San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-02-11
NEGRO IS SAFE
IN WACO JAIL;
LAW WILL RULE
Prisoner Appears in 10
Danger-Mob Is Not
Feared.
DOES NOT SEEM SAD
Officers Trying to Clear Up
Conflict in His Ad-
mission.
DOES NOT SEEM SAD

Waco, Tex, Feb. 1O.-Pledges of
city, county and state authorities to
throw a miniature army of military pro-
portions around the McLennan county
Jail at the slightest fOreboding of mob
violence against Roy Mitchell, confessed
mulattO murderer, charged with five
killings, had been made good tonight.
Although Mitchell has made written
statements purporting to be confessions
that he tortured and murdered several
white people, and his series of crimes
overshadows cruel deeds that have
brought the hands Of lynchers TO the
necks OF other negroes in the past,
Mitchell tonight appeared TO be less in
danger OF violence than any prisoner
ever held in the McLcnnan county Jail.
What little excitement prevailed Fri
day, when the mulatto penned in excel
lent handwriting, one of the most revolt
ing statements in criminal history of
the Southwest. had subsidized entirely to-
day.
Mitchell sits in his cell, apparently
in the best of spirits and eating as If
to make up for his two-day hunger
strike. ... ....
Although a written statement has
now been taken from the alleged STAY
err regarding the axe Staying Of Mr..
and Mrs. W. II. Barker and 13-year-
old Homer Turk at Concord, near
Waco, officers show no disposition to
follow this up with the filing of
charges.
The written statement was taken at
the request of attorneys for Cooper
johnson and Benny Young, the negroes
serving time for the Concord killings.
Sheriff Stcgall desires to have a con-
flict in dates given by Mitchell cleared
up before acting in the axe murders.
The black stoutly insists that W. Z.
Driskell, cotton man, was the first
man Il ever killed." but, on the other
hand, Mitchell says he slew the Bar
kers and little Homer Turk, although
their deaths occurred several months
before that of Driskell.
This is the only conflict in the ne
gro's alleged confession. His dates
and details about the killing Of Harrell
Bolton on the Corsicana road, the muir
der Of Grady Skipworth at Lovers
Leap. and the double killing Of w. E.
Holt and the beautiful Mrs. Ethel Dene-
camp on the Springfield road, all tally
with previous disclosures by officers.
Authorities attribute the lack of mob
enthusiasm in a large extent to recol'
lections here of Waco's last lynching.
the burning of Jesse Thomas, the negro
taken without arraignment or trial and
burned at the stake for the killing OF
Harrell Bolton, one of the crimes which
Roy Mitchell now claims as his work
and which resulted in the fifth charge
of murder against the mullatto.
Saved by Inches.
Officers recall the burning of Jesse
Thomas, which occurred after the negro
was taken before the young woman who
accompanied Bolton the night he was
murdered. The girl exclaimed: That's
the one!' Her father shot him and the
mob took him 10 the pyre.
As the girls father poured several
loads of buckshot at Jesse Thomas, two
officers were approaching the house
with another colored suspect. He was
Roy Mitchell. Hearing the shots, and
seeing the mob, the officers decided
their mission was useless and released
Mitchell.
Thus Roy Mitchell came within inches
of being brought to justice or TO lynch
ing ut that time. As n result of his re
lease then, he was left free TO minglc
among the people who now are stirred
by his confession. and three lives may
be attributed to the lynching
of Thomas, officers point out. for Grady
W. +. Holt and Mrs. Ethel
Denecamp have been slain by the alleged
slayer since the Bolton Iilling.
To Ask Five Indictments.
County Attorney G. 5. Farmon. dis
GUESSING preparations for bringing Mitch
ell to trial. said five murder indictments
will be asked of the grand jury when
il convenes here March 3.
So certain is the prosecutor that no
demonstration will he staged that he
has decided not to ask for state rangers
when Mitchell comes 10 trial.
That there may be other than muir
der indictments. asked against Mitchell
was intimated tonight at the county at
forney's office, where attention was
called to the negrO's alleged admission
hat he criminally assaulted three white
women. The attacks on the women, &C
,ording TO Mitchell's statement, were
made after their escorts had been killed.
md when the women were helpless and
lefenseless.