Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-06-11
Mob 0verpowerS Guard but
Suspects Plead Innocence
Successfully and Lives Are
Spared for Time,
ROPE PROBABLY USED
TO GET CONFESSION
Kidnapers of Baby keet ALI
Alive, and Sheriff Is Sup
posed to Have Prisoners
Away From Danger

Springfield, Mo. June 10.--The
six alleged abduction plotters were
safe tonight somewhere in the Ozark
hills north of here.
Their guard overpowered by a mob
Of Springfield citizens at Stockton,
Mo-, early today and their lives
threatened. they won freedom from
harm for themselves by denying
stoutly that they were guilty of the
disappearance and death of little
Lloyd Keet, the wealthy bankers
son. AS a result, Springfield was
quiet tonight, its streets almost de-
serted and the talk of further vo-
lence hushed after the wild fury of
last night and this morning in which
thousands OF persons crowded the
public square. awaiting stolidly the
expected return and lynching of the
suspected six.
-Four Probably In Jail.
Sheriff Will Webb was thought to-
night to have four OF his prisoners,
including Mrs. Taylor Adams, the
woman member of the alleged band,
In jail at Stockton, forty-five miles to
the north. The other two prisoners,
c. ]. Piersol and Taylor Adams, the
womans husband, were believed to
be on the road northward under
guard, possibly of the sheriff him
self, toward a railroad line that would
provide transportation to jefferson
City and the Missouri state peniten-
tiary.
Mob OverpOwers Sheriff.
Out of the meagre news that has
come back to Springfield 1t has been
possible to supply only the bare out
lines of what transpired when the
sheriff was overtaken by the mob. 1t
Is reported Piersol, despite a rope
around his neck, refused to admit that
any Of the suspects were concerned
with the death of little Lloyd. Sheriff
Webb and his heputfes had been over
come by the mob and the six told
they might expect death, regardless of
whether or not they confessed.
Piersol pleaded for his life, maintain
ing his innocence and the sheriff
made stirring appeal against
violence. Then the mob subsided, but
bnly after, according to one report,
having hung up one or the prisoners
until "he was black in the face"
No Ropes Used.
Paul O'Day county prosecutor of
Green county. after returning to
Springfield today from Stockton. de 3.
clared there was no truth to the state
ments that ropes had been used or
anyone hung by the mob. However,
residents of Humansville, eighteen
miles east Of stockton, and of Nevada,
west of the little town, declared there
been placed around Pierso's neck.
All attempts to gain communication
with Stockton failed tonight. 1t is
miles from a railroad and its tele-
phone line seemingly was out Of com
mission.
The Shcriff's Statement.
Sheriff Webb returned to Spring
field this afternoon and tonight gave
out statement confirming earlier re-
ports that members of the mob had
overtaken him at Stockton and had
threatened one of the prisoners with
death. He said that four of the pris-
oners--Mrs. Adams and her husband,
her son, Make Adams, and Sam Nc
Ginniss were in Jail at Stockton, while
Cletus Adams and C. j. Piersol, the
other two, were being taken to JEFF
ferson City.
The story of the events at Stockton
as related by Webb was that eight
prominent young men of SPRING
field" unmasked and acquaintance
of the sheriff, had met him at Stock