Morton, Richmond Climax, February 10, 1897

GUARDS OVERPOWERED

BOWLING GREEN, KY., Feb. 5.—Robert Morton, colored, was hanged by a mob about three miles from Rockfield, shortly after midnight Wednesday night. It is said that the negro, a son of a section hand at Rockfield wrote an insulting and insinuating note to Miss. Tommie Johnson, a well-known young white woman of Rockfield. When this became known a posse started at once to arrest Morton. When they found him he ran and the officers gave chase capturing him only after threatening him several times.

After he was arrested he was taken to a house on the Russellville pike, near town, and put under guard until he could be brought here and lodged in jail. About 12 o’clock a party of men appeared at the house, overpowered the guards and took the prisoner away from them. They then proceeded with him about three miles from Rockfield, hanged him and quickly dispersed, going to their homes. 

Morton’s body was found Thursday morning and cut down. Morton was about twenty-one years old and did not bear a good reputation.

Shot, Not Hanged.

BOWLING GREEN, KY., Feb. 6.—Further details of the lynching of Robert Morton colored, at Rockfield, Wednesday, or writing an insulting note to Miss Tommie Johnson, show that the Negro was decoyed to a vacant house out of town and shown the note. Morton then drew a pistol and fired on the mob twice, wounding one man in the leg. The mob returned the fire and Morton fell. He was picked up and carried into the hills. His body has not been found.