Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-05-29
MAN WHO KILLED
SHERIFF HANGED
BY M|sSQURIANS
Jay Lynch Taken from Judges
Private Office and Hanged
in Court House Yard After
Sentence of Life Term,

Lamar. Mo. May 9N.--Jav Lynch,
confessed slayer of Sheriff John Har-
low of Barton county, and the sheriff's
son, was hanged today by mob
which took him from the hands of
| officers in the court house and lynch
ed him in the yard of the building.
Lynch had pleaded guilty to the
| charge and had been given a sentence
of life imprisonment by Judge r. C.
Thurman. The murder of which he
was convicted took place on March 3.
Lynch had been brought here from
Butler, Mo. where he has been in
confinement since being apprehended
at La Junta, Colo. on May IA.
After sentence was passed Judge
I Thurman, fearing violence, had the
prisoner taken into his private office.
About 500 persons Were in the court
room. Lynch was guarded by seven
officers.
shortly after o'clock twenty-four
men came into. the private office of
the judge, overpowered the guards
and putting rope around Lynch's
neck, dragged him into the yard of the
court house and hanged him.
The court yard was filled at the
time of the hanging by persons who
Lynch's wife, baby, mother and
sister were in the judges office when
he was taken out by the mob. His
handouts had been removed so that
he might hold his baby and he had
just given the child back to its mother
when the men entered.
Lynch is one of few white men to
be lynched in Missouri.
Capital punishment is not possible
under law enacted by the legislature
in 1917. An attempt was made dur
ing the recent session of the legisla-
ture to repeal the present law The
repeal bill was carried in the senate
but defeated in the house. The at
tempt was made shortly after the
Lynch shooting and the chief sup
porter in the house was Representa-
tive Chancellor of Barton county
where Lynch was hanged.
Lynch was at first confined at La
mar on the request of st. Louis au-
thorites where he was charged with
box car robbery. March 8. Sheriff
Harlow, in response to a request of
Lynch to use the long distance tele-
phone, opened his cell Lynch drew
revolver and shot the officer, killing
him instantly. The son of the sheriff
came TO his fathers lescue and was
also shot by Lynch. and died two days
later.
a posse with bloodhounds attempt
ed to trail Lynch, but failed.
Leaving Lamar. Lynch went to
Kansas City and from there to St.
Louis, where he obtained funds from
friends. Going to Jacksonville, ILL.,,
he purchased a motor car and started
west. He was refused permission to
cross the Mexican border and contin-
ued on to Los Angeles. Coming back
east he was recognized at La Junta,
Colo, by resident of Lamar and ap-
pretended, f'h
Lynchs arrest at La Junta came
May IA, shortly after which he was
brought back 10 Missouri and con-
fined at Butler Mo,
While Lynch made no confession as
to where he had obtained the weapon
which he used to kill Sheriff Harlow
and his son, his mother and wife were
supposed to have struggled it to him. |
They were held Immediately after his
escape on the charge of being Access
series to the crime. The two women
were released on bond and their case
is stll pending.
The men who did the lynching gave !
about the work in a manner which |
indicated that the hanging had been
previously planned, witnesses asserted. !
No shots were fired,
When Lynch's body was swung into |
the air the spectators, including many |
women and children, cheered,