Typed as spelled and written
Lena Stone Criswell
THE MARLIN DEMOCRAT
Eighteenth Year - Number 48
Marlin, Texas, Wednesday, November 6, 1907
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NEGRO HUNG AT CAMERON.
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Made an Attempt to Assault
White Woman.
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Cameron, Tex., Nov. 4.--This afternoon a mob of 300 people gathered about the
jail here and after battering down three doors, forced their way to the cell of
Alex Johnson, the negro who was arrested a week ago for an attempted criminal
assault on MIss Haley, residing near Mayfield, this county. The sheriff
and one deputy made very effort to defend the prisoner, but were unable to
withstand the silent fury of the mob.
Johnson was seized and dragged trembling to
a tree in the court house yard and without ceremony a rope was placed about his
neck and he was hanged without being asked to make any statement.
Before the lynching the negro made a
statement to the sheriff, in which he admitted that he seized Miss Haley in a
lonely spot as she was riding near her and choked her and threw her to the
ground but was frightened away before he accomplished his purpose. The
grand jury had been in special session and this morning had indicted Johnson.
At the time of the outrage it was feared an
attempt would be made to lynch the negro, but he was kept out in the woods until
chance was given to get him into the jail. The mob worked quietly and
there was no outbreak nor firing of guns, the men simply announcing that they
were determined to avenge the insult.
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Copyright permission granted to Theresa Carhart and her volunteers for
printing by The Democrat, Marlin, Falls Co., Texas