Rensselaer Republican, Volume 15, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 August 1883 — MOB VENGEANCE. [ARTICLE]

MOB VENGEANCE.

A Brutal Convict Driver and One of His Tools Shot to Death. [Telegram from Arkansas City, Ark.] A mob of several hundred men fired on the steamer Ida Darragh, near Burnett’* Landing, wounded an obnoxious convict) boss fatally, and killed a negro convict Two Weeks ago a young machinist from Clinton, HL, came to this section hunting odd jobs. He secured work repairing ginhouses on a farm near Red Forks. ’ While living there he boarded with a Mrs. King. He fell behind in his board, and told the woman that he would send her the sum a* soon as he could raise it. I (Just as he was preparing to leave for the North he was arrested, taken before a magistrate, and sentenced to work in the field* for attempting to defraud his 1 mdlady. Not working to suit Werner, the man who had charge of the convicts, the young man was whipped by three negro convicts at the boss orders He died from the effects of the beating. The Sheriff of Desha county arrested Werner ahd the three negroes, and was taking them to Arkansas City when the mob fired upon them. Oho of the negroes jumped into the river and was killed by tne mob as he wai swimming for the shore. Werner fell on the deck with a bullet in his chest A perfect f usilade was kept up by the men, who followed the Steamer down the river for some distance. The lives of the passengers and crew were in great danger. The Sheriff, with the wounded man Werner and two of the negroes, were finally placed aboard the Anchor Line steamer City of New Orleans and brought here