August 1,1922: Punk Harris

Today's lynching comes to us from the pages of Lincoln Journal Star (Lincoln, Nebraska) dated August 1, 1922:

LYNCH NEGRO IN THE SOUTH

"PUNK"HARRIS SHOT YOUNG BUSINESS MAN. 

Was Surprised While looting Home and Fatally Injures White—Body Dragged Thru Streets of Hot Springs.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark., Aug. 1.—"Punk" Harris, negro, was lpnched [sic] by a mob in front of the Como hotel here today and his body dragged thru the streets.

Harris was said to have shot and mortally wounded Maurice Conley, young business man, last night when the latter surprised the negro while robbing his home. Conley died this morning.

On August 3rd, The Argos Reflector (Argos, Indiana) printed a slightly different telling of the event:

LYNCHING AT HOT SPRINGS

Negro Suspected of Killing a White Man Is Hanged in Public Square.

Hot Springs, Ark., Aug. 2.—"Punk" Harris, a negro, was taken from officers here at nine o'clock in the morning and hanged in a public square following the death early in the day of Maurice Connelly, an insurance solicitor, who was shot by a negro burglar.

Harris, who was arrested early in the day was said by the police was said by the police to have answered a description given of a man seen running from the scene of the shooting. He protested his innocence. According to the police Harris had served a sentence in the Arkansas penitentiary for burglary.

Thank you for joining us and as always, we hope we leave you with something to ponder.