ALABAMA MOB HANGS TWO NEGRO SUSPECTS
- Title
- ALABAMA MOB HANGS TWO NEGRO SUSPECTS
- Source Type
- Newspapers
- Publisher
- Tabor Independent
- Publication Place
- Tabor, SD
- Publication Date
- 01/07/1915
- Transcript
- ALABAMA MOB HANGS TWO NEGRO SUSPECTS Jail Attaches Overpowered—Militia Too Late to Pr vent Lynching. Montgomery, Ala., Jan. 5.—Two negroes, Ed and Will Smith, were taken from the Wetumpka jail early today and lynched by a mob. They had been accused of implication in the murder of R. A. Stillwell, an Elmore county farmer. Soon after reports reached the governor's office that a mob had overpowered the jail attaches at Wetumpka and removed the negroes, Montgomery militiamen hurried toward the scene in automobiles. However, they were too late to prevent the lynching. Stillwell was shot several days ago while guarding his barns against thieves. Bloodhounds led directly, it was declared, to the cabin of the Smith negroes, who were arrested. Searching parties later found the negroes' bodies hanging in the woods five miles from Wetumpak. Three supposed members of the mob are in jail at Wetumpka. Governor Oddie issued an order for a special session of the Elmore county grand jury to investigate the lynching. Three militia companies remained in Wetumpka throughout the day.