Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1920-03-30
MOB MAKES QUICK
WORK OF RAPIST
Negro Who Assaulted Little Girl,
Taken From Officers At Paris
and Hanged

Taken From Officers At Paris
and Hanged
(By Associated Press)
Maysville, Ky, Mar. 30-The
body of Grant Smith, the negro,
aged 40, confessed assailant of
Ruby Anderson, IA, daughter of
Robert Anderson, of Johnson
Junction, hanged by a mob near
Flemingsburg last night, was cut
down today. His hat was still on
the head. The body was not mu-
tilated. Officers from whom the
mob took Smith, are not subject
to the new state law which va
Gates the office of those who~per-
nit mobs to take prisoners. The
bill was signed by the Governor
but because it carries no emer-
gency clause, is not effective until
June 1st.
Maysville, March 30-Grant
Smith, negro, 40, confessed as
sailant of Ruby Anderson, a.
year-old daughter of wealthy
Fleming county farmer, last
night was hanged from tele-
phone pole by a mob on the Lex
ington pike, between Blue Lick
Springs and Mayslick.
The body of the negro was not
mutilated. His arms were wired
to his side and he was still hand
cuffed. His hat was still on his
head. A grass hemp rope was
used to swing him.
The crowd did not fire at the
body, but went about the lynch
ing in a silent and Unconditional
way, the cyewitnesses declared,
and then went home. The negro
lived fifteen minutes after he was
swung UP.
The lynching occurred six and d
half miles from Mayslick and Is
miles from Maysville.
Paris. March. 3O-A mob from
Fleming county last night took
away from officers here Grant
Smith, 40 years old, negro, charg-
ed with attacking four months
ago, Miss Ruby Anderson, a.
year-old daughter Of Robert An
derson, Johnson Junction. and
left in automobiles with he an
nounced purpose Of burning the
negro.
The mob. of Is armed men, who
held up Chief OF Police Link and
Deputy Sheriff Powell in front OF
Jail here as. they were carrying
the negro, from the train, left in
automobiles on the road toward
Millersburg, which also runs
through Blue Lick Springs and
thence to Flemingsburg.
A report was circulated that he
Wires were cut by the mob and
all communication with Fleming
county was cut off all night.
The negro taken from
Covington to Paris by Deputy
Sheriff G.. w. Powell, of Fleming
county, the train reaching Paris
shortly after g o'clock. Chief OF
Police Link who had been notif-
ed by Powell, met the train i'll his
automobile. There were several
strangers at the depot, but no
demonstration was made as the
negro, was placed in the car.
However the officers were suS-
picious and made a wide circuit
before taking the street leading
to the Jail.
There was no one in sight at
county Jail and the officers
thought their quarry was safe,
Just as the machine slowed down
at the curbing, armed men began
to pour out from hiding places
around the jail. and the automo-
bile was surrounded. Thirty
revolvers were pointed at the of
fcers and two of the mob pres
sing pistols into their sides, dis
armed them. The leader said Ia
conically:
1--WE are going to take the ne
gro"
AS the negro, his face betray-
ing his fright, was roughly seiz-
ed and dragged from the car, one
of the mob taking the chief OF
policies handouts, remarked:
You'll find these in the ashes
in the morning"