The Jesse Washington Lynching - The Waco Horror

(Supplement to the C R I S I S , July, 1916)

The Waco Horror AN account of the recent burning of a human being at Waco, Tex., as reported by a

special agent of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, 70 Fifth Avenue, New York City.

1. The City. THE c i t y o f W a c o , T e x . , i s the c o u n t y

s e a t o f M c L e n n a n c o u n t y . I t i s s i t u ­ a t e d o n t h e B r a z o s r i v e r , a b o u t h a l f w a y b e t w e e n D a l l a s a n d A u s t i n . I t i s t h e j u n c ­ t i o n p o i n t o f s e v e n r a i l w a y s . T h e c i t y i s i n a f e r t i l e a g r i c u l t u r a l r e g i o n w i t h g r a i n a n d c o t t o n as the c h i e f p r o d u c t s , a n d w i t h n e a r ­ l y t w o h u n d r e d m a n u f a c t u r i n g e s t a b l i s h ­ m e n t s , r e p r e s e n t i n g some s e v e n t y d i f f e r e n t i n d u s t r i e s .

I t h a d a p o p u l a t i o n o f 14,445 i n 1890 w h i c h i n c r e a s e d to 20,686 i n 1900, a n d t o 26,425 i n 1910. T h e w h i t e p o p u l a t i o n i n these t w e n t y y e a r s h a s a l m o s t e x a c t l y d o u b l e d . T h e c o l o r e d p o p u l a t i o n h a s i n ­ c r e a s e d f r o m 4,069 to 6,067, f o r m i n g t h u s 2 3 % o f t h e p o p u l a t i o n . T h e b u l k o f t h e p o p u l a t i o n i s n a t i v e w h i t e o f n a t i v e p a r e n t ­ a g e , t h e r e b e i n g o n l y a b o u t 1,000 f o r e i g n e r s i n t h e c i t y .

T h e w h o l e o f M c L e n n a n c o u n t y c o n t a i n e d i n 1910 a p o p u l a t i o n o f 73,250 o f w h o m 17,234 w e r e N e g r o e s . T h i s t o t a l p o p u l a t i o n h a s n e a r l y d o u b l e d i n t h e l a s t t w e n t y y e a r s .

W a c o i s w e l l l a i d o u t . T h e s t r e e t s a r e b r o a d , o v e r s i x t y m i l e s o f t h e m b e i n g p a v e d .

T h e s e w e r s y s t e m o f one h u n d r e d m i l e s i s e x c e l l e n t . T h e r e i s a fine c i t y - o w n e d w a t e r s y s t e m , a n d p a r k s o n t h e s u r r o u n d i n g p r a i r i e s .

T h e r e a r e t h i r t y - n i n e w h i t e a n d t w e n t y - f o u r c o l o r e d c h u r c h e s i n W a c o . B y d e n o m ­ i n a t i o n s t h e w h i t e c h u r c h e s a r e : B a p t i s t , 1 4 ; M e t h o d i s t , 9 ; C h r i s t i a n , 4 ; P r e s b y t e ­ r i a n , 3 ; J e w i s h , 2 ; E p i s c o p a l , 2 ; E v a n g e l ­ i s t i c , 1; L u t h e r a n , 1; C a t h o l i c , 1; C h r i s ­ t i a n S c i e n c e , 1; S a l v a t i o n A r m y , 1.

T h e c o l l e g e s a r e : B a y l o r U n i v e r s i t y , B a y ­ l o r A c a d e m y , t h e C a t h o l i c C o l l e g e , t h e I n ­ d e p e n d e n t B i b l i c a l a n d I n d u s t r i a l ' S c h o o l , a l l w h i t e ; a n d t h e C e n t r a l T e x a s C o l l e g e a n d P a u l Q u i n n , c o l o r e d c o l l e g e s . T h e r e a r e a l s o the A . & M . C o l l e g e , t h e G u r l e y S c h o o l , t h e W a c o B u s i n e s s C o l l e g e , T o b y ' s P r a c t i c a l B u s i n e s s C o l l e g e , t h e P r o v i d e n t S a n i t a r i u m , a n d t h e T r a i n i n g S c h o o l .

B a y l o r U n i v e r s i t y w a s f o u n d e d i n 1854 a n d h a s b e t w e e n 1,200 a n d 1,300 s t u d e n t s . I t i s c o - e d u c a t i o n a l . T h e p r e s i d e n t i s r u n ­ n i n g f o r t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s S e n a t e .

T w o h i g h s c h o o l s s e r v e w h i t e a n d c o l o r e d p o p u l a t i o n , a n d t h e r e a r e s e v e n b a n k s , i n ­ c l u d i n g f o u r n a t i o n a l b a n k s .

B A Y L O R U N I V E R S I T Y , W A C O .

1

2 T H E CRISIS S U P P L E M E N T

I n o t h e r w o r d s , W a c o i s a t y p i c a l s o u t h ­ e r n t o w n , a l e r t , p u s h i n g a n d r i c h .

2. The Crime.

NE A R the c o u n t r y t o w n o f R o b i n s o n , some s i x m i l e s f r o m W a c o , l i v e d a w h i t e f a m i l y of f o u r , n a m e d F r y a r , w h o o w n e d a s m a l l f a r m . T h i s t h e y c u l t i v a t e d themselves w i t h the h e l p o f one h i r e d m a n , a c o l o r e d b o y o f seventeen, n a m e d Jesse W a s h i n g t o n .

J e s s e w a s a b i g , w e l l - d e v e l o p e d f e l l o w , b u t i g n o r a n t , b e i n g u n a b l e e i t h e r to r e a d o r w r i t e . H e seemed t o h a v e been s u l l e n , a n d p e r h a p s m e n t a l l y deficient, w i t h a s t r o n g , a n d even d a r i n g t e m p e r . I t i s s a i d t h a t on the S a t u r d a y n i g h t before the c r i m e he h a d h a d a fight w i t h a n e i g h b o r i n g w h i t e

m a n , a n d the m a n h a d t h r e a t e n e d to k i l l h i m .

O n M o n d a y , M a y 8, w h i l e M r . F r y a r , h i s son o f f o u r t e e n , a n d h i s d a u g h t e r of t w e n ­ t y - t h r e e , w e r e h o e i n g c o t t o n i n one p a r t o f t h e i r f a r m , the b o y , J e s s e , w a s p l o w i n g w i t h h i s m u l e s a n d s o w i n g c o t t o n seed n e a r the house w h e r e M r s . F r y a r w a s alone. H e w e n t to the house f o r m o r e c o t t o n seed. A s M r s . F r y a r w a s s c o o p i n g i t u p f o r h i m i n t o the b a g w h i c h he h e l d , she scolded h i m f o r b e a t i n g the m u l e s . H e k n o c k e d h e r d o w n w i t h a b l a c k s m i t h ' s h a m m e r , a n d , as he c o n ­ fessed, c r i m i n a l l y a s s a u l t e d h e r ; finally he k i l l e d h e r w i t h the h a m m e r . T h e boy t h e n r e t u r n e d to the field, finished h i s w o r k , a n d w e n t home to the c a b i n , w h e r e he l i v e d w i t h h i s f a t h e r a n d m o t h e r a n d s e v e r a l b r o t h e r s a n d s i s t e r s .

W h e n the m u r d e r e d w o m a n w a s d i s c o v ­ ered s u s p i c i o n p o i n t e d to J e s s e W a s h i n g t o n , a n d he w a s f o u n d s i t t i n g i n h i s y a r d w h i t ­ t l i n g a s t i c k . H e w a s a r r e s t e d a n d i m m e ­ d i a t e l y t a k e n to j a i l i n W a c o . T u e s d a y a mob v i s i t e d the j a i l . T h e y came i n w i t h a b o u t t h i r t y a u t o m o b i l e s , e a c h h o l d i n g as m a n y as c o u l d be c r o w d e d i n . T h e r e w a s no noise, no t o o t i n g of h o r n s , the l i g h t s w e r e d i m , a n d some h a d no l i g h t s a t a l l . T h e s e w e r e a l l R o b i n s o n people. T h e y l o o k e d f o r the b o y , b u t c o u l d n o t find h i m , f o r he h a d been t a k e n to a n e i g h b o r i n g c o u n t y w h e r e the s h e r i f f o b t a i n e d a confes­ s i o n f r o m h i m . A n o t h e r mob w e n t to t h i s c o u n t y seat to g e t the b o y , b u t he w a s a g a i n

r e m o v e d to D a l l a s . F i n a l l y , t h e R o b i n s o n people p l e d g e d t h e m s e l v e s n o t t o l y n c h the b o y i f the a u t h o r i t i e s acted p r o m p t l y , a n d i f the b o y w o u l d w a i v e h i s l e g a l r i g h t s .

A second c o n f e s s i o n i n w h i c h the boy w a i v e d a l l h i s l e g a l r i g h t s w a s o b t a i n e d i n the D a l l a s j a i l . T h e G r a n d J u r y i n d i c t e d h i m on T h u r s d a y , a n d the case w a s set f o r t r i a l M o n d a y , M a y 15.

S u n d a y n i g h t , a t m i d n i g h t , J e s s e W a s h ­ i n g t o n w a s b r o u g h t f r o m D a l l a s to W a c o , a n d secreted i n the office o f the j u d g e . T h e r e w a s n o t the s l i g h t e s t doubt b u t t h a t he w o u l d be t r i e d a n d h a n g e d the n e x t d a y , i f the l a w took i t s c o u r s e .

T h e r e w a s some, b u t not m u c h doubt of

RIGGINS H O T E L , W A C O

T H E F I R S T B A P T I S T C H U R C H , W A C O

T H E COURT H O U S E , W A C O

T H E W A C O H O R R O R 3

T H E C I T Y H A L L (The Boy Was Burned Back of This Hall)

h i s g u i l t . T h e c o n f e s s i o n s w e r e o b t a i n e d , o f c o u r s e , u n d e r d u r e s s , a n d w e r e , p e r h a p s , s u s p i c i o u s l y c l e a r , a n d n o t e n t i r e l y i n t h e b o y ' s o w n w o r d s . I t seems, h o w e v e r , p r o b ­ a b l e t h a t t h e b o y w a s g u i l t y o f m u r d e r , a n d p o s s i b l y o f p r e m e d i t a t e d r a p e .

3. Waco Politics.

M E A N T I M E , t h e e x i g e n c i e s o f W a c o p o l i t i c s a r e s a i d to h a v e d e m a n d e d a l y n c h i n g . O u r i n v e s t i g a t o r s a y s :

" T h e y b r o u g h t t h e b o y b a c k to W a c o be­ c a u s e a l y n c h i n g w a s o f p o l i t i c a l v a l u e to t h e c o u n t y officials w h o a r e r u n n i n g f o r office. E v e r y m a n I t a l k e d w i t h s a i d t h a t p o l i t i c s w a s a t t h e b o t t o m o f t h e w h o l e b u s i ­ ness. A l l t h a t e l e m e n t w h o t o o k p a r t i n t h e l y n c h i n g w i l l v o t e f o r t h e S h e r i f f . T h e J u d g e i s o f v a l u e to h i s p a r t y because he a p p o i n t s t h e t h r e e c o m m i s s i o n e r s o f t h e j u r y , a n d these c o m m i s s i o n e r s p i c k t h e G r a n d J u r y . "

T h e D i s t r i c t J u d g e o f t h e C r i m i n a l C o u r t i s R . I . M u n r o e , a p p o i n t e d b y G o v e r n o r C a m p b e l l . H e i s a l o w o r d e r o f p o l i t i c i a n , a n d a p r o d u c t o f a l o c a l m a c h i n e . H i s r e p u t a t i o n f o r m o r a l i t y i s b a d , a n d h i s p r a c t i c e a t t h e B a r h a s been l a r g e l y o n b e h a l f o f t h e v i c i o u s i n t e r e s t s .

T h e S h e r i f f o f t h e c o u n t y , S . S . F l e m i n g , i s a c a n d i d a t e f o r r e - e l e c t i o n , a n d h a s m a d e m u c h p o l i t i c a l c a p i t a l o u t o f t h e l y n c h i n g .

H e s a y s , i n a n a d v e r t i s e m e n t i n t h e W a c o Semi-Weekly Tribune:

" M r . F l e m i n g i s d i s e a s e d w i t h a b r o a d p h i l a n t h r o p y . H e b e l i e v e s i n t h e e q u a l i t y o f m a n . H e c a r r i e s w i t h h i m i n t h e d a i l y w a l k o f h i s o f f i c i a l d o m n o n e o f t h e ' b o a s t o f h e r a l d r y o r t h e p o m p o f p o w e r . ' H e i s j u s t as c o u r t e o u s , j u s t as o b l i g i n g , j u s t as a c c o m m o d a t i n g as S h e r i f f as he w a s w h e n s e l l i n g b u g g i e s a n d c u l t i v a t o r s f o r t h e h a r d ­ w a r e c o m p a n y . H e p r e s e n t s t o t h e v o t e r s f o r t h e i r e n d o r s e m e n t t h e r e c o r d m a d e b y h i m a n d h i s c o r p s o f s p l e n d i d d e p u t i e s . "

O u r i n v e s t i g a t o r s a y s : " W h e n I s a w the S h e r i f f ( F l e m i n g ) he

h a d a b e a u t i f u l s t o r y to t e l l . H e h a d h i s s t o r y f i x e d u p so t h a t t h e e n t i r e r e s p o n s i ­ b i l i t y w a s s h i f t e d o n t h e J u d g e . T h e J u d g e a d m i t t e d h e c o u l d h a v e h a d a c h a n g e o f v e n u e , b u t s a i d t h e m o b a n y w h e r e w o u l d h a v e done t h e s a m e t h i n g . "

M e a n t i m e , t h e t i p w e n t o u t : " T h e c r o w d b e g a n p o u r i n g i n t o the t o w n

t h e d a y b e f o r e a n d c o n t i n u e d e a r l y M o n d a y m o r n i n g . T h e c o u r t r o o m w a s p a c k e d f u l l a n d a c r o w d o f 2,000 w a s o n the o u t ­ s i d e . T h e j u r o r s c o u l d s c a r c e l y g e t i n a n d o u t f r o m t h e i r seats. I a s k e d t h e J u d g e i f he c o u l d n o t h a v e c l e a r e d t h e c o u r t r o o m , a n d he a n s w e r e d t h a t I d i d n o t k n o w t h e S o u t h . I s a i d , ' I f a p e r s o n i s b i g e n o u g h , he c a n g e t u p a n d s t o p t h e b i g g e s t m o b . ' H e a s k e d , ' D o y o u w a n t to s p i l l i n ­ n o c e n t b l o o d f o r a n i g g e r ? '

" S o m e one h a d a r r a n g e d i t so t h a t i t w o u l d be e a s y t o g e t the b o y o u t o f t h e c o u r t r o o m . A d o o r w h i c h opened b y a p e ­ c u l i a r d e v i c e h a d been fixed so t h a t i t w o u l d o p e n . O n e o f t h e j u r o r s w a s a c o n v i c t e d m u r d e r e r w i t h a s u s p e n d e d sentence o v e r h i m .

" L e e J e n k i n s i s t h e best d e p u t y s h e r i f f , b u t he i s u n d e r F l e m i n g . B a r n e y G o l d ­ b e r g , t h e o t h e r d e p u t y s h e r i f f , s a i d , ' I f L e e J e n k i n s h a d h a d i t , i t w o u l d n e v e r h a v e been, b u t w e a r e w o r k i n g f o r t h e m a n h i g h e r u p a n d m u s t t a k e o u r o r d e r s f r o m h i m . ' B a r n e y G o l d b e r g k n o w s p e r f e c t l y w e l l t h a t i f F l e m i n g i s n o t r e - e l e c t e d , a n d the o t h e r c a n d i d a t e gets i n , he w i l l be o u t o f a j o b . T h e o t h e r n o m i n e e f o r s h e r i f f , B u c h a n a n , i s r e p o r t e d t o be u n a b l e to r e a d a n d w r i t e , b u t i s s a i d t o h a v e t h r e e d e a d ' n i g g e r s ' to h i s ' c r e d i t . '

" T h e b o y , J e s s e W a s h i n g t o n , w a s a s k e d w h a t he t h o u g h t a b o u t t h e m o b c o m i n g a f t e r h i m . H e s a i d , ' T h e y p r o m i s e d t h e y w o u l d n o t i f I w o u l d t e l l t h e m a b o u t i t . ' H e seemed n o t t o c a r e , b u t w a s t h o r o u g h l y i n d i f f e r e n t . "

T h e t r i a l w a s h u r r i e d t h r o u g h . T h e W a c o Semi-Weekly Tribune, M a y 17, s a y s : " T h e j u r y r e t u r n e d i n t o c o u r t a t 1 1 : 2 2 a. m . , a n d p r e s e n t e d a v e r d i c t : ' W e , t h e j u r y , find t h e d e f e n d a n t g u i l t y o f m u r d e r a s c h a r g e d i n t h e i n d i c t m e n t a n d assess h i s p u n i s h m e n t a t d e a t h . ' T h i s w a s s i g n e d b y W . B . B r a z e l t o n , f o r e m a n .

" ' I s t h a t y o u r v e r d i c t , g e n t l e m e n ? ' a s k e d J u d g e M u n r o e .

" T h e y a n s w e r e d ' y e s . '

4 T H E CRISIS S U P P L E M E N T

T H E W A I T I N G CROWD

" J u d g e M u n r o e b e g a n w r i t i n g i n h i s docket. H e h a d w r i t t e n : ' M a y 15, 1916: J u r y v e r d i c t of g u i l t y , ' a n d as he w r o t e t h e r e w a s a h u s h o v e r the e n t i r e c o u r t r o o m . I t w a s a m o m e n t of h e s i t a t i o n , b u t j u s t a m o m e n t . T h e n the t a l l m a n s t a r t e d o v e r the heads o f the c r o w d . F r e d H . K i n g s ­ b u r y , w h o w a s s t a n d i n g a l o n g s i d e o f J u d g e M u n r o e , s a i d , ' T h e y a r e c o m i n g a f t e r h i m , ' a n d as the J u d g e l o o k e d u p , the w a v e of people s u r g e d f o r w a r d . " T h e c o u r t r o o m accommodates 500 p e r s o n s , b u t the J u d g e h a d a l l o w e d 1,500 p e r s o n s to c r o w d i n .

O u r i n v e s t i g a t o r c o n t i n u e s : " T h e s t e n o g r a p h e r t o l d me t h a t t h e r e w a s

a p a u s e o f a f u l l m i n u t e . H e s a i d the peo­ ple c r o w d e d a r o u n d h i m a n d he k n e w w h a t w a s c o m i n g , so he s l i p p e d o u t o f t h e d o o r b a c k of the S h e r i f f , w i t h h i s r e c o r d s ; a n d S h e r i f f F l e m i n g s l i p p e d out also.

" F l e m i n g c l a i m s t h a t a l l he w a s c a l l e d u p o n to do i n the w a y o f p r o t e c t i n g the b o y w a s to get h i m to c o u r t .

" A b i g f e l l o w i n the b a c k o f the c o u r t r o o m y e l l e d , ' G e t the N i g g e r ! ' B a r n e y G o l d b e r g , one o f the d e p u t y sheriffs, t o l d me t h a t he d i d n o t k n o w t h a t F l e m i n g h a d d r o p p e d o r d e r s to l e t t h e m get the N e g r o , a n d p u l l e d h i s r e v o l v e r . A f t e r w a r d s he got h i s f r i e n d s t o s w e a r to a n affidavit t h a t he w a s not p r e s e n t . F l e m i n g s a i d he h a d s w o r n i n fifty d e p u t i e s . I asked h i m w h e r e t h e y w e r e . H e a s k e d , ' W o u l d y o u w a n t to p r o ­ tect the n i g g e r ? ' T h e j u d g e m a d e no effort to stop the mob, a l t h o u g h he h a d f i r e a r m s i n h i s d e s k . "

4. The Burning. * " T H E Y d r a g g e d the b o y d o w n the s t a i r s ,

A p u t a c h a i n a r o u n d h i s b o d y a n d h i t c h e d i t to a n a u t o m o b i l e . T h e c h a i n b r o k e . T h e b i g f e l l o w took the c h a i n off

the N e g r o u n d e r the cover o f the c r o w d a n d w o u n d i t a r o u n d h i s o w n w r i s t , so t h a t the c r o w d j e r k i n g a t the c h a i n w a s j e r k i n g at the m a n ' s w r i s t a n d he w a s h o l d i n g the boy. T h e boy s h r i e k e d a n d s t r u g g l e d .

" T h e mob r i p p e d the b o y ' s clothes off, c u t t h e m i n b i t s a n d even c u t the boy. Some­ one c u t h i s e a r off; someone else u n s e x e d h i m . A l i t t l e g i r l w o r k i n g f o r t h e firm o f G o l d s t e i n a n d M i n g l e t o l d me t h a t she s a w t h i s done.

" I w e n t o v e r the r o u t e the b o y h a d been t a k e n a n d s a w t h a t t h e y d r a g g e d h i m be­ t w e e n a q u a r t e r a n d a h a l f a m i l e f r o m the C o u r t H o u s e to the b r i d g e a n d t h e n d r a g g e d h i m u p t w o b l o c k s a n d a n o t h e r b l o c k over to the C i t y H a l l . A f t e r t h e y h a d g o t t e n h i m u p to the b r i d g e , someone s a i d t h a t a fire w a s a l r e a d y g o i n g u p a t C i t y H a l l , a n d they t u r n e d a r o u n d a n d w e n t b a c k . S e v e r a l peo­ ple denied t h a t t h i s fire w a s g o i n g , b u t the p h o t o g r a p h shows t h a t i t w a s . T h e y got a l i t t l e boy to l i g h t the fire.

" W h i l e a fire w a s b e i n g p r e p a r e d of boxes, the n a k e d b o y w a s stabbed a n d the c h a i n p u t o v e r the tree. H e t r i e d to g e t a w a y , b u t c o u l d not. H e r e a c h e d u p to g r a b the c h a i n a n d t h e y c u t off h i s fingers. T h e b i g m a n s t r u c k the b o y on the b a c k o f the neck w i t h a k n i f e j u s t as t h e y w e r e p u l l i n g h i m u p on the tree. M r . L e s t e r t h o u g h t t h a t w a s p r a c t i c a l l y the d e a t h b l o w . H e w a s l o w e r e d i n t o the fire s e v e r a l t i m e s b y means o f the c h a i n a r o u n d h i s neck. Someone s a i d t h e y w o u l d e s t i m a t e the b o y h a d about t w e n t y - f i v e s t a b w o u n d s , none o f t h e m d e a t h - d e a l i n g .

" A b o u t a q u a r t e r p a s t one a fiend got the t o r s o , lassoed i t , h u n g a r o p e o v e r the p u m m e l o f a saddle, a n d d r a g g e d i t a r o u n d t h r o u g h the streets o f W a c o .

T H E W A C O H O R R O R 5

" V e r y l i t t l e d r i n k i n g w a s done. " T h e tree w h e r e the l y n c h i n g o c c u r r e d

w a s r i g h t u n d e r the M a y o r ' s w i n d o w . M a y ­ o r D o l l i n s w a s s t a n d i n g i n the w i n d o w , n o t c o n c e r n e d a b o u t w h a t t h e y w e r e d o i n g to t h e b o y , b u t t h a t t h e t r e e w o u l d be de­ s t r o y e d . T h e C h i e f o f P o l i c e a l s o w i t n e s s e d the l y n c h i n g . T h e n a m e s o f five o f the l e a d e r s o f the mob a r e k n o w n to t h i s A s s o ­ c i a t i o n , a n d c a n be h a d o n a p p l i c a t i o n b y r e s p o n s i b l e p a r t i e s .

" W o m e n a n d c h i l d r e n s a w t h e l y n c h i n g . O n e m a n h e l d u p h i s l i t t l e b o y above the heads o f the c r o w d so t h a t he c o u l d see, a n d a l i t t l e b o y w a s i n the top o f the v e r y tree t o w h i c h the c o l o r e d boy w a s h u n g , w h e r e

he s t a y e d u n t i l the fire became too h o t . " A n o t h e r a c c o u n t , i n t h e W a c o Times

Herald, M o n d a y n i g h t , s a y s : " G r e a t m a s s e s o f h u m a n i t y flew as

s w i f t l y as p o s s i b l e t h r o u g h the streets o f t h e c i t y i n o r d e r to be p r e s e n t a t the b r i d g e w h e n the h a n g i n g took p l a c e , b u t w h e n i t w a s l e a r n e d t h a t the N e g r o w a s b e i n g t a k e n to t h e C i t y H a l l l a w n , c r o w d s o f m e n , w o m e n a n d c h i l d r e n t u r n e d a n d h a s t e n e d to the l a w n .

" O n the w a y to the scene o f t h e b u r n i n g people on e v e r y h a n d took a h a n d i n s h o w ­ i n g t h e i r f e e l i n g s i n t h e m a t t e r b y s t r i k i n g the N e g r o w i t h a n y t h i n g o b t a i n a b l e , some s t r u c k h i m w i t h s h o v e l s , b r i c k s , c l u b s , a n d o t h e r s stabbed h i m a n d c u t h i m u n t i l w h e n he w a s s t r u n g u p h i s b o d y w a s a s o l i d c o l o r o f r e d , t h e b l o o d o f the m a n y w o u n d s i n ­ f l i c t e d c o v e r e d h i m f r o m h e a d to foot.

" D r y goods boxes a n d a l l k i n d s o f i n ­ flammable m a t e r i a l w e r e g a t h e r e d , a n d i t r e q u i r e d b u t a n i n s t a n t t o c o n v e r t t h i s i n t o s e e t h i n g flames. W h e n the N e g r o w a s f i r s t h o i s t e d i n t o t h e a i r h i s t o n g u e p r o t r u d e d f r o m h i s m o u t h a n d h i s f a c e w a s be­ s m e a r e d w i t h b l o o d .

" L i f e w a s n o t e x t i n c t w i t h i n the N e g r o ' s b o d y , a l t h o u g h n e a r l y so, w h e n a n o t h e r c h a i n w a s p l a c e d a r o u n d h i s n e c k a n d t h r o w n o v e r the l i m b o f a t r e e o n t h e l a w n , e v e r y b o d y t r y i n g to g e t to the N e g r o a n d h a v e some p a r t i n h i s d e a t h . T h e i n f u r i ­ ated mob t h e n l e a n e d the N e g r o , w h o w a s h a l f a l i v e a n d h a l f d e a d , a g a i n s t the t r e e , he h a v i n g j u s t s t r e n g t h e n o u g h w i t h i n h i s

l i m b s t o s u p p o r t h i m . A s r a p i d l y as pos­ s i b l e the N e g r o w a s t h e n j e r k e d i n t o the a i r a t w h i c h a s h o u t f r o m t h o u s a n d s o f t h r o a t s w e n t u p on the m o r n i n g a i r a n d d r y goods boxes, e x c e l s i o r , w o o d a n d e v e r y o t h e r a r t i c l e t h a t w o u l d b u r n w a s t h e n i n evidence, a p p e a r i n g as i f b y m a g i c . A h u g e d r y goods b o x w a s t h e n p r o d u c e d a n d filled to the t o p w i t h a l l o f t h e m a t e r i a l t h a t h a d been s e c u r e d . T h e N e g r o ' s b o d y w a s s w a y ­ i n g i n the a i r , a n d a l l o f the t i m e a noise as o f t h o u s a n d s w a s h e a r d a n d t h e N e g r o ' s b o d y w a s l o w e r e d i n t o the b o x .

" N o sooner h a d h i s b o d y t o u c h e d t h e b o x t h a n people p r e s s e d f o r w a r d , e a c h e a g e r t o be the first to l i g h t the fire, m a t c h e s w e r e t o u c h e d to t h e i n f l a m m a b l e m a t e r i a l a n d as s m o k e r a p i d l y rose i n the a i r , s u c h a d e m ­ o n s t r a t i o n as o f people gone m a d w a s n e v e r h e a r d b e f o r e . E v e r y b o d y p r e s s e d c l o s e r t o

T H E MOB

6 T H E CRISIS S U P P L E M E N T

get s o u v e n i r s o f the a f f a i r . W h e n t h e y h a d f i n i s h e d w i t h the N e g r o h i s b o d y w a s m u ­

t i l a t e d . " F i n g e r s , e a r s , pieces of c l o t h i n g , toes a n d

o t h e r p a r t s o f the N e g r o ' s b o d y w e r e c u t off b y m e m b e r s o f the mob t h a t h a d c r o w d ­ ed to the scene as i f b y m a g i c w h e n the w o r d t h a t the N e g r o h a d been t a k e n i n c h a r g e b y t h e mob w a s h e r a l d e d o v e r the c i t y . A s t h e smoke rose to the h e a v e n s , the m a s s o f people, n u m b e r i n g i n the n e i g h b o r ­ hood o f 10,000, c r o w d i n g the C i t y H a l l l a w n a n d o v e r f l o w i n g the s q u a r e , h a n g i n g f r o m the w i n d o w s o f b u i l d i n g s , v i e w i n g the scene f r o m the tops o f b u i l d i n g s a n d trees, set u p a s h o u t t h a t w a s h e a r d b l o c k s a w a y .

" O n l o o k e r s w e r e h a n g i n g f r o m the w i n ­ dows o f the C i t y H a l l a n d e v e r y o t h e r b u i l d ­ i n g t h a t c o m m a n d e d a s i g h t o f the b u r n i n g , a n d as the N e g r o ' s b o d y commenced to b u r n , shouts o f d e l i g h t w e n t u p f r o m the t h o u ­ sands of t h r o a t s a n d a p p a r e n t l y e v e r y b o d y d e m o n s t r a t e d i n some w a y t h e i r s a t i s f a c ­ t i o n a t the r e t r i b u t i o n t h a t w a s b e i n g v i s ­ i t e d u p o n the p e r p e t r a t o r o f s u c h a h o r ­ r i b l e c r i m e , the w o r s t i n the a n n a l s o f M c ­ L e n n a n c o u n t y ' s h i s t o r y .

" T h e b o d y o f the N e g r o w a s b u r n e d to a c r i s p , a n d w a s l e f t f o r some t i m e i n the s m o l d e r i n g r e m a i n s o f the fire. W o m e n a n d c h i l d r e n w h o d e s i r e d to v i e w the scene w e r e a l l o w e d to do so, the c r o w d s p a r t i n g to l e t t h e m l o o k on the scene. A f t e r some t i m e the b o d y o f the N e g r o w a s j e r k e d i n t o the a i r w h e r e e v e r y b o d y c o u l d v i e w the r e ­ m a i n s , a n d a m i g h t y s h o u t rose o n the a i r . P h o t o g r a p h e r G i l d e r s l e e v e m a d e s e v e r a l p i c t u r e s o f the b o d y as w e l l as t h e l a r g e c r o w d w h i c h s u r r o u n d e d the scene as spec­ t a t o r s . "

T h e p h o t o g r a p h e r k n e w w h e r e the l y n c h ­ i n g w a s to t a k e p l a c e , a n d h a d h i s c a m e r a a n d p a r a p h e r n a l i a i n the C i t y H a l l . H e w a s c a l l e d b y telephone a t the p r o p e r m o ­ ment. H e w r i t e s u s :

" W e h a v e q u i t s e l l i n g the m o b photos, t h i s step w a s t a k e n because o u r ' C i t y d a d s ' objected on the g r o u n d s o f ' b a d p u b l i c i t y , ' as we w a n t e d to be boosters a n d not k n o c k ­ ers, we a g r e e d to stop a l l sale.

" P . A . G I L D E R S L E E V E . " O u r a g e n t c o n t i n u e s : " W h i l e the t o r s o o f the b o y w a s b e i n g

d r a g g e d t h r o u g h t h e streets b e h i n d the horse, the l i m b s d r o p p e d off a n d the h e a d w a s p u t on the stoop o f a d i s r e p u t a b l e w o m ­ a n i n the r e s e r v a t i o n d i s t r i c t . Some l i t t l e boys p u l l e d o u t the teeth a n d s o l d t h e m to some m e n f o r five d o l l a r s apiece. T h e c h a i n w a s s o l d f o r t w e n t y - f i v e cents a l i n k .

" F r o m the p i c t u r e s , the b o y w a s a p p a r ­ e n t l y a w o n d e r f u l l y b u i l t boy. T h e t o r s o w a s t a k e n to R o b i n s o n , h u n g to a tree, a n d s h o w n off f o r a w h i l e , t h e n t h e y took i t d o w n a g a i n a n d d r a g g e d i t b a c k to t o w n a n d p u t i t on the fire a g a i n a t five o ' c l o c k . "

5. The Aftermath. "I T R I E D to t a l k to the J u d g e . I m e t

h i m on the street a n d s a i d , ' I w a n t to t a l k w i t h y o u a b o u t s o m e t h i n g v e r y i m ­

p o r t a n t . ' H e a s k e d , ' W h a t i s the n a t u r e o f i t ? ' I s a i d , ' I w a n t to g e t y o u r o p i n i o n o f t h a t l y n c h i n g . ' H e s a i d , ' N o , I refuse to t a l k w i t h y o u a b o u t t h a t . W h a t do y o u w a n t i t f o r ? ' I s a i d , ' I f y o u refuse to t a l k w i t h me, t h e r e i s no use o f t e l l i n g y o u w h a t I w a n t i t f o r . '

" W h e n I m e t h i m the second t i m e , w i t h different clothes o n , he d i d not r e c o g n i z e me. I p u t o n a s t r o n g E n g l i s h accent a n d s a i d I w a s i n t e r e s t e d i n c l i p p i n g s f r o m N e w Y o r k p a p e r s w h i c h showed t h a t W a c o h a d made f o r i t s e l f a n a w f u l n a m e , a n d I w a n t ­ ed to go b a c k a n d m a k e the n o r t h e r n e r s feel t h a t W a c o w a s n o t so b a d as the p a p e r s h a d r e p r e s e n t e d . T h e n he g a v e me the C o u r t r e c o r d s . "

O u r i n v e s t i g a t o r c o n t i n u e s : " I w e n t to the n e w s p a p e r offices. T h e y w e r e a l l of the o p i n i o n t h a t the best t h i n g to do w a s to h u s h i t u p . T h e y used i t as a n e w s i t e m , a n d t h a t finished i t . T h e D a l l a s News d i d not c i t e a n y t h i n g e d i t o r i a l l y because not l o n g ago t h e y h a d done s o m e t h i n g q u i t e as b a d a n d the b o y w a s n o t g u i l t y .

" W i t h the e x c e p t i o n of the Tribune, a l l the p a p e r s h a d s i m p l y used i t as a news i t e m a n d let i t d r o p . T h e Tribune i s o w n e d b y J u d g e M c C u l l u m , w h o says a n y t h i n g he pleases. H e i s n e a r l y b l i n d . W h e n I r e a d the a r t i c l e to h i m I s a i d , ' I w o u l d l i k e to a s k y o u , i f t h a t h a d been a c o l o r e d w o m a n

a n d a w h i t e b o y , w o u l d y o u h a v e protected

T H E V I C T I M

T H E W A C O H O R R O R 7

T H E T O R T U R E (Note the "Frenzied" Mob)

t h a t w o m a n ? ' H e a n s w e r e d , ' N o . ' ' I f i t h a d been a c o l o r e d boy a n d a c o l o r e d w o m a n ? N o . ' ' W e w o u l d n o t h a v e s t o p p e d the n i g ­ g e r s d o i n g a n y t h i n g t h e y w a n t e d t o . ' ' D o y o u t h i n k t h e y w o u l d ? ' ' N o . ' ' T h e n , t h e y p r o v e t h e i r s u p e r i o r c i v i l i z a t i o n . ' T h e n he b e g a n to t e l l me h o w he k n e w a l l a b o u t the n i g g e r s a n d we n o r t h e r n e r s do not. H e s a i d t h a t as a n o l d s o u t h e r n e r he k n e w p e r f e c t l y w e l l h o w to h a n d l e the c o l ­ o r e d p o p u l a t i o n . H e t o l d me h o w he w a s r a i s e d w i t h t h e m , h a d a c o l o r e d m a m ­ m y , n u r s e d at h e r b r e a s t , etc.

" T h e r e i s a b u n c h of people i n W a c o w h o a r e d y i n g to see someone go f o r ­ w a r d a n d m a k e a p r o t e s t , b u t no one i n W a c o w o u l d do i t . E x - M a y o r M a c k a y e a n d C o l o n e l H a m i l ­ t o n b o t h s a i d , ' W e do n o t k n o w w h a t to do. W e a r e not o r ­ g a n i z e d to do i t . I t i s a case o f r a c e a n d p o l i t i c s . '

" I p u t o u t a l o t o f w i r e s f o r a l a w ­ y e r to t a k e u p the case, b u t no h u m a n

b e i n g i n W a c o w o u l d t a k e i t u p . I w r o t e to a f r i e n d i n A u s t i n a n d one i n H o u s t o n , a n d the A u s t i n f r i e n d t e l e g r a p h e d me t h a t he w o u l d s e n d me w o r d as soon as he h a d f o u n d someone. I h a d a l e t t e r f r o m the H o u s t o n f r i e n d w h o g a v e me the n a m e s o f t h r e e l a w y e r s , b u t a m not s u r e w h e t h e r t h e y w o u l d t a k e u p a case o f t h i s k i n d . A l l

h a v e t h e i r doubts of e v e r g e t t i n g the case i n t o c o u r t .

" I d i d n o t d a r e a s k m u c h a b o u t l a w ­ y e r s .

" A s a r e s u l t o f the l y n c h i n g a S u n ­ d a y S c h o o l C o n v e n ­ t i o n w h i c h w a s to h a v e m e t t h e r e , w i t h 15,000 delegates, h a s been s t o p p e d .

" W . A . B r a z e l t o n , the f o r e m a n o f the J u r y , w a s v e r y out­ s p o k e n a g a i n s t the w h o l e a f f a i r a n d b l a m e s the officials f o r i t . H e f e l t t h a t a s f o r e m a n o f the J u r y he c o u l d not l e a d i n a p r o t e s t b u t thought some p r o ­ test o u g h t to be m a d e .

" M r . A i n s w o r t h , one o f t h e n e w s p a ­ p e r m e n , seemed the

8 T H E CRISIS S U P P L E M E N T

o n l y one w h o w a n t e d to s t a r t a p r o t e s t . " C o l o n e l H a m i l t o n , a m a n o f h i g h s t a n d ­

i n g , a n o r t h e r n e r , a n d a t one t i m e a b i g r a i l r o a d m a n , w a s o u t s p o k e n a g a i n s t the w h o l e a f f a i r , b u t s a i d t h a t i f he l e d i n a p r o t e s t t h e y w o u l d do the s a m e t h i n g to h i m . H e s a i d he w o u l d n e v e r r e g i s t e r i n a n y h o t e l t h a t he came f r o m W a c o . T w o W a c o m e n w h o d i d not r e g i s t e r f r o m W a c o .

" A l l a n S t a n f o r d , e x - M a y o r o f W a c o , s a w the S h e r i f f a n d the J u d g e before the t r i a l a n d r e c e i v e d a s s u r a n c e s t h a t the l y n c h i n g w o u l d n o t t a k e p l a c e . T h e y s h u t the m o u t h s of the better element o f W a c o b y t e l l i n g t h e m t h a t the R o b i n s o n people h a d p r o m i s e d n o t to do i t . T h e y h a d g o t t e n the p r o m i s e o f the R o b i n s o n people t h a t t h e y w o u l d n o t t o u c h the b o y d u r i n g the t r i a l , b u t t h e y d i d not get the pledge of the d i s ­ r e p u t a b l e b u n c h o f W a c o t h a t t h e y w o u l d n o t s t a r t the a f f a i r .

" J u d g e S p e l l s a i d the a f f a i r w a s d e p l o r ­ able, b u t the best t h i n g w a s to f o r g e t i t .

" W h e n r e p r e s e n t i n g m y s e l f as a news r e p o r t e r , I asked, ' W h a t s h a l l I t e l l the people u p N o r t h ? ' E x - M a y o r M a c k a y e s a i d , ' F i x i t u p as w e l l as y o u c a n f o r W a c o , a n d m a k e t h e m u n d e r s t a n d t h a t the b e t t e r t h i n k i n g m e n a n d w o m e n o f W a c o w e r e n o t i n i t . ' I s a i d . ' B u t some o f y o u r b e t t e r m e n w e r e d o w n t h e r e . ' T h e w h o l e t h i n g s a v o r s so r o t t e n because the b e t t e r m e n h a v e n o t t r i e d to p r o t e s t a g a i n s t i t . Y o u r c h u r c h e s h a v e n o t s a i d a w o r d . D r . C a l d w e l l w a s the o n l y m a n w h o made a n y p r o t e s t at a l l . "

6. The Lynching Industry.

TH I S is a n a c c o u n t o f one l y n c h i n g . I t is h o r r i b l e , b u t i t i s m a t c h e d i n h o r r o r b y

scores o f others i n the l a s t t h i r t y y e a r s , a n d i n i t s i l l e g a l , l a w - d e f y i n g , r a c e - h a t i n g as­ pect, i t i s m a t c h e d b y 2842 o t h e r l y n c h i n g s w h i c h h a v e t a k e n place betw een J a n u a r y 1, 1885, a n d J u n e 1, 1916. T h e s e l y n c h i n g s are as f o l l o w s :

C O L O R E D M E N L Y N C H E D B Y Y E A R S , 1885-1916.

1885 78 1886 71 1887 80 1888 95 1889 95 1890 90 1891 121 1892 155 1893 154 1894 134 1895 112 1896 80 1897 122 1898 102 1899 84 1900 107 1901 107

1902 86 1903 86 1904 83 1905 61 1906 64 1907 60 1908 93 1909 73 1910 65 1911 63 1912 63 1913 79 1914 69 1915 80 1916 (5 mos.) 31

T o t a l 2843

W h a t are w e g o i n g to do a b o u t t h i s r e c ­ o r d ? T h e c i v i l i z a t i o n o f A m e r i c a i s a t s t a k e . T h e s i n c e r i t y o f C h r i s t i a n i t y i s c h a l ­ l e n g e d . T h e N a t i o n a l A s s o c i a t i o n f o r t h e A d v a n c e m n t o f C o l o r e d P e o p l e proposes i m ­ m e d i a t e l y to r a i s e a f u n d o f a t l e a s t $10,000 to s t a r t a c r u s a d e a g a i n s t t h i s m o d e r n b a r ­ b a r i s m . A l r e a d y $2,000 i s p r o m i s e d , c o n ­ d i t i o n a l o n o u r r a i s i n g the w h o l e a m o u n t .

I n t e r e s t e d persons m a y w r i t e t o R o y N a s h , s e c r e t a r y , 70 F i f t h A v e n u e , N e w Y o r k C i t y .

FINIS