The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-08-30
FEAR NEGRO MOBS
Autos Loaded With Excited Men
Toward Oklahoma City.
Sheriff and Deputies Being
Armed Against Attack.
NEGRO SUSPECT WAS LYNCHED
Armed Men Tricked Prison OF.
ficials and Seize Prisoner.
Body Found Hanging to Tree
Eight Miles Away.


of Claude Chandler. negro, who last
night was taken from the jail here
by a group of thirty masked men, was
early today found hanging from a tree
near Council Grove, about eight miles
west of Oklahoma City, according to
a telephone message from a farmer
near the scene to the sheriffs office
here.
Chandler was arrested Saturday in
a raid upon an alleged moonshine
still near Arcadia, Okla, in which
Stanton Weiss. a federal prohibition
enforcement officer. and Homer
Adrean. a deputy sheriff and Charles
Chandler, father of Claude Chandler.
were killed.
The men who took the prisoner
away obtained admission to the Jail
officials said. on the pretext that they
were an officer and his prisoner. Once
inside they produced revolvers. those
in charge of the Jail said, and forcibly
took possession of the negro.
Officials Were Mystified.
County Attorney o. A. Cargill and
Sheriff G. E. johnson left their offices
here for the place where the body of
the negro was reported to have been
found suspended from a tree. immed-
lately after receipt of the informa-
ton.
Efforts to trace the whereabouts of
Chandler after he had been spirited
away by band of men who took him
from the Jail here last night, had been
fruitless up until the message received
this morning. Reports that he had
been taken to Norman, Guthrie and
other nearby cities for safe lodging in
fear of mob violence were dispelled
after communication with the sheriff's
offices of those places.
Expect Negro Mobs.
Six motor cars containing armed ne
mond, about fifteen miles north of
here and three automobiles also con-
tanning negroes are reported to have
left Arcadia, about 90 miles north
east of here for Oklahoma City. ac-
cording to messages received at the
office of County Attorney Cargill here
shortly before noon. It was said at
the county attorneys office that Car
gill was was arming his deputies in
anticipation of any eventuality that
might arise should the negroes be
bound here for a clash with officers.
telephone message from the city
marshal at Arcadia to authorities here
said that three cars containing twelve
negroes had stopped there for a short
time and departed in the direction of
Oklahoma City. The marshal said.
however, that he was unable to see
any weapons and that they appeared
to be in friendly pursuit.
Groups of negroes were gathered in
the negro sections of Oklahoma City
at noon. About two hundred men, all
talking among themselves. were as
sembled only three blocks from the
business district while scores of women
and children sat on the front porches
of their homes.
Charging that the sheriffs of Tulsa
and Oklahoma counties where lynch
ings occurred Saturday and Sunday
nights respectively. were in collision
with the leaders of the mob or else
were wholly unfit by lack of physical
courage to discharge the duties of their
offices. Governor ]. B. A. Robertson
sent letter to the attorney generals
department today directing that i'm
mediate steps be taken to remove the
two sheriffs from office.