Butcher, Arizona Republican, September 7, 1895

Negro Killed on General Principles.

Pulled a Gun on Another Negro.

Then Resisted Arrest by Throwing Bricks.

The Offense Was Sufficient for a Mob to Take Him from Jail and Blow Out His Brains.

By the Associated Press.

HICKMAN, Ky., Sept. 6. – William Butcher, colored, was a victim to mob violence last midnight. The crime seems to have been committed on general principles. Butcher, a worthless, quarrelsome negro, had been arrested during the evening for drawing a pistol on another negro. He was drunk and attempted to resist arrest by throwing bricks at the officers, one of which struck a bystander. Butcher was taken to the city lockup.

About midnight a handful of men came to the lockup and took Butcher out. The men, eight or ten in number, were masked. They were not disturbed in their work. Butcher was taken to the edge of town and a shotgun placed against his head and discharged. The head was almost torn off and the body was filled with holes when it was taken care of by the coroner in the morning.

It is thought the detection of the mob will not be an easy matter, but it is not likely that any serious investigation will be made.