LYNCH LAW IN AMERICA.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2371, 18 June 1892, Page 3

LYNCH LAW IN AMERICA.

A farmer driving to church on a Sunday morning in Richland Parish (Louisiana) saw the body of a coloured girl hanging from a cottonwood tree by the roadside. Upon examination it was found to be a servant name Ella Smith, lately employed at the house of W. Helmer, on Greeuwell Plantation, 20 miles from Rayville. The girl had been hanged for attempting to poison the family of her employers. It appears that recently all the members of the Helmer family (nine in number) became violently shortly after breakfast. The doctor was ill called in, aM declared that they had been poisoned, accidentally or designedly. Suspicion fell upon the coloured servant, Ella Smith, who. had been frequently reprimanded for bad temper and neglect of duty. When taxed with the crime the girl finally confessed that she had poured the contents of a packet of vermin powder into the coffee pot, and that all the inmates of the house had drank from it except herself. In making her confession the girl exhibited the greatest indifference as to the possible consequences of her act, and the only excuse she gave was that she wished to poison the butler, with whom she had quarrelled, and she didn't care how many others were killed. The girl was locked up by the neighbors who had been called in to assist the poisoned family, she being placed in a store room under heavy lock. On Saturday afternoon two neighbors started with her for Rayville County seat with a view of handing her over to the police. Meantime, exaggerated reports regarding the poisoning had spread through the country, and greatly excited the residents, Mr Helmer being a very popularplanter. It was even reported that the crime was the result of a negro plot to destroy the whites. Shortly after noon on Saturday the girl, in charge of two guards—both youths belonging to the neighboring families—started for Rayville, 20 mile 3 distant. All three were on horseback, the girl being between her guards, mounted on a pony. She was not bound, because, in the first place, she seemed indifferent to her fate, whilst her captors were well mounted, and she could not have escaped even had she tried to do so. When the party had proceeded about half the distance, out of a clump of trees by the wayside rode a band of masked men, about 20 in all. "Is this the girl who poisoned the Helmers 1" asked the one in command. Neither of the girl's captors replied, but the prisoner looked sullenly at the mob and said, " Yes, lam the girl." " Then we want her," said one of the mob. Two men advanced and grasped the pony's halter. Her guards made no resistance, and the victim was led away without >emonstrance on her own part. Over a stout branch of cottonwood tree one of the lynchers threw a rope, one end of which was tied to a fence rail, the noose at the other end being placed around the girl's neck as she sat upon the pony. All being ready, the ringleader cut the pony with his whip, and the animal sprang forward, leaving the body of the girl dangling in the air. With her hands, which had not been bound, she attempted to grasp the rope ; but was unable to do so. In a few minutes she was dead, and the mob rode off, leaving the body hanging for planters to see on their way to church. All the Helmers are in a fair way to recovery. The negroes are much excited, and threaten to revenge the lynching.