Jasper County Democrat, Volume 1, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 November 1898 — LYNCH LAW IN ILLINOIS. [ARTICLE]

LYNCH LAW IN ILLINOIS.

Negro Taken from the Marshall County Jail by a Mob. S. W. Stewart, a negro of Toluca, charged with assault upon Miss Mary O’Brien of that place, was taken from the jail at Lacon, 111., early Monday morning by a mob and hanged to a tree until dead. Miss O’Brien is the daughter of the pit boss of the Toluca coal mine. While she was on her way home Friday evening she was knocked down with a stone by a negro, who then completed his crime. Dogs were put on the trajl, and went directly to the house of Stewart. The latter was arrested, and as there was some talk of lynching, was taken to the county jail for safe keeping, where he confessed the crime. Meanwhile the people of Toluca quietly organized for vengeance. Early Monday morning about 100 armed and masked men appeared at Lacon. They broke into the jail, took out Stewart, and hanged him. A coroner’s jury returned a verdict that the negro came to his death at the hands of persons unknown.