LYNCHED IN A THEATRE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 324, 10 June 1911, Page 9

LYNCHED IN A THEATRE.

terrible vengeance on a NEGRO MURDERER. • New York, April "21. A negro named Potter, who. was ar- [ rested for shooting an unarmed white man during a quarrel at Livermore, Kentucky, was lynched yesterday. The town marshal took Potter to the gaol, but a furious crowd gathered, and for greater security the authorities removed the negro to the Opera House. Fifty men who were determined to have vengeance 011 Potter carried the Opera House and seized him. They sent the news through the town, anil crowds hastened to the theatre, and tried to make their way into the building. The lynchers announced that a feo must lie paid for admission, and while several of their number collected the money others set the stage, put the scenery into position, and dropped the curtain. Meanwhile, the crowd in the front of Lhe house was informed that after Potter had been hanged shots might be iired at his body. lhe setting of the stage occupied some considerable time, and the audience, which numbered several hundreds, yelled for the "performance" to begin.

At length the curtain went up. The negro was dragged down tho stage, shrieking and begging for mercy. His arms and legs were pinioned, a rope was placed round his neck, and lie was hanged from the proscenium arch while the crowd yelled its execrations. The lynchers gave so vigorous a push to the dying man that he swung far out over the footlights into the "auditorium, and while he swung back again the lynchers hurried from the stage. This was the signal for the audience to produce their revolvers and fire a volley at the human pendulum. More than a hundred shots were fired, and then tho mob went home, leaving the negro dangling at the end of the rone riddled with bullets. ' He was dead when the county sheriff arrived soon afterwards. The fees which were paid for admission to the theatre were handed to the family of the murdered white man.