The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1920-02-12
The Exciting Trial Of
Negro at Lexington
Was the Most Nerve Racking OF Any
Ever Held in the Commonwealth
of Kentucky

Lexington Court room during the
- ssi is Of { inc negro murderer, viii
Lockett, by an Advocate Repre-
sentative).
II was dramatic setting for dram
attic episodes-the Circuit Court room
at Lexington on the morning of Feb
ruary 9th. There Kentucky Justice,
more than the prisoner, was on trial
before the civilized world.
Outside the building, three stories
beneath, State guardsmen, with fixed
bayonets, patrolled the terrace; at the
windows police, deputies and other
guardsmen were under arms; ma
chine gun commanded the front ap-
proaches from the base of the steps;
nearby stood the Adjutant General
and his staff, waiting. Wire cables
were stretched around the four sides
of the square. Blue uniformed Off
GERS, clubs drawn, revolvers ready,
paced back and forth, holding this
first line of defense. Beyond the
cables on Main street, the mob press
ed close. Numbering thousands, jeer-
ing, cursing, threatening, they ebbed
and surged. They scattered and re-
formed again; swayed from curb to
curb; and finally stiffened into ir-
regular and hydra-headed ranks, fac
ing the little, company Of defenders.
Within the court room the silence
was foreboding. The audience seats
were comfortably filled; the prisoner
was surrounded by his attorneys and
guards; deputies and detectives, with
rifles and revolvers at hand, held the
doors and thanked the judges bench.
The blinds were partly drawn over the
windows. The electric chandeliers
glowed. From the crimson walls the
portraits of statesmen and jurists
: looked dumbly on. AT the rear
white clock licked off the minutes.
An attorney for the defense was
reading the prisoners confession of
guilt and plea for mercy to the jury.
Every face was strained, every ear
alert, as the spectators leaned for
ward to catch the words. Then, sud-
denly frenzied yell sounded up from
Main street. At first like the distant
roar Of angry waters, it rose to
scream, uncanny, inhuman, blood
freezing, the voice of the mob, The
audience sprang to its feet. The at
torney continued his plea. The roar
subsidized to a sinister mummur. There
was a command "Sit Down."
AT the same moment, louder than
before, again came the yell. 1t was
nearer, increasing in volume, until it
reached the very doors of the Court
House. The attorney paused. Many
of the audience rushed to the win
dows. The white clock pointed to
927. The judge hammered for order.
"A shot from below. Another. A fever
ish volley. In the court room the dep
uties and detectives grabbed their
arms; threw a human barrier about
. the prisoner; shouted for quiet.
'Keep away from the windowsp
"Sit down. Sit DOWN.
"Gentlemen, in the name OF God,
start no violence herep
"Sit DOWN.
AS quickly as it began the voice of
the mob silenced. There were no more
shots. The blinds were drawn. The
people resumed their seats. Unknown
40 them another chapter had just been
added to Kentucky's tragic history,
written in blood and punctured with
bullets.
The attorney began where he broke
off in his plea. After he finished,
the prosecution made brief speech.
The judge delivered his charge to the
jury. The twelve men, good and true,
did not leave the box. A ballot was
p sman stepped forward
The judge or