Brack Kinley was born in February of 1886 in McCracken County, Kentucky. Referencing the 1900 Census, he was written as ‘Brook Kinley’ and was 16 years old at the time. He stayed with his uncle Ben Willis and his family. Ben and Hester Willis had Brack’s younger sisters, Lulu and Martha Kinley. He could not read or write, but he could speak English and work as a day laborer. There is no information to identify Luther Durrett’s date of birth, however, he lived in McCracken County. From his death certificate, he was 32 at the age of the lynching, thereby meaning he was born approximately in 1884.
There is not much extent information about the life of Luther Durrett. The Paducah City Directory of 1916 Showed that Durrett was a laborer and lived on North 7th Street.
Brack Kinley was accused of assaulting Mrs. George D. Rose in her home on Pool Road. He was captured by a patrolman and arrested at his girlfriend, Katie Pitman’s home, 1006 Husbands Street. From there, Kinley was taken to the county jail and was later identified by Mrs. Rose. By approximately 7:30pm, a widespread message alarmed the city, and the mob snapped the front doors of the jail apart to grab Kinley. Judge Reed refused to suffice to the mob claiming, “I will not be a party to your mob, gentlemen, and I will say that everyone who participates in this mob will be indicted.” After demanding Kinley’s release from the county jail, they forced him to walk three miles, back to Pool Road and the Rose residence.
Luther Durrett then comes into the scene, carrying a caliber .44 revolver, claiming he was going to shoot every white civilian in town. Hundreds began to follow in automobiles, and Kinley was taken into Mrs. Rose’s house with mob members. She screamed “Glory to God!” insisting he was the right man, not being deceived. Kinley denied guilt from his last moments, and was carried to the location where Luther Durrett was already hanged quietly and quickly. He was roped and fastened, as they began to lift him up with Durrett’s body. If the hanging wasn’t enough, the mob and over five thousand spectators riddled both bodies with over two hundred bullets but Mrs. Rose demanded more. She cried, “burn him, burn him, God forgive me if I’ve done anything wrong.” The fire set below them burned their bodies, leaving a pile of bones. The aftermath of smoke streaming from the tree left behind a disgusting and horrific scene.
Location of the Lynching
