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Title
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Negro Girls Lynched
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Source Type
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Newspapers
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Publisher
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The Butte Miner
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Publication Place
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Butte, MT
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Publication Date
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5/13/1897
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Transcript
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NEGRO, GIRLS, LYNCHED., Were Suspected of Poisoning the Family, of a Farmer., Nashville, Tenn., May 12.-A Huntsville, Ala., special to the Banned says at, daybreak today the bodies of Mollie, Smith and Mandy Franks, negresses, were found swinging from ropes from, trees on the side of the road leading from, Jeff. Ala., to Huntsville. The lynching was done by a mob of about 20 persons., The girls were suspected of poisoning the family of Joseph Kelly at Jeff. Mollie, Smith was arrested last night while going, across the Tennessee line. Mandy Franks was captured at home. The latter is said to have made a confession. About two, months ago Mr. Kelly died of poisoning., A few days ago several other members of the family were poisoned, but all are recovering. Huntsville, Ala., May 12. The corpses, of two negresses, Tollie Smith and Mandy, White, are dangling from the limb of a live oak just on the outskirts of the village of Jeff. They were hanged last night, for poisoning Joshua Kelly, a well known, citizen. They confessed to two attempts, on the lives of the Kelly family. The first attempt resulted in the death of Kelly., Sheriff J. P. Powell has gone to the scene, to cut down the bodies. 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 afterwards. On May, 1 the family and tenants of the deceased, were poisoned again in some mysterious, manner. There are six whites and eight, negroes affected. Messrs. D. E. and Lamson Kelly became critically ill, as did Mrs., E. Kelly, Oakley Woodward, a clerk in, a store who came near dying from the, other poisoning, and a Tennessee drummer who spent the night with them, are, two other victims. Incriminating evi-, evidence was found on Saturday at the Kelly home at Jeff and a clue in the shape, of a box of poison led to the detection of, the negresses. The premises were searched and underneath the kitchen was found, a box of poison. It was stamped with the, trade mark of D. O. & J. E. Kelly, grocers at Jeff. The poison, which was, rough on rats, was placed in the biscuit, of which all the affected ate. The lynching occurred early this morning and was, participated in by a mob of 20 or 30 persons.