The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1916-05-15
MOB STORMS
COURT HOUSE
THE NEGRO HAD ALREADY BEEN {
SENTENCED To DEATH FOR
MURDER WHITE WOMAN.
MADE A CONFESSION
Following the brutal Murder of Mrs.
Elizabeth Fryar Last Week
Jcssec Washington Admitted
Guilt--Isushed to Dallas

WACO, Texas, May fJ.--Storming
the McLcnnan county court house u
p,ob Of several thousand this nsorn-
Ing seized Jesse Washington, fs-year-
old negro. and burned him to death
In the city hall square for the muir
der of Mrs. Elizabeth sryar, aged
80, wife of prominent farmer cf
the southern part Of the county.
Washington was placed ~ trial
this morning and the proceedings
consumed only y short time, as Dis
trict Judge II. I. Munroe had pro-
nounced sentence on the negro and
turned to record the Judgment
In his docket the mob leaders SUR
rounded sheriff =. >. Fleming and
forced him into n corner Of the court
room. The sheriff resisted dcsper-
atcIy, but overwhelmed by numbers
he was finally pressed back and the
prisoner finally taken from him.
Washington. .pitiable. object,
trcmbling and begging. for mercy,
was hustled out of the court room
and led to the court house steps
where = crowd Of several thousand
surrounded him.. Then ne WAS led
through the streets for about three
blocks to the city hall square.
Up TO this time there hal
been no shouting and the strict
est order prevailed. When
tree was reached rope was placed
aroupd the ncgro's neck. At sig
mil Washington WAS hoisted into
the mir high above the heads Of the
crowd, and then thousands Of voices
| broke into the cry, "burn him."
"burn him."
As II he had been rehearsed In his
parts the leader stepped forward
and emptied can Of oil ON heap
nf crates aud wood under the tree.
A match was applied and the
flames began Ieaping upward. sonao
one cut the rope and Washington.
shrieking and begging for mercy,
dropped into the flames, hut the yells
OF the crowd drowned his cries.
He burned fully twenty minutes.
Washington confessed to the muir
der Of Mrs. George Fryar at Robin
son last Monday and was indicted
| for the murder Wednesday. Soon
| after the arrest of the negro follow-
ing the hidious crime, fearing mob
violence, the sheriff's department
rushed him to the Dallas county jail
Early this morning he was brought
to Waco to face trial for one of the
most horrible crimes ever coss-
nitted in McLennan county.
Citizens Of Robinson had assured
the county attorneys office here that
they would not Interfere with the
trial and let the law take its course.
| Washington wos employed by
George Fryar. husband of the slain
woman. as farm hand. He had
long been trusted servant and was
accorded n wide latitude about the
premises by reason Of his trustwor-
thiness.
lie came upon Mrs. Fryar at
home alone last week and struck
her a blow on the head with han-
mer. He then assaulted her and kill
ell her by repeated blows shortly
after the attack ON Mrs. Fryar was
discovered Washington was arrested.
That evening rumors of mob vio-
knce reached the carr OF sheriff
Fleming and the negro was secretly
rushed into an automobile snsi taken
to the Jail at Dallas where he ws-
locked up. While In Dallas he made
a confession. giving the details of
the horrible crime
Fleming .had been assured that
IL the negro Was brought hack h~rs
and given a speedy trial the lAu