Palatka daily news. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1919-1994, 1921-12-27
ACTS OF A MASKED.
BAND FOLLOWED BY
MURDER-LYNCH|NG
Exciting Scenes in Key
West Christmas
Morning
PROMINENT MAN KILLED
His Slayer Later was
Lynched by Mob of
Several Hundred
Special to the News

Special to the News
Key West, Dec. 27.-A flogging by
band of masked men, subsequent
ambuscade by the victim of the flog-
ging of one Of the members of the
flogging party and assassination of
the leader, prominent business
man, and finally the lynching of the
slayer were sensational scenes en-
acted here Christmas day and the
day after. Manuel Head, proprietor
of a coffee shop, waylaid and killed
William H. Decker, prominent
business man, and was later taken
from the county Jail and riddled with
bullets after his body had been
strung up to telephone pole.
Mr.. Decker was killed by Head,
who later confessed, on Christmas
morning while OUT driving near the
Cuban clubhouse.
The police were notified, and an
angry crowd was soon on the scene
of the tragedy, in hot pursuit of
Head. The murderer ran to the rear
of Rafael Saiano's residence in
Whitehead, near Petronia street, and
climbed to the cppqla, which is above
the second story Head began firing
at the erawd. Qae bullet grazed
Toliee sGaptain issris ear. Another,
| just missed Eddie Page. The cupo-
la in which Head located himself has
four windows, facing all directions,
so he was able to fire at the crowd
from four directions.
Sheriff Curry drove to the Key
West army barracks to procure
gas bomb. While he was gone, Cap
tain Roker, Chief of Police Gard
ner, City Jailer Gem Baker and Of
ficer Torres entered the house and
! ntreated Head, from thir position
on tn second floor of the residence,
to give up, and they would take care
of him, but their entreaties wer of
no avail.
A crowd of dputized civilians COM
menced riddling the cupola in which
Head was making his stand, shatter-
ing the windows.
Captains Heard and Wynn and
Lieutenant McKittrick, of the ma
rne corps, came on the scene with
a detachment of marines, who start
ed setting up machine guns for use
if an emergency should arise. Cap
tain Wynn asked the deputies to
stop firing, then entered the house
and commanded Head to come down
out of the cupola. Head refused,
saying he was afraid of the crowd.
Then Chief Deputy McInnis, who
knows Head well, asked him to come
down. "I'll come down, McInn!s, be-
cause l know that you will protect
me-" and with that remark he jump
ed down and grabbed McInnis by the
arm, seeking his protection.
The officers, accompanied by the
marines, took Head to the county
Jail, where he was locke dup. The
marines were posted about the Jail
to prevent the crowd from breaking
in. The situation quieted down about
o'clock, and most of the crowd dis
persed. The marien guard was re-
moved, but the deputies were re-
tanned. Word that the marines had
been relieved was passed about and
tn crowd gathered again. Approach
ing the Jail, one of the leaders called
for Sheriff Curry, and when he
opened the door dozen men forced
their way in overpowered him and
the jailer, obtained the keys to
Heads cell and made for their VIC
tim. Head was shot twice before
being taken away. He was then
placed in an automobile and taken
far out on a county road near old
Fort Martello, and there strung to
telephone pole. Twenty-Five bull
let wounds were found in the body
when it was cut down this morning.
The Decker funeral was conducted
today, services being held in the
Elks temple and st. PauPs cathedral.
Members TO the Elks and Rotary
club, followed by Girl and Boy
Continued on Page 81