TWO NEGRO GIRLS LYNCHED
Item
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Title
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TWO NEGRO GIRLS LYNCHED
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Source Type
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Newspapers
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Publisher
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The Chicago Chronicle
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Publication Place
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Chicago, Illinois
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Publication Date
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5/13/1897
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Transcript
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TWO NEGRO GIRLS LYNCHED-Alabama Mob Hangs Mollie Smith and Mandy Franklin- Victims Accused of Poisoning the Family of Their Employer- One of Them Makes a Confession but the Other Asserts Her Innocence- Another Woman in Custody Admits Prior Knowledge of the Crime- Birmingham Ala., May 12 — Mollie Smith and Mandy Franklin two young negro women were found at daybreak this morning swinging to tree limbs on the road between Jeff and Huntsville, Madison county They had been dead some hours, and the twenty men who had hanged them had disappeared to their several homes The girls paid the penalty of death for poisoning the family of Joshua O Kelly a prominent citizen of Jeff. At the first poisoning Mr. Kelly and his whole family consisting of eleven persons arose from the supper table suffering terrible pangs and the next day Mr. Kelly died in terrible agony. It was ascertained that arsenic had gotten into the coffee but it was thought then that it was an accident: The next night eleven persons sat up with the corpse of Mr. Kelly. Toward midnight they partook of some sausages and at once became violently ill. Fortunately there was a physician in attendance and no fatality resulted. POISON IN THE BREAD Last Friday the family arose from the breakfast table with horrible cramps in the stomach. Although none have yet died several are still in a dangerous way This time it developed that the poison was in the bread. Suspicion was then directed to Mollie Smith, a young negro girl who had formerly worked in the family and a search of her house was made. Mollie had anticipated the visit and had started to Tennessee on foot. Mandy Franklin, Mollie’s successor at the Kellys was also suspected. Twenty men gathered last night and part struck out to capture Mollie whom they overtook some ten miles away. The Franklin woman was found at her own home in bed. She was bidden to get up and dress and go with the possee, which she did. The Franklin woman gave way when she was cross-questioned and finally made a clean breast of the whole affair. She confessed to the last poisoning but said Mollie Smith had put the poison in the coffee and sausages and had persuaded her to poison the bread. This she did while carrying the flour of which it was made from the pantry to the kitchen. DENIES THE CHARGE - The Smith woman denied everything even when faced with the Franklin girl and the latter’s confession. The posse satisfied of the guilt of the two women carried them to the woods a short distance from Mollie Smith’s house and deaf to tears, prayers and screams tied ropes about their necks lifted them on high and waited by quietly until it was evident they were dead. Without a word they then stole away in the darkness There will probably never be a clew to their identity. Jennie Barwell another negress is in custody She has coolly avowed that she knew the poisoning was going on but did not care to mention the matter. The instigator of the crime is believed to have been a negro named Williams who a short while before the first poisoning had been discharged by the Kellys for impudence and driven from the place. Report has it that he too was captured this afternoon and lynched. It is certain that all participants in the crime will meet the same fate.