Marshall and Patterson, Lexington Herald-Leader, February 1, 1911

Arm Was Broken

Jim West Saved His Neck in Shelbyville Lynching, But Was Hurt in Fall

Shelbyville, Ky., Feb. 1–Private detectives who have been at work in Shelbyville for weeks are said to have discovered a mass of evidence as to the operation of the mob, which lynched two Negroes and from which Jim West had a marvelous escape.

It is also reported that West, whose present whereabouts are not known, has a broken arm, the injury having been suffered when he fell from the bridge after he had dangled for a time at the end of the rope by which the mob planned to hang him.

West, after making his escape, went to the home of his parents, where he spent two days and two nights. The story he told of his escape, which has already been recounted, is one of the most remarkable ever known.

The first Negro, Eugene Marshall, was ordered to jump from the bridge. His neck was broken. The second, Wade Patterson, refused to jump and was pushed off, but the rope broke and he tried to get away. All the mob chased him except four or five and it was while they were thus engaged that West, who had managed to grasp the rope with his hand when he was pushed off, worked the rope from around his neck, dropped to the creek bank and got away.