| Kansas City Daily Journal, 08-August-1925 |
This lynching is particularly appalling because the victim was accused of holding up a car and pulling the woman out. In most states, this is not a capital crime.
WOMEN AND CHILDREN SEE NEGRO DIE
MOB CHASES LAWYER AFTER MERCY PLEA
Crowd Indifferent as Rope Brings Death;
Jeering Boys in Lines.
By CEDRIC WORTH
of Journal-Post Staff
EXCELSIOR SPRINGS, MO., AUG. 7. -- A thousand men, women and children, the typical resort crowd here,
watched a small mob hang a Negro today to the limb of a tree.
The Negro, Walter Mitchell, 30 years old, was accused of attacking Maude Hold, 18-year-old daughter
of a farmer living near Lawson last night.
As the mob, which had taken him from the city jail, stopped beneath the tree to which he was to be hanged, Mitchell fell to the ground. He was handcuffed. The crowd of onlookers which had followed the mob from the jail in motor cars and on foot, pressed closer.
"What have you to say," one of the leaders asked as he bent over the form of the negro.
"Oh God," whispered Mitchell, "give me an hour and I'll prove I didn't do it."
A. J. Rowell, a lawyer, who earlier in the day had agreed to defend the negro, attempted to remonstrate with the members of the mob.
"You're hanging an innocent man," he cried. "For God's sake let him pray."
A few members of the mob chased the aged lawyer up a hill, where he hid in the brush.
The rope was placed about Mitchell' neck as he lay on the ground. It was thrown over a limb about twelve feet high. Several men seized the rope's end and swung Mitchell clear of the ground.
The Negro did not utter a sound. As the rope tightened, he shuddered, looking at the hard faces around him -- and then death.
The leaders of the mob dispersed the mob as the crowd grew and took on a holiday atmosphere as the (damaged page) of the Negro was pointed out to newcomers.
A Wabash passenger train of two cars, arriving at the scene just before the Negro was swung clear of the ground stopped and passengers and crew watched the lynching. The train did not move until Mitchell was dead.
Five attacks, led by men from the vicinity of Lawson, were made on the jail before an entrance was gained by a ruse.
The city prison in in the rear of the building which houses the fire station. John F. Cravens, chief of police, was holding the building with the aid of deputies who had been sent down from Liberty.
At 2:15 o'clock a fire alarm was turned in. The fire apparatus dashed into the street where the mob had congregated. Fifty men rushed into the building before the doors to the fire department could be closed by the two deputies in the room at the time.
These men were J. J. Lowe, deputy sheriff, and Columbus Acuff, deputy constable. Lowe stood in front of the door leading to the Negro's cell. About fifty men rushed into the one of them threatened him with a mattock.
"Stand out of the way," the man shouted to Lowe.
Others seized the deputies. With a single blow, a man who had threatened Lowe broke the lock from the door to the cell.
Mitchell had heard the mob earlier, but did not seem frightened. When the cell door opened, he dropped to the floor and rolled under a bunk. William Snow, his cellmate, was thrust to one side and Mitchell was dragged out to a waiting motor car.
Efforts to make him confess his guilt were unsuccessful.
The mob passed through the streets of the town, at times dragging Mitchell by the rop which had been placed around his chest. He could not walk. His hands were bound. The mob grew as news of the jail break passed through the town.
Women joined the throng with children in their arms. Family parties came in motor cars. Small boys in great numbers were jeering along beside the leaders, who had Mitchell.
Past the Elms hotel the mob went to a point about a quarter of a mile from the nearest dwelling house on the Wabash tracks.
The tree on which Mitchell was hanged was across the tracks from the old Excelsior bottling works.
A search for Mitchell started at midnight and did not end until his arrest by Cravens in the house in which he roomed this morning.
The attack, as detailed by Miss Holt and Leonard Utt, 20 years old, who was with her, was made near her home last night. Utt and Miss Holt were returning to her home after attending a party in Lawson. As they neared the Holt farm, a Negro jumped to the running board, thrust a flashlight into the ford coupe in which they were riding, and order (sic -- JT) them to give him their money. Utt said today he gave the man $2.
Then, according to their story, the Negro seized the girl and pulled her from the car. He threw her to the road and she screamed. Her screams frightened the Negro, who ran into a field. Utt and Miss Holt went to the Holt home and told their story.
Three photographers attempting to photograph the lynching were assaulted by members od the mob and one camera was destroyed. Ben Strathman, Excelsior Springs photographer, raised his camera and it was knocked from his hands. Members of the mob kicked it to pieces.
Dan Larimer, a press photographer, was assaulted by several men who had seen his take a picture of the hanging. He fled beneath the slowly moving cars of the Wabash train which arrived as the hanging was taking place and escaped with his camera broken.
An attack on Norman E. Crosswell, Journal-Post photographer failed to break the camera or the plates which he had taken of the mob.
A riot call meanwhile had been sent to Kansas City. Fifty-six policemen, led by Lieut. W. H. Arnold, rushed to Excelsior Springs by motor car. They arrived about twenty minutes after the hanging and W. A. Stevenson, city detective, cut Mitchell's body down.
(damaged page)Leslie (damaged page), coroner of Clay county, disclosed later Mitchell died of strangulation. He will hold no inquest.
Raymond Cummins, prosecution, refused to say last night what action he will take, other than that an investigation will be made. It is possible, he said, that Judge Ralph Hughes of the circuit court will be recalled from Minnewta where he is on a vacation to summon a grand jury immediately.
Mitchell was born in Meriden, Miss., and came North ten years ago. He has a wife in St. Paul, Minn.
A long line of people stood in the street after the body had been taken to the undertakers. There were more women than men in the line awaiting an opportunity to see the body of the Negro.
Several motor cars loaded with Negroes left Excelsior Springs late today in the direction of Kansas City. No trouble between whites and blacks is expected by the authorities here.
As the mob, which had taken him from the city jail, stopped beneath the tree to which he was to be hanged, Mitchell fell to the ground. He was handcuffed. The crowd of onlookers which had followed the mob from the jail in motor cars and on foot, pressed closer.
"What have you to say," one of the leaders asked as he bent over the form of the negro.
"Oh God," whispered Mitchell, "give me an hour and I'll prove I didn't do it."
A. J. Rowell, a lawyer, who earlier in the day had agreed to defend the negro, attempted to remonstrate with the members of the mob.
Chase Aged Lawyer
"You're hanging an innocent man," he cried. "For God's sake let him pray."
A few members of the mob chased the aged lawyer up a hill, where he hid in the brush.
The rope was placed about Mitchell' neck as he lay on the ground. It was thrown over a limb about twelve feet high. Several men seized the rope's end and swung Mitchell clear of the ground.
The Negro did not utter a sound. As the rope tightened, he shuddered, looking at the hard faces around him -- and then death.
The leaders of the mob dispersed the mob as the crowd grew and took on a holiday atmosphere as the (damaged page) of the Negro was pointed out to newcomers.
A Wabash passenger train of two cars, arriving at the scene just before the Negro was swung clear of the ground stopped and passengers and crew watched the lynching. The train did not move until Mitchell was dead.
Five Attacks on Jail.
Five attacks, led by men from the vicinity of Lawson, were made on the jail before an entrance was gained by a ruse.
The city prison in in the rear of the building which houses the fire station. John F. Cravens, chief of police, was holding the building with the aid of deputies who had been sent down from Liberty.
At 2:15 o'clock a fire alarm was turned in. The fire apparatus dashed into the street where the mob had congregated. Fifty men rushed into the building before the doors to the fire department could be closed by the two deputies in the room at the time.
These men were J. J. Lowe, deputy sheriff, and Columbus Acuff, deputy constable. Lowe stood in front of the door leading to the Negro's cell. About fifty men rushed into the one of them threatened him with a mattock.
"Stand out of the way," the man shouted to Lowe.
Jeering Boys in Mob.
Others seized the deputies. With a single blow, a man who had threatened Lowe broke the lock from the door to the cell.
Mitchell had heard the mob earlier, but did not seem frightened. When the cell door opened, he dropped to the floor and rolled under a bunk. William Snow, his cellmate, was thrust to one side and Mitchell was dragged out to a waiting motor car.
Efforts to make him confess his guilt were unsuccessful.
The mob passed through the streets of the town, at times dragging Mitchell by the rop which had been placed around his chest. He could not walk. His hands were bound. The mob grew as news of the jail break passed through the town.
Women joined the throng with children in their arms. Family parties came in motor cars. Small boys in great numbers were jeering along beside the leaders, who had Mitchell.
Past the Elms hotel the mob went to a point about a quarter of a mile from the nearest dwelling house on the Wabash tracks.
Tell of Attack.
The tree on which Mitchell was hanged was across the tracks from the old Excelsior bottling works.
A search for Mitchell started at midnight and did not end until his arrest by Cravens in the house in which he roomed this morning.
The attack, as detailed by Miss Holt and Leonard Utt, 20 years old, who was with her, was made near her home last night. Utt and Miss Holt were returning to her home after attending a party in Lawson. As they neared the Holt farm, a Negro jumped to the running board, thrust a flashlight into the ford coupe in which they were riding, and order (sic -- JT) them to give him their money. Utt said today he gave the man $2.
Then, according to their story, the Negro seized the girl and pulled her from the car. He threw her to the road and she screamed. Her screams frightened the Negro, who ran into a field. Utt and Miss Holt went to the Holt home and told their story.
Sandals a Clew.
A posse of farmers examined the ground about the place where the motor car had stopped and found tracks made by
sandals. Mitchell, who worked for F. J. Strong on the farm adjoining the Holts, is said to have worn sandals.
When Mitchell was arrested by Cravens this morning he had been in bed. A pair of sandals which fitted the tracks and a flashlight such as Miss Holt said Mitchell carried were found in his bedroom, Cravens said.
Miss Holt identified Mitchell at the city hall here this morning. She refused to comment on the attach or on the action of the mob, which appeared imminent.
Her father conferred with ten men of Excelsior Springs and asked them what he should do. They counseled against mob action, and Holt agreed with them. Later he demanded another conference. While it was in session, the mob stormed the jail and took Mitchell.
When Mitchell was arrested by Cravens this morning he had been in bed. A pair of sandals which fitted the tracks and a flashlight such as Miss Holt said Mitchell carried were found in his bedroom, Cravens said.
Miss Holt identified Mitchell at the city hall here this morning. She refused to comment on the attach or on the action of the mob, which appeared imminent.
Her father conferred with ten men of Excelsior Springs and asked them what he should do. They counseled against mob action, and Holt agreed with them. Later he demanded another conference. While it was in session, the mob stormed the jail and took Mitchell.
Assault Photographers.
Three photographers attempting to photograph the lynching were assaulted by members od the mob and one camera was destroyed. Ben Strathman, Excelsior Springs photographer, raised his camera and it was knocked from his hands. Members of the mob kicked it to pieces.
Dan Larimer, a press photographer, was assaulted by several men who had seen his take a picture of the hanging. He fled beneath the slowly moving cars of the Wabash train which arrived as the hanging was taking place and escaped with his camera broken.
An attack on Norman E. Crosswell, Journal-Post photographer failed to break the camera or the plates which he had taken of the mob.
A riot call meanwhile had been sent to Kansas City. Fifty-six policemen, led by Lieut. W. H. Arnold, rushed to Excelsior Springs by motor car. They arrived about twenty minutes after the hanging and W. A. Stevenson, city detective, cut Mitchell's body down.
Not to Hold Inquest.
(damaged page)Leslie (damaged page), coroner of Clay county, disclosed later Mitchell died of strangulation. He will hold no inquest.
Raymond Cummins, prosecution, refused to say last night what action he will take, other than that an investigation will be made. It is possible, he said, that Judge Ralph Hughes of the circuit court will be recalled from Minnewta where he is on a vacation to summon a grand jury immediately.
Mitchell was born in Meriden, Miss., and came North ten years ago. He has a wife in St. Paul, Minn.
A long line of people stood in the street after the body had been taken to the undertakers. There were more women than men in the line awaiting an opportunity to see the body of the Negro.
Several motor cars loaded with Negroes left Excelsior Springs late today in the direction of Kansas City. No trouble between whites and blacks is expected by the authorities here.