December 13, 1893: Will Ferguson

According to The Mary Turner Project Will Ferguson was lynched on December 13, 1893. We learn about the details through the pages of The Allentown Leader (Allentown, Pennsylvania) dated December 19, 1893:

Lynched by His Own Race.

ADELE, Ga., Dec. 19.—A negro boy named Will Ferguson was assaulted on the street, a leather strap placed about his neck and a pocket handkerchief crammed down his throat. He was then dragged outside of the corporate limits and carried into a swamp and left. He was found in the morning in a half nude condition and dead. It is supposed that he was killed by other negroes whom he informed against for gambling.

If you are interested in the work of The Mary Turner Project, you can find it here. Thank you for joining me and as always, I hope I leave you with something to ponder.

December 12, 1868: Simeon, Frank and William Reno and Charles Anderson

Join me in learning about a lynching that occurred slightly before the end of reconstruction in the south to 1868 Indiana. We first learn about this lynching from The Galveston Daily News (Galveston, Texas) dated December 13, 1868:

LYNCH LAW—THREE MEN HUNG.

INDIANAPOLIS, Dec. 12.—Seymour's vigilance committee in this State visited New Albany jail this morning at three o'clock, and hung the Reno brothers and Charles Anderson, and escaped before the alarm was given.

Our next jaunt gives us information from an eyewitness and is found in the Wilmington Journal (Wilmington, N. C.) dated December 25, 1868:

The Lynching in Indiana—Statement of an Eye Witness—Particulars of the Horrible Tragedy.

The Cincinnati Gazette contains the following dispatch:

Louisville, Dec., 13.—Between three and four o'clock yesterday morning about seventy-five armed men, wearing scarlet masks, visited the jail in New Albany and overpowered the guard, shot sheriff Fullinlove in the arm, and took possession of the jail. The sheriff refused to deliver the keys, which were finally found by the maskers, and Simeon, Frank and William Reno, brothers, and Wm Anderson, the notorious Seymour express robbers, were taken from their cells and hung. 

Henry Clarke, a prisoner in the jail for killing George Telle, at Selma, Indiana, was an eye witness and makes the following statement:

The first persons I saw in jail were two men who had on masks of red flannel, or something of the kind—perhaps red handkerchiefs. Heard the men talking to Matthews the guard, apparently endeavoring to force him to point out the cells. Matthews refused to tell them anything.—Then a voice said something about putting a robe [sic] around his neck, and the order was given to pull him up. Then heard Nos. 24, 11 and 7 distinctly uttered, and they seemed to have released Matthews. No. 11 was Charles Anderson's, and Simeon and William Reno were in No. 7. Then heard some one say, "Bring a rope," and they went to Frank Reno's cell first. Frank said nothing, and heard the words, "Frank Reno, No. 23;" and then "Pull him out," He resisted some, and cried, "For God's sake, gentlemen what are you going to do?" They told him to "dry up,"and then tied his hands, and a couple of them grabbed him by the throat, pushing him along.—As they got to the top of the stairs he clutched at the banisters, but made no noise. He died very hard.

After hanging Frank, they went to No. 7, where Simeon and Wm. Reno were.—As they opened the door, someone spoke up and said, "What do you want here?" Then I heard something fall, and afterward heard that one of them had been knocked down by Simeon, who had seized the sink lid to defend himself. I then heard the fall of another body as they rushed into the cell. Simeon had been knocked down. Heard him groan. They then took him out, carried him around and hung. I heard him make no noise.

They then brought out William; I saw them put a rope around his neck. An order was given for Nos. 3 and 5 (every man seemed to be called by a number instead of by name) to go up and catch the rope. William said, "I am innocent, gentlemen; never done the robbing. Oh Lord, protect my father and sister." Two men pulled him up. William struggled very hard.

When Anderson was taken out of his cell he asked for time to pray, but was told to shut his mouth, and that they did not want anything out of him. They strung him up, but the rope broke. It was tied again and he was again pulled up.

The lynchers arrived by the Jefferson railroad and departed the same way. They are generally supposed to be the Jackson county vigilance committee. It is understood that Reno and Anderson intended to apply before Judge Bicknell for writs of habeas corpus, saying that they could show that they were not concerned in the Marsefield robbery. The so-called vigilants probably got wind of this and hence the terrible tragedy. These four make ten men  who have been lynched in Indiana for the robbery of the Adams Express Company. Vol. Elliott, Charles Rosebery and Phillip Clifton having been hanged near Seymour, on the 20th of July last, and a short time after Frank Sparks.—John Moore and Henry Jerrell were captured and hanged near the same place.

Captain C. J. Sewell, the notorious Federal guerrilla, died in the city Hospital to day, of wounds received in his celebrated raid on Shelbyville, in May, 1866.

We flesh out the tale a bit more with the help of The Progress-Index (Petersburg, Virginia) dated December 18, 1868:

The Seymour Express Robbers—Their Former Character—Touching Scene.

A telegram from New Albany to the Chicago Tribune says:

Frank Reno and Charles Anderson were married men. Their wives were notified of their terrible fate by telegraph, and arrived here early this morning. The scene that ensued when they were admitted to the jail to see the dead bodies of their husbands was beyond all description. The poor bereaved creatures were frantic with grief. They embraced the dead bodies, kissing the bloated and swollen faces, and uttering the most heart-rending lamentations. The scene was one that touched every heart, and brought tears to many eyes. The sister of the Reno brothers, who had stuck to them with all the devotion of a true and loving heart, was inconsolable in her grief.

The Reno family has long been notorious for its bad name and deeds. For years they were a terror to the people of Jackson county. They have been engaged in many daring robberies, and it is believed, murders. Nearly all the burglaries, robberies and murders in and about Seymour, Rockford and Brownstown, of late years, are charged upon the Renos. One of the brothers is now confined in the Missouri penitentiary, serving out a fifteen year-term for a most daring robbery and attempt to murder. There is no doubt but that they were engaged in all the express robberies that have of late years been committed on the Jeffersonville and Ohio and Mississippi railroads. Anderson was equally noted as a daring and successful thief and burglar. He was a tall, well developed man, with an intelligent and prepossessing face and fine head, with a high and benevolent looking forhead [sic]. The Reno brothers were short, heavy set and rather dull and brutish looking men, the animal predominating in their physiognomy. They were men of limited education and intelligence. They were, however,adepts in crime, and up to the time when they were recently arrested, have managed from the rules of criminal practice in our courts, to escape conviction.

The Reno brothers are considered to have committed the first train robbery in 1866. Newspapers had articles, that I could find,  on the brothers as late as the 1970's. Thank you for joining me and always, I hope I leave you with something to ponder.  

December 11, 1914: Charles Washington and Breard Henderson

We learn about two men being lynched and a third man probably lynched through the pages of The Atlanta Constitution (Atlanta, Georgia) dated December 12, 1914:

MOB IN LOUISIANA LYNCHES 2 NEGROES, CAPTURES ANOTHER

Shreveport, La., December 11.—Watkins Lewis, a negro, was removed from the parish jail here tonight by a mob. He was placed in an automobile and driven rapidly away. It is believed that he will be lynched.

Shreveport, La., December 11.—Charles Washington and Breard Henderson, negroes, who last night killed and robbed Cyrus Hotchkin, white, near Mooringsport, La., and were brought five miles from Shreveport while being transferred to Mansfield, La., for safe-keeping.

They were hanged to a tree near the roadway by a mob of about fifty men.

According to the police who arrested Washington and Henderson here last night, the negroes confessed that they killed Hotchkin, an oil field employee, for the purpose of robbery.

Hotchkin came to Moorinsport recently. His mother lives in Chiloquin, Ore.

Another article had the name Beard and The American Black Holocaust Museum has his name as Bead, but most of the articles had it as Breard. Thank you for joining me and as always, I hope I leave you with something to ponder.

December 10, 1886: George Sparks and Monroe Smith

The Times-Picayune (New Orleans, Louisiana) dated December 12, 1886:

Negro Robbers Lynched.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., Dec. 11.—[Special.]—Geo. Parks and Monroe Smith, both colored, were lynched last night at Ringgold, Ga., 20 miles from this city. The men were in jail. It was visited by 100 horsemen, who compelled the keeper to surrender the men. They were taken to a tree outside of town and hung to a limb.

The town was not aroused and the lynching was not generally known until morning, when the sheriff was notified. He cut down the bodies and held an inquest.

The negroes were aroused on the night of the 4th by a body of armed men who turned them over to the sheriff.

The prisoners were suspected of robbing and firing M. Spadden's house. They confessed their crime, and led their captors to a graveyard where the valuables were hidden.

The News (Frederick, Maryland) dated December 13, 1886:

Two Colored Robbers Lynched.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., Dec. 13.—Saturday night about 11 o'clock a mob of masked and unknown men visited the jail at Ringgold, in Catoosa county, Ga., and, after overpowering the jailer, took out two prisoners named George Sparks and Monroe Smith, both colored, and, taking them to a point near the railroad south of town, hanged them to a tree, where they were found yesterday morning and cut down by the authorities. Both the colored men have been engaged in robbing and burning houses in North Georgia for some months, and had come to be the terror of the community. There is no clue to the identity of the lynchers.

Los Angeles Herald (Los Angeles, California) dated December 12, 1886:

Two Negroes Lynched.

CHATTANOGA [sic], Tenn., December 11.—Last night, about 11 o'clock, a mob of masked men visited the jail at Ringgold, in Caloosa county, Georgia, and after overpowering the jailor, took out two prisoners named George Sparks and Monroe Smith, both negroes, and taking them to a point near the railroad south of town, hanged them to a tree, they were found this morning and cut down by the authorities. Both negroes have been engaged in robbing and burning houses in north Georgia, for some months and came to be a terror to the community. Smith confessed the crime of which the two had been guilty. The latest crime was the robbing and attempted burning of a family residence near Ringgold, on which occasion Smith said they had plotted to murder everybody in the house, rob the building and then burn it. There is no clue to the identity of the lynchers.

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

December 9, 1889: Jack Turner

Today we read an article from the Altoona Tribune (Altoona, Pennsylvania) dated December 10, 1889:

A Murderer Lynched.

GREENSBURG, Ky., December 9.—Jack Turner, who last Wednesday killed Matley Williams, son of Hon. D. M Williams, was lynched near here to-day. Threats of mob vengeance was circulated all week. The excitement cclminated [sic] last night when the mob visited the jail and took Turner out and hanged him. Quiet prevailed and very few of the citizens knew the mob was in town. About twenty-five or forty men attacked the jail and demanded admittance which was promptly refused. Then, with a heavy piece of timber, they forced the door and dragged the jailor out, securing the keys. The mob unlocked the dungeon. The negro was taken to Pittman creek bridge, four miles from town, and hanged. The coroner's jury cut him down and held an inquest to-day, giving a verdict in accordance with the facts.

Every article I read agreed on the details except Matley Williams name, reporting it as Motley and Moteley, as well. Our article of interest is found in The Appeal:  A National Afro-American Newspaper (St. Paul, Minnesota) dated August 29, 1903:

If it were not so exasperating and did not portend so much ill, it would be really amusing to contemplate the contortions of the white people in their efforts to solve the "Negro problem" They have nursed their trouble and it has grown larger and larger daily, until it has actually driven them crazy. They have suggested many theories and tried many ways with equally unsatisfactory results. The good book says there is but one way to reach heaven and immortal glory, and that is the right way. The same rule will apply in the solution of the "vexed problem." There is a right way to settle it, but the white people, it seems, do not wish to settle it that way; and, as no matter is ever settled, until it is settled right, the solution of the problem seems to be a long way off.

If it will not be considered presumption by our white brothers, we might offer a few suggestions. You see, one of the main troubles in the matter is that the white people, who are the more dissatisfied ones, wish to settle the whole thing on an entirely one-sided basis, that is, to suit themselves only. Now, we would suggest that they apply one of their time-honored rules:  "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you." 'Tis conceded that "right wrongs no man," and, whether it is, or is not conceded, that the Afro-American is a man, the fact remains just the same. Every black man that has come into this world came in just the same way that every white man did, and every one, black or white, breathed the same sort of air, drank the same sort of water, ate the same sorts of food and clothed his body in the same way according to his habitat. Then there cannot be very much difference between one man and another, as a man, on general principles, Except the various shades of colors or degrees of intelligence, etc. Therefore we must contend that what is good or bad for one man is good or bad for another man. If education is good for a white man it is just good for a black one. If a black man ought to be lynched for raping a white woman a white man ought to be lynched for raping a black one. (We, however, do not believe that any man ought to be lynched for any reason whatever.) Lynching is wrong in principle, and when resorted to to correct a wrong not only does not correct the wrong but commits another, equally as bad if not sometimes worse then the wrong which is the excuse for it. Some white people consider all people who are not white inferiors. We would again ask such to apply another of their rules:  "Deal with your inferiors as you would have your superiors deal with you." But why expatiate? The whole in a nut shell is:  Be color-blind in all your dealings with your fellow men. Let a man be a man for a' that and a' that. Be just.

I added the picture from The Appeal for no other reason then I like it and thought to share it. Thank you for joining me and as always, I hope I leave you with something to ponder.

December 8, 1896: "Crazy Jim"

Today's article comes from The Wichita Daily Eagle (Wichita, Kansas) dated December 9, 1896:

Pine Bluffs, Ark., Dec. 8.—"Crazy Jim," the negro who brutally murdered one of the Williams boys and fatally wounded his brother in Melton township on Saturday, was captured this morning near the scene of his crime. Reports late tonight say that a mob of farmers took him from the officers and lynched him.

Our article of interest comes to us from the Freeport Journal-Standard (Freeport, Illinois) dated January 16, 1907:

SPOONER AND TILLMAN CLASH

Wisconsin Man Lashes the South Carolinian, Who Will Reply Later.

Washington, Jan. 16.—Goaded by frequent interruptions from Tillman the speech of Spooner in the senate on the resolution for the investigation of the affray at Brownsville was changed from a constitutional amendment in the defense of President Roosevelt's course in discharging a negro battalion of the army to a severe arraignment of the South Carolina senator. He quoted from Tillman's utterances defending lynching as a means of controlling negroes, and said that to encourage such mob violence was a disgrace to civilization. Tillman was not permitted to reply, but at the conclusion of Spooner's attack declared that at an early date he would take occasion to defend himself against "the insulting allusions made to him."

It was after Tillman had failed to "get in," as he expressed it, a reply to one of Spooner's statements, and had sat down, that Spooner "turned himself loose." He quoted from Tillman's utterances defending the burning of negroes at the stake, and said:  "No man ought to encourage such a horrible thing as that. It is a crime against civilization to encourage it. I have been shocked by the attitude of the senator from South Carolina on more than one occasion when he has spoken here in justification and the support of the continuance of lynching. If there is one man who ought not to encourage it, it is the man who sits here as maker of laws.

"And I want to say here that any man who encourages lynching, murder and lawlessness will have much to answer for, and the higher his position and the mightier his influence the more will he have to answer for. No man can come here with good grace to impeach the president for his dismissal of men because they were not identified as criminals, who comes to an accusation from a lynching bee, or who justifies one." After declaring there should not be one law for the colored man and another for the white man, Spooner again deprecated the fact that he had been drawn from the course mapped out for his speech and resumed his argument.

The bitter feeling provoked by the controversy between the senators makes it impossible to say when a vote can be had on the resolution. Spooner took the position that article 4 of the articles of war gives the commander-in-chief of the army power to dismiss troops in the manner employed. He referred to the affray at Walla Walla, Wash. during President Cleveland's administration, and said that the investigation of that disturbance resulted in a recommendation that the four companies involved be dismissed.

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

December 7, 1896: Jesse Winner and James Nelson

Join me today in a journey to the past. Today's journey is brought to us through the pages of The Brooklyn Daily Eagle dated December 7, 1896:

LYNCHERS GET TWO VICTIMS,

After Being Defied by a Brave Jailor [sic] in Lexington, Mo.

HE WOULD NOT YIELD THE KEYS.

"You Can Shoot if You Want," Says Jailor [sic] Goode, "But You Can't Make a Dead Man Give Them Up"—Doors of the Jail Battered Down and the Alleged Murderers of a Woman and Children Hanged.

Kansas City, Mo., December 7—A special from Lexington, Mo., says:

"At about 1 o'clock this morning a mob of Ray county farmers broke into the county jail here, secured Jesse Winner and James Nelson, held for the murder of Mrs. Winner and her two babes, and lynched them. The mob got into the jail.

"The jail was not heavily guarded, as no warning had been sent by the authorities at Richmond to prepare for a mob. The mob was composed of 150 men, all unmasked. It was a very orderly set of men, but clearly showed that it meant business. So quietly did the lynchers approach the jail that no one connected with it knew how the mob crossed the river, upon the banks of which the institution stood.

They overpowered Jailer James Goode and demanded the keys to the cells of Nelson and Winner. Goode had hidden them, and when one of the mob said to him:

"There is one way to make you give them up," the jailer coolly replied:

"You can't make a dead man give them up, so shoot me if you want to."

The leaders said they were prepared, with plenty of tools, to effect an entrance, and displayed a quantity of dynamite, sledges and chisels. Notwithstanding, Jailer Goode remained firm, and the mob went about to gain their end in another way. The other prisoners were told not to make any break for their liberty, as they would be severely dealt with if they did. One of the mob acted as captain, directing the lynchers not to shoot as long as the jailer "behaved," as they expressed it.

The demolition of the doors proved but the work of a few minutes. When an entrance had been made two dozen men rushed direct to the cells of the two murderers, who slunk into the corners of their meager quarters, begging piteously for mercy. None was shown, and the two men were led out into the open. Winner, the husband and father, came out trembling with fear and looked the picture of distress. Nelson braved it better than Winner, but said not a word. As he passed his cell Winner told one of the other prisoners that he was guilty. The captain, when the river was reached, was asked where he was going to hang the culprits, and replied that they were going to Ray county, just across the river. The river was crossed at about 2 o'clock and the men quickly dispatched.

Lon Lockey, who has also been in jail here under a charge of complicity in the murder, was taken to Richmond Saturday, which fact alone saved his life, as he would certainly have been lynched with the others. The probability is that vengeance will be meted out to him later. Several attempts were made to lynch Winner and Lackey while they were in jail at Richmond, which led to their removal here for safe keeping. Nelson has been in jail here only since Saturday, having been arrested on the strength of a confession by Miss M. Katron, who made a sworn statement that she, Winner, Lackey and Nelson committed the murder.

The crime for which Winner and Nelson were lynched was the brutal murder of Mrs. Winner, wife of the lynched man, and of Clara Winner, aged 3 years, and Perle Winner, a boy, aged 18 months. The Winners lived northeast of Richmond. On October 26 Winner left home for a day or so and the next day Mrs. Winner and the two children were found with their throats cut. Mrs. Winner's body lay just outside the house and was frightfully mutilated by hogs before it was discovered.

We learn a little more from an excerpt from an article in The Semi-Weekly Messenger (Wilmington, N. C.) dated December 10, 1896:

TWO MEN LYNCHED

. . . The leader of the mob was asked where he was going to hang them, and he said that they were going to Ray county, so that LaFayette would not have to bear the expense of burying them.

Winner came out trembling with fear. Nelson said not a word, but clearly showed that he was not afraid. Both men plead with the mob for their lives and asserted their innocence. "Standing before Almighty God I swear I never murdered my wife," said Winner. "I swear I'm innocent," added Nelson, but the mob paid no attention to the pleadings.

Nelson was arrested on the strength of a confession made by Miss Maggie Katron, who made a sworn statement that she, Winner, Lackey and Nelson committed the murder.

The mob crossed the river coming over at 11 o'clock, in skiffs. At 1:30 o'clock they re-crossed with the prisoners and hanged them to a tree. The mob made no effort to conceal the identity of its members, and many of them could be easily recognized. The overcoat worn by the leader is in possession of one of the deputies. The majority of the mob were young men. Winner admitted to a prisoner in the jail last night that he was guilty.

A further development in the case comes to us through the pages of The Wilmington Morning Star (Wilmington, N. C.) dated January 2, 1897:

Prosecuting Attorney Aul expresses the opinion that James Nelson and Jesse Winner, lynched by a mob at Lexington, Ky., a short time ago, were innocent of the murder of Mrs. Winner and her baby. He claims to have sufficient evidence to cause the indictment of fifty of the lynchers.

We learn about the crime that led to the lynching through the pages of the Sedalia Weekly Democrat (Sedalia, Missouri) dated October 29, 1896: 

A FAMILY MURDERED

Horrible Tragedy Near Richmond, Ray County.

THREE PERSONS KILLED.

Mother and Two Children the Victims—The Husband Was Arrested on Suspicion.

A triple murder, rivaling that of the Meeks family in Linn county two years ago, was committed on the Watkins farm, eight miles east of Richmond, Ray county, Monday night.

Living in a one-room log cabin on a farm were the wife and three children of Jesse Winner, a coal miner, who works in the mines at Richmond and only goes home on Saturdays. Mrs. Winner was a frail woman, about 28 years of age. Her children were a deaf and dumb girl, by a former marriage, aged 8 years; a girl aged 3 years and a boy aged 1 1/2 years.

Tuesday morning a neighbor who was passing the Winner cabin noticed the body of Mrs. Winner lying in the front yard. He gave the alarm, and when other neighbors came all went into the cabin and discovered that the two youngest children had also been murdered.

The little girl was lying upon a bed in a pool of blood, a gaping wound in the left side of her throat. The baby boy was upon the floor, almost under the bed, and there was a wound on his neck exactly like the one on his sister. Both had evidently been dead some hours. In the cabin and all around the yard were evidences that the woman had fought heroically to defend herself and children. In the house there was a heavy wooden bottomed chair, which had been broken and split in the scuffle, and the pieces were covered with blood.

Mrs. Winner had met her death in the yard. By her side was a bloody ax, and near her feet was a fence rail, upon which was blood and hair. The assassin had struck her a terrible blow on the top of the head, cleaving her skull and cutting out one eye. A piece of her skull and tufts of hair were found eight feet from the body. Hogs had eaten away a portion of her face and her scalp had been torn back almost to the neck. On one of her hands were a knife wound, evidently made by the assassin during the scuffle.

Where the little deaf and dumb girl was while her mother was engaged with the assassin is not known. Although 8 years of age, she cannot converse in the sign language, and seems unable to make any one understand her. To those who were first on the scene, she went through the motions of using a knife across her throat, and of pounding her head. She then pointed to the north as though showing the direction in which the murderer had fled. She will be brought to town and questioned by some deaf and dumb person.

Mrs. Hawkins, wife of the superintendent of the County Poor farm, which is located a half mile west of the scene of the murder, says that just before midnight Monday she heard piercing screams, but supposed that they came from some of the inmates of the insane ward, and paid no attention to them. She is now confident Mrs. Winner was calling for help.

Monday afternoon Mrs. Winner was at a neighbor's, and when asked if she was not afraid to stay alone, she said she was not, and added that the night before some one was prowling about the house, but had been frightened away.

A report was current Tuesday morning that a one-horse buggy had been seen leaving the neighborhood before daylight, and that the occupant seemed to be in a great hurry to get away. Officers have a good description of the horse and buggy, and have gone in pursuit. The people are terribly wrought up over the affair, and should the perpetrator be discovered he would doubtless be promptly lynched.

Physicians made a thorough examination of the dead woman, and were unanimous in the opinion that no outrage had been committed.

Acting Coroner Baber held an inquest over the bodies. The jury returned a sealed verdict, but recommended the holding of Jesse Winner, husband of the murdered woman, and he is now in jail in Richmond. It is claimed that circumstances have developed which tend to show that he knows something of the murder.

Mrs. Winner, whose first name was Eva had divorced her first husband, Jacob Riser. According to an article, Riser was seen in the vicinity a few days before the murders, but it was unconfirmed. In November there was an attempt to lynch Lon Lackey and Jesse Winner.

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