The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1920-02-11
TROOPS KILL FIVE
TO PREVENT LYNCH|NC
Lexington, KY, Scene of
Bloody Tragedy
MARTIAL LAW
is DECLARED

Death Of Little Girl by Negro Brute.
Soldiers OH Guard Open Fire with
Deadly Result Prisoner Spirited
Away.
Lexington, KY, Feb. 9.-Martial law
/ prevails here tonight. Six hundred
federal and state troops are patroling
the streets to prevent further riot
ing which during the day exacted a
toll Of five dead and fifteen wounded.
me city was quiet early tonight, but
authorities fear a recurrence Of yio-
lence. Five hundred additional Uni
ted States troops are en- route from
Camp Taylor, Kentucky.
Lexington and all Of Fayettc coun-
ty was placed under martial law at 1
o'clock by Brig. Gen. r. c. Marshall
upon his arrival from Camp Taylor
with 800 troops Of the famous First
Division, which helped repulsc the
Germans at Chateau Thierry.
Rioting began this morning when a
mob bent upon lylfching William
Lockett, negro, who confessed the
murder last week of a 10-year-old girl,
Geneva Hardman, was fired upon with
rifles and machine guns by state mi
litiamen as the mob was storming the
Fayette county court house to get
the negro during his trial.
The attempt to lynch Lockctt was
made just after he had confessed to
the murder and as the jury found
him guilty Of murder in the first de-
gree. He was sentenced to die in
the electric chair March II.
The shooting temporarily dispersed
the mob and gave the authorities
time in which to rush Lockett to a
secret place OF safety. The nib re-
formed, however, and looted pawn
shops and hardware stores 10 get fire.
arms.
Fearing an attack upon the handful
Of national guardsmen on duty, the
authorities appealed to Governor Nor
row for assistance. AS a result, 300
troops. members Of the 26th and 2Sth
Infantry, arrived at 3 o'clock on spc-
cial train from Camp Taylor.
The federal troops Immediately be-
gan the work Of patrolling the streets
to keep crowds from congregating.
Iockett. arrested last Tuesday night
and held in tho state pcnitcntiary at
Frankfort for safekecDing, was indlct-
ed late last week and was brought
here on special train this morning
for trial, He was heavily guarded
Hundreds of farmers from the sur
rounding country arrived early to at
tend the trial. and sullenly watched
the prisoner as he was marched from
the train to the courthouse between
lines OF state troopers. When the
trial opened the courtroom was
crowded to capacity, Every one was
searched for firearms before being ad-
mitted to the courthouse. Hundreds
were unable to gain admittance to
the courtroom and congregated, in the
street in front Of the court house.
The cry Of Lets get him" from
a brawny farmer on the outskirts Of
the crowd turned the crowd into a
mob which began surging toward the
entrance OF the building. Soldiers and
police dropped back ihso close forma
ton and trained their guns on the
mob, which never hesitated.
Adjutant General Dewcese, in COM
mand Of the militiamcn shouted a fl
nal warning to the crowd and then
fred n revolver into the air. It was
the signal for the troops to fire.
Soldiers and police fired point blank
into the crowd and nearby machine
gun ratified. From the windows OF
the courtroom above another hail OF
bullets spattcred down on the asphalt
-Four men fell at the first volley.
The mob which bad surgcd half way
up the steps pressed back and broke
Quick action on the part Of the au-
thoritics got the negro out Of the
building,
Those killed ini the clash were b. r.
Carrier and l.. NJ. King, both OF Lex
ington and John Thomas and William
f,liington, both Of Versailles
Among those wounded were j. w
Stanscll, w. j. Rees, Otis Sharp, En-
NETT ,Dozicr, irwin Gwynn, Emmett
Danzger, Fred Sowders, III. @. Wealth.
.------4------------------