Stone, Maysville Public Ledger, December 22, 1896

KENTUCKY NEWS.

PADUCAH, KY., Dec. 22.--Passengers arriving on the train at 1 o’clock Tuesday morning report the burning to death of Tom Chambers by a mob at Mayfield Monday night. Part of the mob that lynched Stone Sunday night started to run some Negro characters out of town. Chambers kept a dive. The mob visited his place and set it on fire, burning also the wholesale beer house of B. F. Boaz. It is believed Chambers was in the house, and was burned to death. 

When the body of Jim Stone, who was hanged by a mob early Monday morning, was cut down it was found that a finger and toe had been cut off. 

Every one of the Negroes warned by the mob that hanged Stone, has bought himself a shotgun with which, he says, he will battle for his rights. 

Stone’s body was not cut down till nearly nine o’clock, and the greatest indignation is expressed by the Negroes generally because it was not removed from view before. Many of them are swearing vengeance, and an outbreak is not improbable at any time. 

Jim Stone made a statement to the effect that another Negro committed the crime, but the mob paid no attention to his words. The Negro offered prayer while knives were being plunged into his body, but to no avail. The mob was satisfied that he was guilty and would not listen to his pleading. While he was still praying the culprit was swung to a limb and his body riddled with bullets. 

The mob was particularly aggravated, as it was not Stone’s first offense, he having served a penitentiary sentence for a similar assault.