SEX IS NO BAR.
Item
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Title
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SEX IS NO BAR.
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Source Type
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Newspapers
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Publisher
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Stevens Point Journal
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Publication Place
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Stevens Point, Wisconsin
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Publication Date
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5/13/1897
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Transcript
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SEX IS NO BAR. Alabama Mob Lynches Two Colored Girls. TAKEN TO THE WOODS AXD HANGED. The I'nfortunate Negresses Had Been Arrested on Suspicion of Poison ins Family, One Member, of Which Died. Huntsville, Ala., May 13. The corpses two negresses, Aellie Smith and Mandy White, are dangling from the limb of a live oak just on the outskirts the village of Jeff. They were hangm. Tuesday night for poisoning Joshua Kelly, a well-known citizen. Ihey confessed to two attempts on the lives of Kelly family. The first attempt resulted in the death of Mr. Kelly. Sheriff P. Powell has gone to the scene to cut down the bodies. The lynching was participated in by 20 or 30 persons. Nine weeks ago the first attempt on the lives of the Kelly family was made. The family sickened shortly after eating supper, and Joshua Kelly died 24 hours afterward. On May 1 the family and tenants of the deceased were poisoned again in some mysterious manner. There were six whites and eight negroes altecteu. Messrs. v. tu. ana Lamson Kelly became critically ill, as id Mrs. E. Kelly. Oakley Woodward, clerk in a store, who came near dying from the other poisoning, and a Tennessee drummer who spent the night with them, were two other victims. In criminating evidence was found Sat urday at the Kelly home at Jeff, and a clew in the shape of a box of poison led to the detection of the negresses. The premises were searched and under neath the kitchen was found a box of poison. Un it was stamped the trade mark of D. E. & J. O. Kelly, the grocers at Jeff. The poison, which was rough on rats, was placed in the biscuits which all the affected ate. The Women Cnptnred. Suspicion was then directed to Mol- lie 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 start ed to Tennessee on foot. Mandy Frank lin, Mollie's successor at the Kellys was also suspected. Twenty men gath ered Wednesday night and part struck out to capture Mollie, whom they over took 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 posse, w.iich she did. The Franklin woman gave way when she was cross questioned and finally made a clean breast of the whole affair. She con ftssed 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. They Are Hanged. 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 Harwell, 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 and lynched. It is certain that all participants in the crime will meet the same fate.