The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1920-03-30
MOB TAKES PRISONER
FROM OFFICERS At
PISTOL POINT


men. in autcs, coming from where
no one seemed to know, held up Dep
uty Sheriff John Powell, of Fleming
county, anG Chief of Police Fred
Link, of Paris, last night about six
o'clock. relieved them of their revolt
veys and took from their custody
Grant Smith, negro, aged forty.
wanted at Flemingsburg for Grim.
inaI assault on young girl named
Ruby Anderson, fifteen years old.
Powell arrived in Covington. Sum
day night with his. prisoner from,
Pontiac, Mich, to which point the
negro had been traced and placed
under arrest, pending the arrival Of
the Kentucky officer He was held
in the Covington Jail for safe-keep-
ing, and started to Paris yesterday
afternoon over the Louisville &
Nashville, the officer intending 10
remain here last night. and take
the early train to Flemingsburg
this morning. Powell wired Chief
Of Police Link here of his intention
anC asked him to meet him at the
L. & n. passenger station in this
city and help take the man to the
Paris Jail. Chief Link met them as
agreed and started with them in his
automobile to the Jail. When leav-
ing the station they noticed they
were being followed by an auto con-
tanning four men, but attached no
special significance to it, proceed
ing on their way
When at point near the Windsor
Hotel several autos which had been
rarek there dashed out filled with
the machines, leveled revolVers Ill
the faces of the officers and while
others oiSarnied them, took the pris
oner, and placed him in another
auto, guarded by four men. The
men told the officers they could get
the handouts that had been on the
negro after they were through with
him and reduced him to ashes
Powerless, the officers could dc
nothing against an overpowering
forces. The abductors went on down
to the Jail, where several more au-
tomobiles were stationed, and with a
final admonition to the officials to
not try to follow them, the whole
bunch fastened out the Maysville
pike, and were soon lost to view.
Sheriff Powell stated that he did not
know any of the men in the mob.
From rhe smooth manner in
which the forcible taking of the
prisoner from the officers had been
carried out it was evident that it
mad all been carefully planned and
every precautior taken to make it a
success. The officials were taken
completely by surprise, and were
Cisarmed before they could even
make a pretense of resistance. The
members of the mob were net dis
CURSED and proceeded about the bus
mess in hand with a cool, determin-
cd manner that left no doubt of
their intention to get the negro and
take him away. All the points Of
Yantage were covered, and no one in
the vicinity had an inkling of what
was shortly to tran. pire until the
actual scene was being staged.
The mob" was 8 law-abiding one
in every respect and was complying
with the provisions of Gov. Morrow's
new law, which required that prls-
oners charged with a crime OF the
nature of Smiths should he hung in
the county in which the crime was
committed.
1t was reported that the mob had
stopped at Millersburg and hung the
prisoner from the railroad bridge
there. bat inquiry developed that
such was not the case. They pro-,
ceeded through Millersburg at
breakneck speed and were evidently
intending to proceed to Flemlngs-
burg or vicinity by a rounaoous
route.
The crime for which Smith was
wanted was committed near Flem-
ingsburg. on the same day of the
riot at Lexington, on February y.
Smith made his escape, and hao
been heard of at different~places on
several occasions, but managed u
dude the vigilance Of the police
until. through the clever work ol
a detective agency, he was finally
located at Pontiac, Michigan. Inc
Flemingsburg officers were notlneo
of his arrest, and, extradition pa.
pers being obtained, Deputy Sherin
Powell was sent to bring him back
While i'm the Covington jail Smith
stated tc Sheriff Powell that he was
innocent of the charge, but admit
ed that he had been employed Dy
the girls father. In her Statement
10 her father and the officers, MISS
Anderson described Smith accurately
and told them that he had been a.
work about the place a short Tune
before the crime was committed.