May 9, 1904: Frank Piper

Today we learn about a Louisiana lynching through the pages of The Scranton Republican (Scranton, Pennsylvania) dated May 11, 1904:

NEGRO CAB DRIVER LYNCHED.

Charged With Discharging Firearms, mob Hanged Him.

NEW ORLEANS, La., May 10.—Frank Piper, a negro cab driver, was taken from the town jail in Alexandria last night and hanged to a tree about a mile from town. Piper was arrested yesterday charged with discharging firearms in the city limits. It is said that he shot a white man. He threatened to kill a policeman and was locked up.

The jail was broken into some time in the night without arousing anyone in the neighborhood and piper taken from it quietly and hanged. District Judge Blackman specially charged the grand jury to investigate the lynching and called upon all citizens to furnish any information they can on the subject. A meeting of citizens has been called to take condemnatory action as public sentiment is very strong against the lynchers.

The Morning Post (Raleigh, N. C.) dated May 12, 1904:

CONDEMN THE CRIME

Lynching of Cabman Call for Strong Denunciation

NEW ORLEANS, May 11.—The lynching of the negro cabman, frank piper, who was taken from the Alexandria, La., town jail and lynched just outside of the town limits, has been denounced by the largest mass meeting ever held in that town. resolutions were adopted calling upon the district court to act in the case, demanding a thorough investigation of the crime by the grand jury and insisting that the mayor and council at once institute a thorough investigation into the action of the police force and learn why no police were on duty to protect the jail.

The New Orleans resolutions pledge the authorities the assistance of all good citizens, declare that there is not a citizen interested in the welfare of Alexandria who does not condemn the crime, that the best relations exist between the whites and negroes in that portion of Louisiana and call for the punishment of those who stir up and stimulate bad feeling between the races. So far the identity of the lynchers has not yet been discovered. It is thought that there were only a few men engaged in the affair, who took advantage of the unguarded jail to lynch Piper.

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