February 11, 1906: Bunkie Richardson

The San Francisco Call (San Francisco, California) dated February 12, 1906:

ALABAMA MOB LYNCHES NEGRO

Masked Men Put to Death a Prisoner Accused of Crime Committed in July Last

TAKE HIM FROM JAIL

Third Black to Be Executed for the Fiendish Murder of a Woman at Gadsden

GADSDEN, Ala., Feb. 11.—Bunkie Richardson, a negro charged with the assault on and murder of Mrs. Sarah Smith here on July 15 last, was forcibly taken from the jail here at an early hour this morning and hanged to a bridge of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad across the Coosa River. Twenty-four masked men went to the jail, overpowered the Sheriff and jailer and made short work of the prisoner.

Four negroes were charged with the crime against Mrs. Smith, one of the most fiendish ever committed in the State. Two of the accused have been legally executed. The third, Will Johnson, was recently convicted  and sentenced to death, but last week Governor Jenks, believing there was strong doubt of the prisoner's guilt, commuted the negro's sentence to life imprisonment.

Richardson, the man lynched this morning, had not been indicted, but was in jail awaiting the action of the Grand Jury.

Thank you for joining me and as always, I hope I leave you with something to ponder.