Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1915-06-16
LEWISV|LLE MOB
HANGS Negro Who
MURDERED LESTER
Crowd Succeeds After Chas-
ing Black and Two Sheriffs
in Two Counties.

LeNlSNllie. June 1o.-Ine BODY OF
Lon Haley, the negro who shot and
killed Roy Lester, popular young
planter, last Saturday. was found
hanging from a tree limb near this
place this morning. The body was
pretty we'll perforated with bullet
holes, and several knife wounds had
also been inflicted.
The negro was taken from Sheriff
Boyett and two deputies near Hope
early this morning. A crowd from
here pursued Sheriff Jackson when he
rushed his prisoner to Hampstead
county yesterday evening. At Hope
it was agreed that if Sheriff Boyett
would promise to take the negro to
Little Rock, to insure against his es
cape the crowd would return to Lew
isville and make no attempt to lynch
the negro. Sheriff RoSett tried to do
this. He went By auto to Washington,
secured the negro and was on his way
back to Hope to board an early train,
when he all but crashed into several
autos blockading the highway one
mile from Hope. The lights on these
machines We're not burning.
Fifty men surrounded the sheriff
and, with gus leveled, demanded the
negro Sheriff Boyett says he re-
minded the lynchers OF their promise,
but was met with Damn the prom
Use"
The sheriff says he held the mob
at bay for half ar hour, but it finally
succeeded in overpOWering Deputies
Cornelius and Braine. took them from
the auto, disarmed them and then took
the negro from the custody of the
sheriff
Sheriff Boyett says he recognized
one man in the mob and that he LETT
his mark" on three or four others
whom he struck with his gun. He dld
not fire his revolver and declares that
the nren did not get him out OF his
auto although they all but overturned
the machine in their efforts to do so.
Denies He Aided Mob.
Sheriff Jackson emphatically denied
thp intimation contained in dispatch
from Lewisville this morning that he
and his deputies formed a part OF the
mob which lynohed the negro, ana de-
c]ares he does not know a single
member Of the mob, saying they were
all strangers. He stated no court ac-
ton was contemplated. and that PROP
ably the matter would be dropped.
It is said young Lester was shot IN
the back by the negro Haley last Sat
urdav night after he had refused 10
LET the negro have months pfoVl-
sions on credit Lester had promised
IN surplv the negro with suf1lcleht
food to supply his immediate wants,
but This did not satisfy the negro, ana
later he returned and shot Lester IN
the back as the latter was "altfhs
on customer in his plantation coh-
missary. -, .,o
The sheriff this morning SAID the
negro did not say word Whlle 'he
mob was with him. but en- route TO
Tho Washington Jail early yesterday
evening the negro confessed that ne
had killed young Lester, declaring ne
did not know of any reason lor hie
having done so except that ne was
"yoodooed to do so.
Sheriff Jackson today issued the
following statements:
zion Haley, the negro who muiaer-
cd Roy Lester, under promise lrohl
the officers, that they would protect
him from mob violence, so far as thev
were able surrendered himself to TWO
negroes and J. A. Steel. The negroes
We're stepfather and father-ln-law Oh
the prisoner. oa ovor
"The prisoner was then turned over
n sheriff Jackson and Special Depu-
lies R. f. Bradshaw. J. W. Velvln ana
r NJ Morgan. who made fair speeo
for uempstead county jail for temper
arv safekeeping. Sheriff Jackson ana
uosse we're met by Sheriff Boyett OF
ppomnstcad county and his deputies 5:
rho prisoner was placed in Sherln
Rovett's car in care of Sherlffs boset
and Jackson. who carried the prison.
or TO iail, Sheriff Jackson aho poss'
returning to Lewisville. ..
81 ater in the night SherlH hoyetl
learned that there was danger sol M 1i.,s
Violence. Assisted by R. B: cornel ~ u
and frank Brame, they rushed 10 .ne
ia ,iI 10 get the negro out of the way va y,
i hut While on the road with him tnes y
we're met by the nob, oTerpon q ~ ~
and and the prisoner brought back 10
LAFAYETTE county and hanged neai
r,,svi1lno