Boyer, Jones, Jones, and Riley, Hopkinsville Kentuckian, August 04, 1908.
Dublin Core
Title
Boyer, Jones, Jones, and Riley, Hopkinsville Kentuckian, August 04, 1908.
Subject
Charge, confederating to prevent arrest
Jones, Virgil
Jones, John
Boyer, John
Riley, Joe
Charge, complicity
Mob, hanging
Mob, 100 members
Mob, masked
Description
ANOTHER MASKED MOB INVADES RUSSELLVILLE
Hangs Four Negroes Who Were in Jail Charged With Complicity in the Cunningham Murder.
The men were in jail charged with trivial offenses but accused of confederating to prevent the arrest of Rufus Browder, a negro who shot and killed J. F. Cunningham, a prominent young farmer. Cunningham and his murderer had a dispute over wages.
Members of a Lodge.
They were members of a negro lodge at Keysburg. The lodge is of a local nature and it is thought that they were conspiring against the whites in that neighborhood.
About midnight the mob began to gather and by 1 o’clock probably 100 men had arrived.
Coroner’s Inquest.
The coroner held an inquest over the bodies of the four negroes who were lynched and J. W. Butt, the jailer, was called as a witness. He stated that about 1 o’clock he heard a knock on the door and he was ordered to come to the door, which he did. He was then covered with about half a dozen pistols and shot-guns and was asked if the negroes, John Jones, Virgil Jones, John Boyer, and Joe Riley, were there. He told them they were, and they caught hold of him, started him to the door of the jail and forced him to give up the keys to the cells where the negroes were.
The members of the mob were heavily masked and spoke in a quiet tone. There was no swearing and not a shot fired. They asked for Browder, the negro murderer, and were informed by Mr. Butt that he was not there. They then took the negroes out one at a time and marched them to the front of the jail, and thence out the Nashville pike by the mayor’s residence and on to the place of hanging. There was not a sound nor a shot. The bodies were discovered this morning by Prof. Estice, superintendent of schools. All the witnesses testified that they did not know anyone in the mob. The jury then retired and returned the following verdict:
“We, the jury summoned by C. J. O’Connell, deputy sheriff, and sworn by Matt Barbee, coroner of Logan county, to investigate the death of these parties, John Jones, Virigil Jones, John Boyer, and Joe Riley, and after examining the witnesses, we are of the opinion that they came to their death by hanging by unknown parties. This the 1st day of August, 1908.”
Hanged to Death Tree.
They were hanged on the famous Proctor tree, where the notorious Arch and Duke Proctor were hanged some years ago. They were cut down and brought into the courthouse.
Warning to Negroes.
A large placard was fastened on the hanging group bearing these words: “You negroes will learn to let white people alone and break up your lodges.”
Browder was in jail at Louisville.
Shortly after his arrest a mob called at the jail here to lynch Browder, but Sheriff Rhea had hidden him in the woods and later took him to Bowling Green, from where he was removed to Lousiville.
A special term of court has been called for Monday to try Browder.
Browder was in jail at Louisville.
Shortly after his arrest a mob called at the jail here to lynch Browder, but Sheriff Rhea had hidden him in the woods and later took him to Bowling Green, from where he was removed to Louisville.
A special term of court has been called for Monday to try Browder.
Members of a Lodge.
They were members of a negro lodge at Keysburg. The lodge is of a local nature and it is thought that they were conspiring against the whites in that neighborhood.
About midnight the mob began to gather and by 1 o’clock probably 100 men had arrived.
Coroner’s Inquest.
The coroner held an inquest over the bodies of the four negroes who were lynched and J. W. Butt, the jailer, was called as a witness. He stated that about 1 o’clock he heard a knock on the door and he was ordered to come to the door, which he did. He was then covered with about half a dozen pistols and shot-guns and was asked if the negroes, John Jones, Virgil Jones, John Boyer, and Joe Riley, were there. He told them they were, and they caught hold of him, started him to the door of the jail and forced him to give up the keys to the cells where the negroes were.
The members of the mob were heavily masked and spoke in a quiet tone. There was no swearing and not a shot fired. They asked for Browder, the negro murderer, and were informed by Mr. Butt that he was not there. They then took the negroes out one at a time and marched them to the front of the jail, and thence out the Nashville pike by the mayor’s residence and on to the place of hanging. There was not a sound nor a shot. The bodies were discovered this morning by Prof. Estice, superintendent of schools. All the witnesses testified that they did not know anyone in the mob. The jury then retired and returned the following verdict:
“We, the jury summoned by C. J. O’Connell, deputy sheriff, and sworn by Matt Barbee, coroner of Logan county, to investigate the death of these parties, John Jones, Virigil Jones, John Boyer, and Joe Riley, and after examining the witnesses, we are of the opinion that they came to their death by hanging by unknown parties. This the 1st day of August, 1908.”
Hanged to Death Tree.
They were hanged on the famous Proctor tree, where the notorious Arch and Duke Proctor were hanged some years ago. They were cut down and brought into the courthouse.
Warning to Negroes.
A large placard was fastened on the hanging group bearing these words: “You negroes will learn to let white people alone and break up your lodges.”
Browder was in jail at Louisville.
Shortly after his arrest a mob called at the jail here to lynch Browder, but Sheriff Rhea had hidden him in the woods and later took him to Bowling Green, from where he was removed to Lousiville.
A special term of court has been called for Monday to try Browder.
Browder was in jail at Louisville.
Shortly after his arrest a mob called at the jail here to lynch Browder, but Sheriff Rhea had hidden him in the woods and later took him to Bowling Green, from where he was removed to Louisville.
A special term of court has been called for Monday to try Browder.
Source
Newspapers.com
Publisher
Hopkinsville Kentuckian
Date
1908-08-04
Contributor
Katie Craig
Format
Image
Coverage
Logan County
Files
Collection
Related Articles
Citation
“Boyer, Jones, Jones, and Riley, Hopkinsville Kentuckian, August 04, 1908.,” DRVK News Articles , accessed July 26, 2026, https://drvk.createuky.net/news-articles/items/show/183.