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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letcher County
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Woods, Lexington Herald-Leader, November 30, 1927
Subject
The topic of the resource
Woods, Leonard
Mob, 200-500 members
Charge, murder
Mob, unmasked
Description
An account of the resource
<h3>Man is Lynched By Armed Mob </h3>
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<div dir="auto"><strong>Leonard Woods, Negro, Arrested in Slaying, Shot to Death; Body Placed on Platform and Structure Fired; Inquiry Is Begun<br /><br /></strong></div>
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<div dir="auto">Frankfort, Ky., Nov. 30 (AP)— Gov. William J. Fields, when informed today of the lynching of Leonard Woods, Negro, 20, taken from the jail at Whitesburg by a mob said to have been from Virginia, said that he had received no notification from officials of Letcher county. He said that when officially notified of the lynching he would “take any action that a Governor of a State could take.”<br /><br /></div>
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<div dir="auto">Jenkins, Ky., Nov. 30 (AP)— Soaring flames rising from the top of Cumberland Mountain signaled the death of Leonard Woods, Negro, who was lynched by a mob of more than 200 armed men early today.<br /><br /></div>
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<div dir="auto">Woods, arrested for the slaying of Hershel Deaton, 35, mine foreman for the Elkton Coal Corporation at Fleming, Ky., was shot to death as he faced a half circle of rifles. Then his body was placed on a platform recently erected for the dedication ceremonies at the opening of the Kentucky-Virginia highway. Gasoline was poured over it and a match touched off the structure.<br /><br /></div>
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<div dir="auto">The man had been arrested near Fleming shortly after Deaton’s body was found Sunday. Growing excitement caused officers to take the prisoner to Whitesburg Tuesday for safekeeping. Late Tuesday night a motorcade of more than 150 cars arrived in Whitesburg . An unmasked throng of men approached the jail, sawed through its iron bars, placed a chain around the prisoner’s neck and led him away.<br /><br /></div>
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<div dir="auto">Mrs. Fess Whittaker, the jailer, said the mob made no demonstration at the jail. She was powerless to resist the intruders, she said. Two Negro women who were arrested with Woods in connection with the slaying were unmolested.<br /><br /></div>
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<div dir="auto">Deaton was shot to death when he refused to allow Woods and the two women to ride in his automobile Sunday night, authorities charged.<br /><br /></div>
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<div dir="auto">The Governor of Kentucky heretofore has pursued a policy of summary dismissal from office of any jailer of State authority who has permitted the removal of his charges by unauthorized persons without physical resistance.<br /><br /></div>
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<div dir="auto"><strong>Investigation is Begun </strong><br /><br /></div>
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<div dir="auto">Whitesburg, Ky., Nov. 30 (AP)— County Attorney Harry L. Moore, immediately began an investigation into the lynching of Leonard Woods. “We will make every investigation possible and if evidence is obtained that the mob came from Virginia,” Moore said, “we will make protest to the Governor of Virginia against an armed force invading a Kentucky county, breaking into its jail and taking out and killing a prisoner.”<br /><br /><br />
<div id=":176" class="a3s aiL ">Meantime, search was being made for six prisoners who escaped from the battered jail here after the mob left. Thirty other prisoners did not leave.<br />
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<div dir="auto">County Judge Noah Bentley who was awakened by shots fired by the mob told this story:<br /><br /></div>
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<div dir="auto">“The mob came into Whitesburg about 11 o’clock in between 75 and 100 automobiles. Estimates I have received placed the crowd as high as 300. Where they were from I cannot say authoritatively, but I do not believe they were from Letcher county.<br /><br /></div>
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<div dir="auto">“Mrs. Fess Whitaker, jailer, received word a few minutes before the mob arrived that they were coming and took her five children to the home of a neighbor for shelter. Before she could return the mob had arrived. The jailer’s residence is in the jail building.<br /><br /></div>
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<div dir="auto">“Sheriff T.M. Reynolds also received word the mob was coming and started preparations to remove Woods, but the mob beat him to the jail. The sheriff pleaded with the mob to let the law take its course. He was told by leaders of the crowd ‘We’re not aiming to hurt anyone in this town, but we are determined to get that Negro.’<br /><br /></div>
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<div dir="auto">“A number of shots were fired by the mob. Attempt was made to shoot the lock off the gate of a high iron fence around the jail but it withstood the bullets. Then they climbed the fence and broke into the jail through the roof. A ladder was out to the roof and men tore a hole and went down into the jail. They broke into the jail and sawed and battered their way out.<br /><br /></div>
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<div dir="auto">“Hacksaws, axes, railroad ties and other things were used to cut and batter the jail. Bars of Woods’ cell were sawed and he was pulled out. They also took out Susan Armstrong, 25, and Anna May Emory, 25, Negro women jointly charged with Woods with the killing of Deaton but they were allowed to return to the jail.<br /><br /></div>
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<div dir="auto">“It was about midnight when the mob took Woods away. My information is that they took him to Pound Gap and hanged him in Virginia, 100 feet from the Kentucky line. <br /><br /></div>
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<div dir="auto">“I live half a mile away from the court house and jail. My son awakened me about midnight and told me he heard shooting. I got up and the mob was then driving out of town. The county attorney will make a report to the Governor.”<br /><br /></div>
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<div dir="auto">The mob paused at Fleming, where Deaton worked and fired a few shots. Other demonstrations were staged at Neon and Jenkins. Jenkins officials protested against the Negro being lynched there and the crowd went on. The motorcade was joined by others along the route and the mob was estimated at 500 when it reached Pound Gap in the Cumberland mountains, the scene of the lynching. <br /><br /></div>
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Source
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<a href="https://www.newspapers.com/article/lexington-herald-leader/112677246/">Newspapers.com</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Lexington Herald-Leader
Date
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1927-11-30
Contributor
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Micah Lynn
Format
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Image
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Whitesburg; Fleming-Neon; Jenkins; Pound Gap, Letcher County
1920-1930
1927
Fleming-Neon
Jenkins
Letcher County
Micah Lynn
Pound Gap
Transcribed
Whitesburg
Woods