LYNCHED IN FIRE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 115, 4 November 1911, Page 1 (Supplement)

LYNCHED IN FIRE.

Amid scenes of almost unexampled ferocity and. horror, Ezekiel Walker, a wounded negro, dragged last month out of the hospital at Coatesville, 3d miles from Philadelphia (U.S.A.), by a mob of lynchers, and, manacled to his hospital cot, was burned to death in the presence of 2000 spectators. While residents of the Quaker State were engaged in this barbaric execution, another mob at Du- ' rant, Oklahoma, was also burning a negro at the stake. The second lynching secured only a casual mention in the newspapers, because he was guilty of attacking a woman in a Southern State, where such vengeance is too frequent for more than passing .notice. The Coatesville crime, however, is the first time a lynching has ever taken place in Pennsylvania, which is a Northern State, where lynch law is supposed to be nonexistent. Details show that no Southern mob displayed worse cruelty than the Northerners. Walker shot a policeman on the previous night wdio had attempted to arrest him for highway robbery. Walker escaped, and a mob pursued him. When lie was caught. Walker attempted to commit suicide by shooting himself in the mouth just before, a posse overtook him, and he was removed to the hospital badly injured. A mob of 000 gathered before the hospital and demanded Walker's surrender, which was refused. A committee of 50 then invaded the building and rushed about howling for Walker. The other patients, (error-stricken, tried to leave their sick beds, not knowing what was occurring. Walker was finally found by the mob. which tried to lift him out of his cot. but he was manacled to its sides, and the attendants refused to unlock the handcuffs.

A policeman was guarding Walker, and he tried to frighten the mob by firing with his revolver at the coiling. But the only result was to cause further alarm to the other patients. The mob picked the cot up. with Walker bound to it. and carried it outside, whore hundreds of other citizens greeted Walker's pleas for mercy with cries of derision. The cot was thrown to the ground, and the lynchers tried to unlock the manacles, but could not succeed. Many willing hands seized the suffering negro and his cot. and. dragged them through the streets. The cot was overturned several times, and the procession halted while it was righted, and then continued the journey, with the negro moaning and pleading for his life. The lynchers passed several churches as evening service was terminating, and many worshippers joined the throng, shouting curses at the black.

After flrajrsrin.s the negro a mile out of the town, the procession halted beside a field. The cot was lifted up. with Walker still manacled to it. and thrown heavily over a fence into a field, where straw was piled high. The prostrate black, who continued to cry for mercy, shouted: "T killed him in self-defence. Give me a chance for a trial. Do not dive me a crooked deal because T am not a white." More straw thrown on him was the answer, and a match was applied. As the flames shot up. fence rails were added to the pyre. The mob now numbered 2000. and included manv women, who. however, remained in the background. The negro shrieked as the flames leaped high, then, exerting superhuman strength, freed his feet, jumped out of the flames with the cot held to him by his clenched hands, and stumbled to the ground. He was picked up with the cot and hurled back in the flames. He tried to escape again from the torturing heat, and this time was jabbed savagch- with pitchforks, which neighboring farmers had brought to the scene, and was cast again into the fire. A third time he arose, and the cot was now blazing at his back. But strength failed him. and he fell in the burning pile with a piercing crv of agony. The mob waited till the hodv was incinerated, and then raked the manacles and connecting chains white-hot out of the fire and broke them into pieces. They were cooled with water and distributed as souvenirs. Bearing these ghastly mementoes, the lynchers returned to town, surrounded by other citizens, to whom thev related amid expressions of approval the details of the crime. The widow of the murdered policeman, interviewed, expressed herself as satisfied with the mode .of the negro's death. "Mv onlv regret is." she said, "that T was not there to apply the match."