February 19, 1904: Glenco Bays

Today we start with an article connected to yesterday's lynching. We learn about it through the pages of The Atlanta Constitution (Atlanta, Georgia) dated February 21, 1901:

FIVE HANGINGS GIVEN TO NEGRO

But in Spite of Torture He Refused To Confess.

KING'S HORRIBLE STORY

He Alleged That Negroes of Dyersburg Had Formed a Plot To Assault Five of the Best Young Women of the Town.

Dyersburg, Tenn., February 20.—A mob took Bebee Montgomery from the jail here last night and swung him up to the limb of the famous "Mike Lynching tree" five times, letting him down each time he was hauled up, to make him confess his complicity in the assault with Fred King upon Miss Alice Arnold.

The negro denied his guilt. Finally the mob carried him back to jail more dead than alive and delivered him to the jailer.

The mob was led by an organized vigilance committee. The mob decided not to lynch Montgomery until the third guilty negro is found, whom King implicated in his confession. This negro is being sought for by detectives. The vigilance committee swears when he is found that the two will be lynched together.

In his confession King said that they had slated five of the best young women of Dyersburg for assault, and this horrible plan is the cause of the spirit of vengeance among the citizens. A number of negroes were whipped out of Dyersburg last night.

Our featured lynching is brought to us through The Scranton Republican (Scranton, Pennsylvania) dated February 20, 1904:

WAS HIDING IN A WELL.

Negro Murderer Hunted Down by Arkansas Mob and Lynched.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark., Feb. 19.—Glenco Bays, a negro hunted down by a mob, was burned at a stake early today near Gross Set. He was charged with the murder of J. D. Stephens of Ashley county. Stephens, a wealthy planter, had a few words with Bays yesterday. Later the negro secured a shot gun and killed Stephens. The negro then beat the body with the gun and escaped.

Blood hounds were brought on a special train from Lakeville. They traced the murderer to his father's house, where the negro was found hiding in a well. A mob, several hundred strong, dragged out the murderer, who confessed. With hands and feet tied, he was bound to a stake in his father's yard and slowly burned to death.

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