Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-06-11
LYNCHERS TAKE FIVE
ACCUSED KlDNAPPERS
FROM SHERIFF
LACK CONFESSIONS
FAILURE TO INCRIMiNATE MEN
UNDER ARREST THRU THEIR
OWN STATEMENTS CAUSES
CITIZENS TO TURN THEM BACK
INTO HANDS OF OFFICIALS.

Springfield, Mo-. June 1.-THE sug-
gestive cr0ssbars on the tall light
pole that stands in the center of
Springfeld's public square were still
bare today.
Out at the Meadowrer's bungalow
of j. Holland Keet. the body OF
pudgy, merry "Buddie" Keet lay In a
white casket ready for burial In the
soft ground green Mills of the Ozarks.
1t was not the fault of Springfield
that the crossbars were bare.
Springfield tried with all the cold
fury that came on this town when
Buddie's body was found to kill by
lynching the men who crushed out the
tiny life. Springfield wanted to huih
the last little cry OF Buddie with
the screams Of the tortured man.
No one who saw the ten thousrrd
men, women and children crowd sol
emnly about that light pole until the
gray hours of dawn yesterday will for
get the thrill of 1t. There they walt
ed for their manhunters, far of Oh
the chase to return with the five men
and woman that Sheriff Webb had
spirited from the mob by motor.
Today they are trying to be satisfied
with the story Of bloodless and
deathless lynching at the hands of the
citizens committee who took from the
Sheriff Claude DOC" Piersol. chief
! suspect among the prisoners, tortured
, him with all the hendishness that an
apache could devise, and turned him
back when he convinced them Of his
, innocence. Sheriff Webb and his
, prisoners were caught by the hob
! thru agency of the long distance tele.
! phone, short cut, and the tearing up
. of bridge over the road Webb was
travelling.
When the headlights of the sheriffs
machines met the headlights of scores
of machines pointed at them across
the river, Sheriff Webb knew the game
was up.
Well, it's showdown" he said
cody. "You can't take my prisoners.
I'm not going to give them up to be
killed."
We'll play fair with them the mob
leader-a prominent Springfield pro-
fessional man-promised. Webb look
ed into the sea of six hundred deter
mined faces, and yielded. This was at
Stockton, Mo.
, Piersol was taken from the sheriff
He was shown rope with running
moose
D THAT was made for you, Peirsol,"
the ledaer said. Just for your dirty
neck; You are doomed to die" Then
he smacked him across the face with
It.
Die, | said,' shouted the leader
He was a lawyer. you might Just as
, well tell the truth, for you are going
= to die anyway. Why did you XIII
Buddie Keet?'
| Go ahead and get the killing over
! with" Piersol retorted cody. II did
{ not kill the Keet baby was in the
t plot to kidnap Jeweler Clement, but
4 had nothing to do with the Keet case"
!. Then the mob turned to Cletus
Adams. another suspect. He was 50
| frightened one could hear his teeth
| knocking together, He finally manag-
= ed to say. "Piersol was at the Cren-
S shaw mansion, where thrv found
G Buddies body. the day he wa kidnap-
j. ped, He told me so himself"
The mob dragged piersol toward
f the town bandstand then But the
b Stockton people objected to staining
4 their towns name with lynching vol
i unteerng the information that there
was a beautiful big oak tree little
ways out The mob made for the oak.
The moon seemed TO point out a
short stout limb as the tree was
reached. Piersols hands were tied
behind him as he was led under the
, tree. and the rope was thrown over
the limb. He looked up at 1t and
grinned--a grin that looked ghastly In
% the moonlight
D. We'll boys, ! guess you came out
@ here to kill me" he answered But
y you'll kill an innocent man Go
q ahead and pull the rope. and to h.
y with you ALL
Ut Three men grabbed hold of the rope
y and gave il yank AT the same time
u others fired revolvers. Piersol began
" to choke and kick little with his
n - n