily confessed. and told
all the revolving details of the
murder and robbery.
He was then dragged to the scene.
of his death. The torch was APP
piled by the Fairs in turn. father
and son.
1t developed tonight that Dora
Rucker. one of the negro women
whose false story lead to the lynch
ling of Williams Friday, was a
cousin Of the Rucker burned at the
stake today. Whether this may
have had something to do with her
falsely fixing the blame on Will
lIiams is probIematical
TOO LATE FOR MILITIA.
Governor Brewer yesterday after
noon received a request from Hous-
ton to send troops there to prevent
the lnyching of the negro Rucker,
but 1t came too late for him to
take any action. By the time the
message reached the chief execu-
tive word came that Rucker had
been burned at the stake.
The governor stated last night
THAT be would not send troops to
Houston as there was now no neces-
lsity for doing SO.