New Britain herald., 1920-02-09
Women Among Those Injured; Were Deter mined To Hang Negro Sentenced To Die For Murder
TROOPS RUSHED
 FROM CAMP TAYLOR
Latest Reports Say Pawn Shops Are Being Looted For Firearms - Trouble Expected to Develop

- Lexington, Ky, Feb. 9.-Four per- sons were killed and 15 injured today when a. mob intent on lynching Will liam Lockett, Q negro, who confessed to the murder of 10 year old Geneva Hardman, charged the court house Nj during Locketts trial and was fired upon by police and state troops. ts aTpe crowd intent upon, lynchng the nesfo, was repulsed when the soldiers N hred 8 volley. The ringleaders carry '& rng rope, were forced to withdraw. Sa While the excitement was going on sS in front of the court house a jury in ls>the courtroom convicted Lockett of first degree murder and the negro was sentenced to be electrocuted March H.
 Two women were reported to be famong those by the state troops The e'clash with the soldiers held off the mob while the authorities managed to slip the negro away to a place of safety.
 Great excitement was caused by < the shooting and there weret m utter ings of further trouble.
 Those reported killed by the troop CTS were:
 F. F. Carrier, of Lexington; John Thomas of Versailles, William Effing- @Vton of Versailles and man named Bradley of Lexington. Several of the wounded are expected to die.
 Troops Rushed to Scene.
 Four hundred troops from Camp Taylor, Ky, have been ordered to Lexington to prevent any further trouble and are now en route here, officials announced. The additional & troops were requested as it was feared 7 that the 300 militiamen could not handle the situation.
 Fearing that the mobs would loot pawnshops to obtain firearms and po lice and military officers went to all such stores in the city and gathered up guns and revolvers They said :. attack on the militiamen was feared.
 Soldiers and policemen continue on guard near the courthouse follow ing the shooting. Officials feared an- other attempt might be made to lynch Loc<ett should the crowd dis cover his wherea bouts.
 sG Feared Trouble.
 Trouble was feared by the authori- ties as soon as Lockett was captured 1 and confessed to the assault and mur- % der of the little Hardman girl last 4 Tuesday. At first the prisoner was Q lodged i'll the state prison at Frank fort. When he was indicted late last x week and it was decided to hold his G trial here today, Q party of 300 state troops were ordered here to guard 4 him. Early today hundreds of farmers a from the surrounding, country came s4. to Lexington to attend the trial. RThey gathered in groups on the Streets. The state troops closely guarded the streets when the negro swas taken from a special train and rushed to the courthouse. The pris- , oner was brought here early this 8E morning from Frankfort on spe- a cial train.
 Find Body.
 The httle Hardnan girl was found | murdered by school mates d short distance from her home last Tuesday morning just a few minutes after she 6 bad left home for nearby school house. She had been dragged into a cornheld and her head had been crushed with 0 stone. The body had s@ been partly covered up with corn stalks
 Within a few minutes posses were formed by reside rts of the neighbor- hood and a search was instituted for the murderer. beckett was suspected and finally was found late that night at a friends house about miles from the scene. He was taken into cus- fOdy by a. LSxinSlou pllSoi' I0tI 1iAA hte friend to whom he denied having murdered the girl Later police an nounced, the negro confessed to the murder adding that he didn't know
 why he had killed the girl.
 Louisville. Ky. Feb. 9.-Reports received here by telephone during the forerloon said mobs then were loot ing pawnshops and hardware stores at Lexington in an effort to obtain
 Firearms and had declared their inten- |, ton of securing the negro by any V means.
 . On the heels of the report came an appeal from Governor Edwin P. Nor
 row for troops to protect the negro
 Bnd quiet the situation.
 Arrangements were made at Camp .s {Continued on Eleventh Page)