Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-02-12
MARTIAL Law IN
CITY Of LEXINGTON
600 Troops Patrol Streets to
Prevent Further RiOting
Which During the Day Ex-
acts Toll of Four Lives
FRESH OUTBREAK FEARED
BiOOdsiied Occurs when Mob Bent ON
LynchIng a Confessed Negro Murder
cr Ii Fired Into Point BIank by
Soldiers and Police

Lexington, KY, Feb. 9.--Martial law
prevails here tonight. Six hundred fed
eral and State troops are patroling the
streets to prevent further rioting which
during the day exacted a toll OF four
dead and 10 wounded
The city was quiet early tonight but
authorities fear recurrence Of violence
Five hundred additional United States
troops are en- route from Camp Taylor,
Ky.
Lexington and all Of Fayette county
was placed under martial law a. three
O'Clock by Brig Gen. +. G Marshall upon
his arrival from Camp Taylor with 300
troops OF the famous First Division.
Riotng began this morning when a mob
bent upon lynohing William Locket,,
negro. who confessed to the murder last
week of ten-yearo old Geneva Hardman.
was fired upon with rifles and machine
guns by State mlitiamen as the mob wns
storming the Fayette county court house
TO get the negro during his trial
The attempt to lynch Lockett was made
just after he had confessed to the MUIR
der and as the jury found him guilty Of
murder IN the first degree. He was SEN
fenced to die in the electric chair March
H.
The shooting temporarily dispersed the
mob and gave the authorities time in
which to rush Lockett to a secret place
OF safety The mob reformed however.
and looted pawn shops and hardware
stores to get firearms.
Fearing an attack upon the handful
of national Euardsmen on duty, the
authorities appealed to Governor Nor
row Tor assistance. AS result. 300
troops. members of the 18th and 18th In
1rft
special train from Camp Taylor.
The federal troops Immediately began
the work of patrolling the streets to keep
crowds from congregating
Lockett. arrested last Tuesday night
and held in the State penitentiary at
frankfort for safe keeping was in
oicted 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 attend
the trial and sullenly watched the pris-
oner as he was marched from the train
20 the court house between lines Of State
troopers. When the trial opened. the
court room was crowded TO CAPACITY.
Everyone was searched for firearms be-
fore being admitted.
Hundreds were unable to gain adj
mittance to the court room and con-
gregated in the street in front OF the
court house.
The cry Let's get him" from a brawny
farmer on the outskirts OF the crowd.
turned the crowd into a mob which began
surging toward the entrance to the build
ing. Soldiers and police dropped back
into close formation and trained their
guns on the mob, which never hesitated.
&c
inand of the militiamen. shouted final
warning to the crowd and then fred a
revolver into the air. 1t 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
court room above another hail of bullets
spattered down on the asphalt street
-Four men fell at the first volley
The mob, which had surged half way
up the steps. pressed back and broke.
Quick action on the part of the authori-
ties got the negro out OF the building.
Those killed in the clash were b. F.
Carrier and L. NJ. King both of Lexing-
ton and John Thomas and William Eff
fngton both OF Versailles.
Fooled in its first attemp: 20 get the
prisoner. the mob broke up into small
| crowds which paid hurried visits 10 all
Of the pawn shops and hardware stores
In the city in quest for firearms. There
were ominons mutterings on all sides
! In some stores as many as fifty or sixty
revolvers and guns we're sozed
Groups of men congregated on the
streets and sought to learn the where
abouts of Lookett. The word the regu-
lar army troops were coming spread re- pid-
| ly and no further violence was at
| tempted