Skaggs, Hartford Ohio County News, April 22, 1891

Skaggs, Hartford Ohio County News, April 22, 1891

Skaggs, Will

Charge, murder

Mob, seven members

Mob, shooting

Mob, masked

KILLED BY A MOB.

A Murderer Meets Sudden Retribution at the Hands of Masked Men in Warren County.

BOWLING GREEN, KY., April 16.--At 2 o’clock this afternoon the news was received at this town of a mob that visited the old Union neighborhood, this county, at an early hour this morning, and shot to death Will Skaggs, a negro, eighteen years of age. The mob was a small one, being composed of seven men, all masked, but they were armed and determined, as their subsequent actions show. Tuesday Skaggs was in Allen county, and became engaged in a difficulty with a young white man named Kirby, and the result was that the negro dangerously and probably fatally cut his adversary with a pocket-knife. Recognizing the seriousness of his crime, he fled from the scene, and came to his home in the old Union neighborhood, near this city. He arrived at his father’s home last night, but fearing mob violence left before midnight, and went to the cabin of old Boyd Johnson, a negro living near by. He remained there until a short while before the day this morning, when he and the other inmates of the house were aroused by a sound of pounding at the door. Believing the noise was made by a mob the negro dressed hurriedly and attempted to escape from the house by a rear door. When the negro fled from the band of men who were beating on the door he ran almost into the arms of seven masked men. They at once fired on him, and after firing five shots Skaggs fell dead, each of the shots having pierced his body.

After killing the negro the mob mounted horses and dispersed, each going quietly in a different direction. It is not known who composed the mob, but it is supposed the men were white, and that the members were friends of young Kirby, who was so seriously cut Tuesday. Not a word was spoken from the time the mob went to the house until it dispersed. News from Allen county received since noon is to the effect that Kirby is dying.

Ohio County News [Hartford, Ky.]

1891-04-22

Kailly Oum

Image

Bowling Green, Warren County, Allen County