Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 July 1884 — MOB VENGEANCE. [ARTICLE]

MOB VENGEANCE.

Infuriated Citizens of Owensboro, Ky., Lynch a Negro. The Jailor Shot Down, and Two of the Mob Killed. [Owensboro (Ky.) telecram.] An armed mob attacked the County Jail, killing the jailor, W. J. Lucas, breaking in ( the doors of the cell-room, and taking Richard May, a negro, out and hanging him to a tree in the court house yard. The court house and jail are surrounded by crowds of people, discussing the outrage and deploring the loss of a brave county officer, who died at his post of duty. The negro who was hanged was charged with attempting assault on the person of ■ "'Miss Kelly, daughter of a farmer living a few miles above Owensboro, about ten days since. The mob had organized on several nights during the past week, but did not attempt to carry out'their deigns. Last night about midnight, as your correspondent was-retuming to the city, he was halted by five masked men near the gravel road toll-gate, but suffered to pass without molestation. Many persons in the city were on the lookout for a Sunday night visit from the mob, and they were not disappointed. They entered the city about 1:30 o’clock and surrounded the jail. The jailer called to his wife to have his pistols in readiness, and refused to open the doors of tire jail. They demanded of him the keys. He replied that “he was an officer of the law and intended to do his duty. ” They replied “that he would give up the keys and then do his duty.” He replied that “he would do his duty or die, ” and some one in the crowd cried, “D it, die then!” The jailer was at this time up stairs on a back porch on the north side of the jail, and just between the jail and the residence. The mob then began firing, and the fire was returned by -the Sheriff and his son Thomas, a boy aged about 16. They fired thirteen shots, the mob firing, in the opinion of some, as many as 100. Jailer Lucas fired from the porch and his son from the front windows. Two of the mob are reported as killed, eye-witnesses saying that they saw one man fall shot by Tom Lucas, and that he was placed on a horse and, quickly carried off. After firing six shots from the porch the jailer was shot, the ball entering his right side, near the nipple. He was carried to his room, still refusing to give up the keys. His wife took a pistol and tried to repel the mob, but they crowded up the stairs and forced her to give up the cell keys. The outer door was battered down with a sledge hammer. They then took May from his cell and Kung him to the only available limb in the Court House yard. It was stated they had ropes prepared for two other victims. Tha rope was a new one, and the knot a regular hangman’s knot. The jail premises are badly riddled with bullets. The jailer carried a lantern in his hand and afforded a good target for the mob. After hanging their victim the mob departed, leaving a number of masks about the jail premises. It is stated that among them were a number sf negroes and that a portion of them caine from Indiana. opposite Owensboro, w'here the girl’s father once lived. Maj’ was the third negro hanged in the court house yard by a mo,b and the fourth victim of the gallows in the county. The outrage of last night is universally condemned. Jailer Lucas, in spite of prompt alleviation, died at 7 this morning. He was a Virginian, a brave ex-Confederate officer. The report of two of the mob being killed has not been confirmed. One of the mob was heard to say as they left, however, that two of their number had been wounded. The excitement has continued all day and late this evening it was reported that the negroeswere organizing to mob Kelly, the father of the, girl, for they.think, he. raised the mob.