The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1920-04-02
NEGRO TAKEN FROM PARIS
OFFICER IS LYNCHED

When THE NEWS closed it's re-
port Monday night of the action of
mob OF men in taking from officers
at this point Grant Smith, colored,
wanted in Fleming county, on a
charge of criminal assault, it was
not known what disposition had
had been made of the prisoner.
Conflicting reports came from diff
ferent sources, and, as communica-
ton had been cut off from Flemings-
burg and other places, it was inn
possible to learn the negro's fate
that night. Press dispatches the
following morning indicated what
his end had been.
The revolver and handouts be-
longing to Chief of Police Link,
which had been taken from him at
the time were returned to him in a
mysterious package Wednesday
from a mysterious source, without
comment or message of any kind.
One of the most ridiculous stories
regarding the affair was that print
ed in Tuesdays issue of the Cincin-
natl Commercially in which
it spoke of mob of Bourbon coun-
ty mOuntaineers," "At this writing
the body of the negro is swinging
from the end of rope at the l.. &
N. railroad bridge near Millers-
burg" etc. For transformation and
a lack of knowledge of this section
of the country the Commercial-Tri-
bune's statement takes the whole
bakery, and then some.
Smiths victim attended college
in Millersburg, where, after a time,
the teachers learned of her trouble,
and her parents took her home.
She was there week before the ne
gro left. She was later sent to a
hospital in Louisville. She told
her parents that the repeated threats
Of death made by the negro had kept
her silent until she could no longer
do so, and had to tell them the
threats would have no effect after
the girl had Informed her parents,
left for parts unknown the day af-
ter the first attempt to lynch Lock
EFT at Lexington.
The Coroner's jury returned a YER
dict stating that Grant Smith, ne
gro, lynched on the Maysville pike
for alleged assault on a girl, met
death at hands of persons unknown.
Whether a grand jury investiga-
ton of the lynching will be held has
not yet been announced. Deputy
Sheriff George w. Powell, fro,l
whom the negro was taken at Paris,
said on his arrival at Flemingsburg,
Tuesday, that he was unable to
identify any of the members of the
mob.
The body of Smith was cut down
from the pole Tuesday and turned
ever to the family of the mob's VIC
tim.
Governor Edwin p. Morrow, who
was in Louisville, Monday night, re-
NAMED up until long past midnight
waiting definite word from Fleming
county, where a mob lynched Grant
Smith.
The Governor referred to the en-
actment by the recent Legislature
Of the law requiring removal from
Office of peace officers who surren-
der their prisoners to mobs and de-
clared while the law is still mop
erative Git does not take effect until
June) there is no doubt as to the
moral responsibility of the officers
in allowing Smith to be taken from
their custody.
1.-THE incident is most regretta-
ble," said the Governor, land the
law should have been allowed to
take it's course"
Summary justice dealt to Will
Lockett at Lexington recently
should leave no doubt in any honest |
mind that Kentuckians know how
to deal with criminals of this type"
A Paris newspaper man, who had |
followed the trail of the men who |
took the negro, Grant Smith, from
the officers here, and started toward |
Fleming county, where the crime
was committed, found at $780,
o'clock Tuesday morning the dead
body of the negro suspended from
the cross-arm of a telephone pole on
The Maysville pike, six miles from
Mayslick, swaying in the wind
Although his captors left Paris at
E o'clock with their victim Smith !
was not hanged for several hours |
His captors seemed to have in mind |
the new law, which provides that |
the penalty for rape is that the vic
tim shall be hanged in the county |
in which the crime was committed.
The negro was taken to a point |
near May slick, Mason county, but
within the borders Of Fleming. On
lis way to the scene of the execu-
ton, Smith is said to have made 4 |
full confession to his captors, ad-
hitting he had forcibly taken ad-
vantage of the young girl on two
occasions, and that "he didn't know
why he did it,"
When the self-appointed execu-
TONERS arrived at a point six miles
from Mayslick, they were met by
the delegation which had been on
watch in Maysville. The two par
lies combined and the negro was
asked if he had anything to say.
He asked for time to pray and was
granted five minutes. Those who
heard the prayer say he confessed
his sins to God. asked to be forgiven
and fhon told fhncn