Lynch Law in Kentucky. Full Particulars of the Lynching of Parker Mayo. Terrible Punishment for a Terrible Crime
Cin, Apr. 2.-“ From the Cincinnati Enquirer, Our dispatches yesterday announced the lynching of a colored man Parker Mayo, near Walton, Ky., for the rape of a white child near that place. With a view to obtaining full particulars of the affair and of the crime for which he suffered, an Enquirer reporter took passage on the 3 o'clock Short Line Railroad train yesterday afternoon, and was landed in Walton an hour later. Diligent inquiry in the proper quarters revealed the following facts: Parker Mayo was a -colored mulatto, who was born a slave on the plantation of Mr. Diedrick, near James River, Va. For the past year and a half he has been working off and on on the construction train of the Louisville Short Line Railroad, and living off it when out of work as a sort of hangeron. Last Tuesday, about noon, he presented himself at the cabin or shanty of a railroad laborer named James Murray, which 18 situated just north of the crossing of the Cincinnati Southern and Louisville Short Line Railroads, about a mile and three- quarters from Walton, and close to the place where Allen and Goss fought last September. Murray was absent at the time visiting his wife, who, with her youngest child, is an inmate of St. Elizabeth Hospital, in Covington, undergoing treatment for sore eyes. In the cabin was Murray daughter, Molly, a little girl of nine years, and her two little brothers, one six and half and the other three years old. As soon 38 Mayo entered the shanty he took the little girl by the band and pulled her over to the bed, upon which he threw her, and then putting his hand over her mouth to prevent her outcries attracting attention, he forced her to submit to his loathsome embraces. The human brute compelled his little victim to remain in bed with him all the afternoon, as she, in her innocence told him where her parents were, and be had no fear of interruption. Towards evening he left the cabin, but did not stay away more than an hour or so when he returned, and this time he endeavored to entice the little girl to go down to the woods with him. She refused to accompany him, whereupon he offered her several dollars in money if she would comply with his wishes. Molly still resisted his request, and then he threatened to shoot her if she did not do as he wanted. The child cried out in alarm, and the brute, becoming alarmed, fled and did not return. It is thought that he intended to coax the little girl to the woods, so that he could murder her and so prevent her from telling the story of his horrible crime. The little boys he evidently did not think old enough to bear evidence against him, Wednesday he went to the house of a man named Shefly, who lives on the farm of Mr. George T. Gaines, on the Covington and Lexington pike. Mr. Shefly was away from the house at the time at work, and Mayo asked Mrs. Shefly what she would charge him to make him some shirts. She informed him that she sometimes took in sewing, but that just then she had too much work of her own to attend to, and that she could not sew for anybody outside of her own family. Just then two men came down the road, and the negro seeing them, left Mrs. Shefly and started off. As soon as the men were well out of sight he returned to her house, and said that he would like to make a trade with her for two dollars. She replied that she had nothing to trade with him, and then he became more outspoken in his advances. His conduct so incensed Mrs. Shefly that she outered him away from her house. Mayo responded that she 'needn't talk that way to him as she couldn't frighten him.' He also told her that he could throw her down and do what he pleased with her, and that she could not help herself, as he was armed. In proof of his last assertion he produced a revolver. The frantic woman, almost frightened to death, caught her infant in her arms and fled screaming in the direction where her husband was working. Intelligence of the negro's heinous crime upon the little girl Murray, and of his attempt upon the person of Mrs. Shelly, spread rapidly, and scouting parties were organized to hunt him down. Wednesday night one of these parties, consisting of two men, one of them Mr. Shefly, arrived in Florence in search of Mayo, and not being able to obtain lodging in its hotel, went to a haystack in the vicinity to pass away the night. In raking down some hay to make a bed they uncovered Mayo, who was sleeping there, and they returned to Florence, where they procured Constable Theodore Chambers, who went to the baystack and arrested the negro. Thursday morning he was brought to Walton, and that afternoon he had a preliminary examination before 'Squires child, Reuben Conner. Both the child Molly, Murray and Mrs. Shefly appeared against after recognizing him as the man who had assaulted them, detailed the manner of the assault as above detailed. Mrs. O'Gorman, of Allen-Goss prize fight fame, made an examination of the littie girl, and said she was not much injured about the person, but that the body and breasts were much bruised and swollen. O'Gorman was not sure whether or not Mayo had accomplished fendish purpose upon the child. At the conclusion of the examination Mayo was held over in the sum of $500 to appear at the next term of the Boone County Criminal Court, to answer to the charge on rape Upon the person of the child Murray, and the sum of $100 to answer a charge of assault with intent to commit rape upon Mrs. Shefly. The bail was placed at these merely nominal figures because the 'Squires were convinced that it was knew impossible for all him to give $50 bail, and they knew for all practical purposes that a $500 bail would hold him as firm as would $5,000. After the examination 'Squire Conner succeeded in getting a quasi admission of guilt out of Mayo, by asking him if he was not sorry about what he'd done. He replied that he was. "I reckon you wouldn't do it again if you had to do it again, would you?" queried the 'Squire. "No indeed, I would not", responded the villain. A mittimus for Mayo's detention in the Boone County Jail was them made out and given to Constable Theodore Chambers and his assistant, Wm. Kenyon. Public feeling was very strong against the negro and he saw and felt that he was doomed to die before morning. Indeed, it is asserted that he was told so before leaving the 'Squire's office. Between seven and eight o'clock in the evening the officers placed Mayo in a light,open -topped spring-wagon and started with him for Burlington, the county seat of Boone. They had just got to the point about the outskirts of Walton when they noticed they were being followed by two men on horseback, and this fact made the negro very nervous. When they reached a piece woods just in the vicinity of Murray's cabin, the mare they were driving shied, and the next moment twenty-five or thirty men jumped up from the fence corner and ordered the men to halt. Chambers said. "Bill give me a pistol; gentlemen, this is an outrage." "God damn you, I'll give you a pistol" replied one of the crowd at the same running the muzzle of his six shooter against Chambers' nose. The latter just then lost all interest in his own premises and concentrated his mind upon appeals to the man who had the "drop" on him not to shoot. Kenyon sprang to his mare's head to keep her from running away, but a gentleman stepped in front of him, and, presenting his pistol, said:"Now you stand back I'll take care of this animal myself," By this time the crowd had seized Mayo, and as they took him over the fence into the field, Chambers and Kenyon sprang into the vehicle and drove rapidly away. When they got about fifty yards away they fired off two shots at the mob, and the latter returned the compliment with interest. They concluded that the climate was not overly healthy just then, so they left it on the double-quick. About midnight a representative of the Enquirer left Walton, and by 1 o'clock the body of the negro was discovered hanging to the limb of a tree just west of the road,and the fact was at once telegraphed to this paper. Yesterday morning Mayo's body was cut down the absence of the and 'Squire Norman, in the absence of the Coroner, held an inquest on it. The jury was composed of the following gentlemen: Gilbert Booth, Elijah Green, Joseph Beiler, Andrew Casey, Thomas Coyle and A. S. Arnold. After hearing the testimony in the case, which was very meagre, they returned a verdict finding that deceased "Came to his death by hanging by persons unknown to the jury." The body, which looked around extremely natural and unmarked, except where the throat where the rope had cut a grove in it, was then placed in a plain wooden coffin and buried within one hundred yards of the tree upon which it was found."
Newspapers.com
Documenting Racial Violence in Kentucky, Parker Mayo
Casey, The Ohio County News, October 17, 1877
Charge, Assaulting a Married White Woman
Ky, Oct. 19,- "Dick Casey, a negro charged with committing rape in a white girl, was taken from the jail at Hardinsurg a few nights ago by a mob and hung. There are times when mob law might be approved, but when the prisoner is in jail with a prospect of punishment to the full extent of the law there is not much sense or reason to it."
Documenting Racial Violence in Kentucky, Dick Casey
Charge, Attempted Rape and Murder of a White Woman
Cario, Ill, May 22.- "On Sunday night a party of disguised men went to the jail at Blandville Ky., and with drawn pistols demanded and received the keys. They then seized the negro, Levi Pile, who attempted to outrage and murder Mrs. C.R. Pile last week, tied a rope around his neck, tied him to a mule, and dragged him away to the woods. Nothing further is known except that his dead body was found hanging to a tree with several bullet-holes in it, and the clothing burned off. At last accounts the body was still hanging."
Morton, The Evening Bulletin, Mon, October 15, 1894
Charge, Murder of one white man and one white sheriff
A coldblooded Muder Occurs at Lexington LOUISVILLE, Oct. 15. - A special to the Commercial from Lexington, Ky., says: Another lynching was added to the unusually large fall series of Blue Grass lynching bees Saturday. Saturday at the close of the Beattyville fair, Oscar Morton, a prominent citizen of Stanton, in Powell county, went on the warpath. Only two weeks ago Morton killed his man at Stanton and was out on $5,000 bond to appear next week at the Powell circuit court. When Morton arrived at the fair he procceded to get drunk and then went to hunt for Sheriff William Simms, who was his deadly enemy, a feud of long standing existing between the two men. Simms and Morton met near the entrance to the fair grounds, and after a few words both of them drew guns, and a quick exchange of shots followed, Morton using two guns. His first shot broke the sheriff's right arm at the elbow, and John Hogg, a friend of Simms, whipped out his gun and joined in the battle. When the smoke had cleared away it was found that Sheriff Simms was dead, being shot through his breast, one in his abdomen and another through his arm. Morton was shot through the neck, while Hogg was unhurt. Before a crowd could collect, Morton was hustled to the county jail and placed under guard. The people became infiuriated and a big meeting was at once held on the public square. Coloneal John Drummond mounted a barrel and made a speech in which he said that the murderer must be hanged, but that the work must be done quietly and with perfect order; Morton had killed two men in less than two weeks time, and he must die by the rope. A mob was quickly formed and marched to the jail. The jailer was overpowered and the keys to Morton's cell obtained. He was found lying in his shirt sleeves on the floor of his cell and after a bitter struggle was seized and dragged out. He then became very imprudent and told the mob he did not care what they did with him provided they did their work quick. After a short parley he was taken to a little bridge some distance from town and the rope was placed around his neck. The leaders drew their guns and told him to jump or else he would be riddles with bullets. Turning around the doomed man cursed his captors, and, uttering wild imprecations, leaped into space. The jump broke his neck, and after dangling in the air for some minutes he became still and a volley of shots were fired into him. The mob then dispersed, and the body was left dangling from the bridge. None of the mob made any attempt to conceal their identities, and the hanging was conducted with as much formality as if it had been a legal affair. The dead sheriff was only recently married and leaves a young wife. The murderer was a wealthy man, who lived in Stanton. He was killed three men. Coming to the fair he attempted to kill the fireman af the train because he would not increased the speed the locomotive was running. This is the eighth lynching in central Kentucky in the past three months and the people have determined to put down murder if they have to take the law in their own hands every time a man is killed. Morton's relatives are incensed over the lynching and it may be that some old feuds will be reopened.
Documenting Racial Violence in Kentucky, Oscar Morton
Mitchell, The Courier Journal, The Bourbon News, June 16, 1882
MT. STERLING Mrs. Thomas, a farmer's wife, outraged by a negro scoundrel, who is arrested. [Special to the courier-journal.] Mt. Sterling, June 14,- To-day about noon as the wife of Robert Thomas, a tobacco man, who lives on Smith Judis' farm, in the country, was crossing a field to visit a neighbor, she met Jim Mitchell, a negro do thiss city, whi secured her, smothering her cries, and outraged her. She succeeded in getting home and related her sad story yo Mr., Stanton, who came to the city and informed Deputy Sheriff Chenault of the affair. He'd immediately went in pursuit of the black fiend, captured him and he is now in jail here. The husband of the outraged woman, when he heard of the rape, procured a shotgun and, but for the interference of the officers, would have killed the deapoller of his home. Mr. Thomas is a poor man, but respectable, and the excitement over the outrage is intense. MT. STERLING, June 14.- A burly black brute named Mitchell, weighing 200 pounds, waylaid a reputable woman, the wife of Robert Johnson, a farmer living about two miles in the country, and committed a horrible rape upon her. She walked a mile and gave the information, and the negro was arrested and I'm jail at 3 o'clock, two hours after the prefpormance of the deed. There will likely be a hasty court held here by Judge Lynch to-night.
Jim Mitchell, a negro, was taken from the Sheriff near Mt.Sterling, Ky., while on his way to jail, and hanged. He had outraged a Mrs. Thomas (white), the day before. The mob consisted of about 500 men,
MATTERS IN KENTUCKY MT. STERLING A black ravisher receives proper attention at the hands of judge lynch. [special to the courier-journal] Mt.Sterling, June 15.- The negro, Jim Mitchell, who committed the outrage upon the wife of Robert Thomas yesterday afternoon, was taken from the jail during the night by five men, armed with revolvers who compelled the jailer to surrender the prisoner. He acknowledged his guilt, and was fully identified by his victim. His captors took him to a railroad trestle, about half a mile from town, strung him iup for safe keeping and left him. The lifeless body was cut down by the Coroner this morning and planted. The general impression is that Judge Lynch did a very good job, considering the brief time the court had in which to make up its mind.
May, Maysville Evening Bulletin, July 16, 1884
A mob attacked the Owensboro jail at an early hour Monday morning to secure a negro named Richard May, charged with rape. W.J. Lucas, the Jailer, resisted the attack, and was killed by the volley of shots that were interchanged. The mob then broke into the jail and hanged the negro.
Chronicling America
Tyler, Louisville Courier-Journal, July 26, 1894
Crime Quickly Avenged William Tyler, the Nicholas County Fiend, Hanged by a Mob At Carlisle This Morning– Taken from Jail By Friends of the Girl He Assaulted and Hanged to a Bridge Carlisle, Ky., July 26– (Special.)– William Tyler, the negro who committed the brutal criminal assault upon Anna Campbell at Blue Lick Tuesday night, was hanged by a mob here at 12:55 o’clock this (Thursday) morning. Tyler was captured at May’s Lick Wednesday morning and was brought here late in the afternoon. There had been threats of lynching ever since the news of his revolting crime became public. Tyler was brought from May’s Lick by Marshal Mitchell to Cowan Station, on the L. and N. railroad. Jailer Masten, of this city, met them at Myers’ Station and acted as escort to this place. When the officers arrived here on the 3:12 p.m. train, they found quite a crowd of curious persons assembled, and they took Tyler off on the far side of the train and rushed him to the county jail on a run. The Sheriff expected no violence from the citizens of the town, but about 5 p.m. the rumor was started that Tyler would be removed to some other county, and the Sheriff called upon and deputized twenty-five citizens as officers, but the time was too short to properly organize and arm his force to be effective. At 8 p.m. every man in town was on the alert to see the mob come in from Blue Licks. Rumors came in every few minutes, but just as the tower clock in the courthouse struck 10 a well organized and orderly mob of about a hundred men marched up the main street and in answer to military commands stopped in front of the jail. It could be plainly seen that the men were determined to accomplish their ends. The Sheriff’s force was too small to resist. After one or two deputies were disarmed they had free access to the residence to the jail, but the jailer could not be found, and after twenty minutes’ parley the leaders decided to batter down the obstructions that stood between them and their prey. Neighboring blacksmith shops were opened and implements of attack were obtained. It only took twenty blows of a sledge wielded by a sturdy farmer to demolish the mob-proof doors in the entrance of the cell room. These doors have been the boast of the citizens that no mob could force them, but they were shattered like glass. The guilty wretch was hauled forth and brought to the door of the jail, and the leader of the mob called for silence and told the spectators that they should go to the courthouse yard. Then he asked Tyler what he had to say. Tyler stood between two guards armed with shotguns. He was composed and nothing in his looks betrayed the struggle he was undergoing. In a strange voice he said: “Gentlemen, I am innocent of this. I did not do it. I am not guilty.” “Yes, you are,” answered Mr. Campbell, the girl’s father. “My little girl said you did.” That determined the mob, the majority of which decided to hang the prisoner at Piper’s bridge, at the edge of town. The mob formed with military precision and with the negro, flacked [sic] by a curious and morbid crowd of onlookers, it wended its way slowly to the place of execution. Arrived at the scene of the execution there was a wild scramble for points of vantage, as everybody seemed anxious to view as far as possible every detail of the entire affair. The mob, which throughout the entire proceeding had conducted itself in a most orderly manner, consistent with its never-lost-sight-of-object, formed a perfect cordon around the prisoner and took its stand upon the bridge. The hanging was a bungling affair, as the rope broke and the negro had to be suspended a second time.
Esters, Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer, October 31, 1901
Killed By A Mob A Negro at Hodgenville Shot Full of Holes Hodgenville, Ky., Oct. 31– A mob of 50 or 75 determined citizens arrived in town about 2 o’clock this morning and took from jail Silas Esters, the negro who forced Granville Ward, a 15-year-old boy, to commit an unnameable act near Upton, and strung him to the courthouse steps after riddling his body with bullets. The mob was headed by young Ward, the negro’s victim, and his father, Mr. Thomas Ward. So quietly and systematically did the mob (which was made up of fifty or seventy-five men) go about its work that the citizens of the town were in ignorance of the existence of a mob until the negro was in its clutches. The citizens composing the lynching party approached the jail, and upon their demand the keys were surrendered to them. The cell in which the negro was confined was entered, and the noose was adjusted about his neck. He was dragged down the jail stairs and out into the street. He managed to slip the noose from his neck and made a break for liberty. The mob, crazed with anger, made after the negro, howling and firing at him with guns and pistols. The negro fell when about 100 yards from the jail house, riddled with bullets. The noose was again placed about the negro’s neck and he was dragged to the court house and swung to the topmost steps.
Brown, Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer, February 7, 1902
Lynched Negro Who Ravished Miss Power in Jessamine County– Took Him from the Officers and Strung Him Up– The Girl Earnestly Begged That He Be Not Hanged Near Her Home Fully Identified By His Victim Nicholasville, Ky., Feb. 6– Tom Brown, the negro who ravished Miss Della Power, was lynched in the courthouse yard at 1 o’clock this afternoon. Brown was arrested by the officers, and followed by a mob of 200 men, was taken to the residence of Miss Power. She positively identified him as her assailant, but begged the mob not to lynch him. The leaders replied that they would do so at all hazards, and she plead with them not to add to her anguish by hanging him near her house. The mob agreed to this and came back with the officers, their number increasing every minute. When they reached here the mob, which had surrounded the officers, seized the negro and strung him up to a tree. There was no effort at concealment of their identity on the part of anybody connected with the mob. The lynching was very quietly done.
Brown, The Paducah Sun, February 6, 1902
Lynched in Daytime Tom Brown, Identified as a Ravisher, Hanged at Jail Door Nicholasville, Ky., Feb. 6– Tom Brown, colored, was taken from the officers at the jail door this afternoon at one o’clock and lynched in the court house yard in the presence of several hundred people. Yesterday Miss Della Powell, residing two miles from the city, was ravished, and Brown was arrested for the crime. He was taken to the young lady’s home at noon today, and she positively identified him as her ravisher. Seeing the intention of the mob of two hundred people who had followed the officers and prisoner, she begged them not to lynch him near her home, and in deference to her wishes, they followed the negro back to the city and then lynched him. The lynching was quiet, and has created quite a great deal of excitement.