The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-05-29
SHERIFF'S SLAYER
IS HANGED BY MOB
AFTER HIS TRIAL
Determined Men at Lamar,
Mo-, Take White Murderer
Out of Judges Office and
String Him Up.

NuHIg nun w.
LAMAR, No, May 2s.-Jay Lynch.
confessed slayer Of Sheriff John Har-
low, of Barton county, and the sherifrs
son, was hanged here late yesterday by
a mob. which took him from the hands
Of officers in the courthouse and
lynched him in the yard Of the build
ing. Lynch had pleaded guilty TO the
charge and had been given a sentence
OF life Imprisonment by Judge B. O..
thurman. The murder OF which he
"as convicted took place March 8.
Lynch had been brought here from
6utler. Mo, where he had been in con-
Iinement since being apprehended at
"a Iunta, Col several weeks ago. The
IRAN which brought the prisoner here
Tor trial arrived In Lamar at 2 O'Clock
IN the afternoon and was met by a
large number Of men. No disturbance
declare.
At 3 o'clock the trial was completed
and Judge Thurman, fearing violence
after ~pronounolng the sentence, had the
prisoner taken into his private office.
About 800 persons we're in the court
ficers.
Shortly after 9 o'clock "a men came
INTO the private office OF the Judge,
overpowered the guards and, putting a
rope around Lynch's neck, dragged him
INTO tho yard OF the courthouse and
hanged him. Only a few men are said
hanging.
No show of violence toward the
made, witnesses declare. The court
yard was filled at the time OF the
hanging by persons who had come out
from the courtroom.
Was Holding Babe.
Lynch's wife, mother and sister were
IN the judges office when HI wal
taken out by the mob. His handouts
had been removed so that he might
hold his several months-old child, and
ne had just given the child back TO
Its mother when the men entered.
In entering the judges office, one
group of men held the guards while a
second seized Lynch. Previously the
men composing tho mob had gathered
In the corridors OF the courthouse and
In the yard in small groups talking and
no warning was given OF their action.
Lynch is one Of the few white men
to be hanged by mobs in the state.
Capital punishment IL not possible UNI
der n law enacted by the state legis-
lature in 1917, An attempt was made
during the recent session OF the legis-
lature, however, to repeal the law,
which was successful In the senate, but
was defeated in the house. The attempt
was made shortly after the Lynch
shooting, and the chief supporter In
the house Of the repeal bill was Repre-
sentative Henry Chancellor, OF Barton
county. where Lynch was hanged.
Lynch was first confined at Lamar
on the request OF ST, Louis authorities.
where he was charged with box car
robberies, On March 8 sheriff. Har-
low. In response to a request Of Lynch
to use the long distance telephone,
opened his cell. Lynch drew n revolver
and shot the sheriff, killing him In
stantly. The son OF the sheriff came
to his fathers rescue and was also
shot by Lynch, dying two days after
hounds attempted to trail Lynch, but
failed.
Leaving Lamar, Lynch went TO Kan
sas City and from there to St. Louis,
| where he obtained funds from friends,
Going to Jacksonville, Ill, he purchased
q motor car with the money and start
ed West. He was refused permission
to cross the Mexican border, his o n
fession relates, and continued on TO
! Los Angeles, Coming east, he was rec
| ognized at La Junta, Col, by q resi-
dent Of Lamar and apprehended.
Watched Posse.
After his return to Butler Lynch
confessed that he had tramped through
the country surrounding Lamar after
his escape, and at one time, while be-
ing trailed by the posse with blood
hounds, had stood on ope Of the street
| corners OF the town and watched the
| posse work. While Lynch made no con-
fession 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 smuggled
1t to him, They were held Immediately
after his escape on the charge of being
accessories TO the crime. h two WON
en- were released on bond and their
case is stnl pending.
lamar was quiet yesterday n few
| persons we're seen on the streets. That
| Lynch came TO his death at the hands
OF parties unknown was the verdict
returned by the coroner's Jury, which
held an inquest last night. No warrants
had been issued this evening. tho au-
thorities said. None OF those who par
ticlpated in the hanging was recog-
nized, according to Coroner J. II. Har-
mon.
IYnch's wife and mother were taken
to Nevada, Mo. last night,
1t was learned that the authorities
had arranged to remove Lynch TO Ne
vada, Mo, on n freight train which
was waiting on a siding Judge Thur
man had gone to the train as soon as
court adjourned to return to his home
in Nevada. In some manner the plan
OF tho authorities became known, how
ever, and before Lynch could be re-
moved through a rear window the
crowd burst into the judges room and
80. - ~ NWtsAAAN