Scott, Louisville Courier-Journal, June 27, 1898

TO A TREE

George Scott, Colored, Was Hanged By a Mob

IN RUSSELLVILLE SUBURBS

WAS IN AIL FOR AN ATTEMPT TO ASSAULT CRIMINALLY

LYNCHING A QUIET AFFAIR

Russellville, Ky., June 26.—[Special.]—Last midnight a mob took George Scott, colored, from the county jail and hanged him to a tree in the southern suburbs of town. The gallows-tree was the same from which Dink and Arch Proctor were hanged about eighteen months ago.

The mob was composed of about forty men, the majority of whom are said to have been mere youths, and some had been drinking.

Jailer Price was aroused about 12 o’clock by a loud knocking at the door. He went out and a masked man presented a pistol and demanded the prisoner. He thought it was useless to resist and the request was promptly complied with. This morning the negro’s corpse was found hanging to the famous Proctor tree. Four shots had been fired at him to finish the work. Three bullets struck him in the region of the heart, and one in the leg. The body was cut down about 9 o’clock, and, after the Coroner’s inquest, was buried at the county farm.

The crime with which the negro was charged was attempted criminal assault upon the person of a Mrs. Will Scroggins, of near Adairville. Reports concerning it are conflicting, but from what can be learned it appears that the negro went to the house, and, finding Mrs. Scroggins alone, made an insulting proposal to her. She screamed and the negro ran, but did not leave the place. It is further said that later in the day Scroggins returned home, and on hearing what had occurred took his gun and went in search of the negro. Scott was hand on the farm, and was found at his cabin. When Scroggins approached with the gun the negro began to beg Scroggins not to shoot him. It is said that Scroggins raised his gun and the negro fled, and that SCroggins shot twice without effect. The negro was captured next day near Springfield, Tenn.

This occurred about three weeks ago, and Scott has been here in jail ever since. Little had been said about the case, and the lynching occasioned great surprised. A few members of the mob were masked, but the majority were not disguised. The jailer failed to recognize any of them. The telephone wires between this point and Adairville were cut from which it is supposed that the mob came from that vicinity.

This lynching was so tame an affair compared with the Proctor lynching that it has caused little more than a ripple of excitement.