Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-05-22
NEGRO BURNED IN CAGE
BY MOB IN TENNESSEE
10000 See Retribution on Girls
Slayer-Accomplice Held
for Like Fate
NO BULLET MOTHERS CRY
"Let Him Suffer-" Dramatic Vengeance
Plea on Scene Of Childs
Tragic Dca.h

| the stake on Macon road ana with Dewitt
CDummy.D Ford. another negro. captured
and about to fac, the fate Of Persons a
mob estimated at more than 5000 secured
the country around Memphis Tor third
negro
When Persons. confessed slayer was
tied to the stake in a steel cage on the
scene Of his crime, aud tls torch appl ed
he Implicated Ford and the third negro
in the assault and killtug az Antoinette
Rappal, a 1ftocn-y car-old schoolgirl. near
| here on April 80.
Ford had been arrested In connection
with the murder. which was committed on
the Wolf River branch Of the Macon road
lie was released because of lack Of evil
dence lie IA deaf and dumb, and the
police could not get him TO write a state
mcnt
Dan Armstrong the third negro impH-
Gated by Persons was located, together
with several armed negroes in q shack on
the outskirts or the Wolf River district
shortly after I O'Clock this afternoon
Leaders rushed to Memphis for re-enfurce-
| ments and battle with the barricaded
negroes Is expected. Ford is still detained
| in his cabin near here. lie was shot
! through the arm when he reached for his
shotgun as portion Of the mob closed in
on him.
| Persons was burned to death today by a
| mob Of unmarked men,
Several hundred women and girls stood
| by and watched the death agony Of the
| negro. who had confessed chCDpinE off the
! head Of the young schoolgirl
The burning Of the negro was delayed
| for several hours pending the arrival from
1 Mississippi Of a crowd Of citizens who had
! sent word ahead that they desired to wit
! ness the ceremony. The city Of Memphis
was agog with excitement. Many business
| houses failed to open their doors aud the
newspapers closed their editions early 80
! that employees could go to the scene of the
| lynching. Persons had been captured from
sherins party last plight near Holly
! Springs. Miss. His arrival In Memphis was
! delayed by storm which made the roads
! nearly impossible.
| once inside the steel cage Persons was
| lashed fast to "A stake. The fagots sat
| urated with gasoline were piled so as to
surround his legs and while the gathered
thousands cheered the match was applied
| to the pyre.
As the flames leaped into the air the
| negro's screams could be heard for half a
| mile,
| The flames burned slowly and it was
| several seconds before the form Of the
| negro was hidden by the blaze. As the
| fire lcaped about him the negro could be
! seen to pray. but his words were lost in the
crackle OF the flames and the shoutings Of
| the mob.
| LYNCHERS LIKE NIADMEN
The men who had led in the capture Of
! Persons leaped about the fire and howlcd
! like madmen. They ;s"mtted the fire 10
! burn until the last r.L,nant Of flesh fell
| from the negrO'S chaTrad bones negro
automobile driver named Burt Ingram, close
to the pyre, unbalanced by the excitement
caught up an American flag as the last
Of the flames died down and, waving il
above his head, shouted:
We're all through here. boys. Let's
| join the Germans :"
lie tore the nag 10 shreds and was immc-
diatcly grabbed - a crowd Of white men.
who attempted to rush him TO the dying
blaze where Persons's skeleton still hung
Five policemen rescued him. lie will be
turned over to the Federal authorities
\ sign was nailed on barn near the
scene Of the lynchlng just as the fire was
started in the lrnehing cage. II read
The Sou;' today has avenged the death
Of red-bloOded southern girl, who gave
her life TO satisfy the fendish desire of
a black man we have burned"
As Persons was brought near the lynch
ing pyre the mob halted and tied him 10
A tree. He was given an opportunity to
| make an additional confession. This he
! did. trembling with fear, and implicated
| the two other negroes.
While preparations went forward for the
| burning Of Persons the crowd about the
steel cage took on the semblance Of a carni-
! val thrOng,
| . Men women and girls lifted their voices
in a great chorus. singing John Browns
| Body"
\ sheriffs posse attempted to force its
| way TO the center Of the monster gather
| ing but was turned back at gun point.
| The efforts of the officers were only half
| hearted They knew the spirit Of the mob
! would not permit any Interference.
MOTHERS REVENGE PLEA
As Persons was fastened to the stake
| the mother NJ Antoinette RAppal rose in
| an automobile near the center Of the crowd
| and pleaded with the mob not to Are a shot
! into the negro's body.
please let him suffer in death as he
made my little girl suffer- she shouted
! Historically,
| The mob answered with a cheer that
| rolled over the assembled multitude. when
| the FIRE was blazing about the negro a col
| lection was taken up for a tombs tone for the
! dead girls grave.
Eli Persons was brought &c, the pres
| pared lynchn. pyre by armed mob Of
seventy-hve citizens who seized him last
| night near Holly Springs, Miss, The mob
had been on the hunt for the negro for sew
eral days after he was removed from the
jail at Nashville. but Sheriff's Office at
taches until last night, had succeeded in
evading the citizens posse.
The Sheriff had purpnsed to rush his
prisoner TO Memphis and to bring him to
trial quickly, but the mob outwitted him.
stopped his train and ordered the officer TO
} give up Persons. Seeing resistance was
| useless the officer obeyed the mob leaders
Near midnight one OF the mob organizers
telephoned 10 Memphis that the lynchlng
party had been delayed by storm which
had made the roadways almost impassa BILE
They would arrive with their prisoner this
morning, he said.
Word OF the proposed lynching spread
! t,.pid over the countryside. Hundreds OF
: families left their beds aud repaired TO the
place selected for the burning OF the negro
1t was estimated that more than 1000 auto
mobiles had been parked along Macon road
> near the swamp where the mob planned IA
! ayenge the Rsppal girls death
AVOID TRARsFEH ACROSS SEW YORE
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