Vicksburg Evening Post clipping
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Foote, William Henderson, 1843-1883; Yazoo City (Miss.); Lynching--Mississippi
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FROM YAZOO
Particulars of the Lynching - Verdict of the Coroner's Jury.
YAZOO CITY, MISS., Dec. 31. Notwithstanding the decision of the citizens' meeting, a large number of the first citizens of the county believed that swift retribution was the only way to prevent such occurrences as those of Monday night, and so on Saturday armed men began gathering here from all parts of the county, and about 7 o'clock a party of 200 men went to the jail and forced the guard to deliver the keys.
Bob Swayze was the first one to suffer, and was soon hanging from the high fence surrounding the jail.
Next the cell of W. H. Foote was opened. He fought like a lion, and knocked Alf. Fatheree in the head with a piece of iron, and Fatheree was also shot in the foot. Foote was then riddled with bullets.
Richard Gibbs' cell could not be opened and the crowd forced the other prisoners confined in the cell with him to hold a light, and then shot him, and forced his cell mates to put a rope around his neck, and he was then hung in the cell.
Micajah Parker was hung from the banisters in the jail.
The party made quick work, were quiet and orderly, and dispersed as soon as their work was done. For some days there were rumors on the streets that the prisoners would be tried in Hinds county, and fears that they would escape merited punishment probably hastened their doom.
The citizens here feel that though the punishment was terrible it was just and right.
The body of Foote was sent to Vicksburg this morning for burial.
VERDICT OF THE CORONER'S JURY.
The Coroner's Jury reported yesterday as follows: We, the jury, summoned and sworn, after proper and full investigation of the occurrence of last night, render our verdict as follows: That on the night of Dec. 29th, at the jail of Yazoo county, between the hours of seven and eight o'clock, a body of unknown men, armed and fully equipped, did take possession of said jail and the bodies of W. H. Foote, Micajah Parker, Robt Swayze, and Richard Gibbs, and killed them as follows: W. H. Foote came to his death by parties unknown; Second - Robt. Swayze came to his death by being hung, and also by being cut in the neck with some kind of instrument unknown to the jury; Third - Micajah Parker came to his death by being hung; Fourth - Richard Gibbs came to his death by gun shot.
All the parties concerned are unknown.
The trial of the rest of the conspirators has been set for to-morrow.
Particulars of the Lynching - Verdict of the Coroner's Jury.
YAZOO CITY, MISS., Dec. 31. Notwithstanding the decision of the citizens' meeting, a large number of the first citizens of the county believed that swift retribution was the only way to prevent such occurrences as those of Monday night, and so on Saturday armed men began gathering here from all parts of the county, and about 7 o'clock a party of 200 men went to the jail and forced the guard to deliver the keys.
Bob Swayze was the first one to suffer, and was soon hanging from the high fence surrounding the jail.
Next the cell of W. H. Foote was opened. He fought like a lion, and knocked Alf. Fatheree in the head with a piece of iron, and Fatheree was also shot in the foot. Foote was then riddled with bullets.
Richard Gibbs' cell could not be opened and the crowd forced the other prisoners confined in the cell with him to hold a light, and then shot him, and forced his cell mates to put a rope around his neck, and he was then hung in the cell.
Micajah Parker was hung from the banisters in the jail.
The party made quick work, were quiet and orderly, and dispersed as soon as their work was done. For some days there were rumors on the streets that the prisoners would be tried in Hinds county, and fears that they would escape merited punishment probably hastened their doom.
The citizens here feel that though the punishment was terrible it was just and right.
The body of Foote was sent to Vicksburg this morning for burial.
VERDICT OF THE CORONER'S JURY.
The Coroner's Jury reported yesterday as follows: We, the jury, summoned and sworn, after proper and full investigation of the occurrence of last night, render our verdict as follows: That on the night of Dec. 29th, at the jail of Yazoo county, between the hours of seven and eight o'clock, a body of unknown men, armed and fully equipped, did take possession of said jail and the bodies of W. H. Foote, Micajah Parker, Robt Swayze, and Richard Gibbs, and killed them as follows: W. H. Foote came to his death by parties unknown; Second - Robt. Swayze came to his death by being hung, and also by being cut in the neck with some kind of instrument unknown to the jury; Third - Micajah Parker came to his death by being hung; Fourth - Richard Gibbs came to his death by gun shot.
All the parties concerned are unknown.
The trial of the rest of the conspirators has been set for to-morrow.
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Citation
Vicksburg Evening Post, “Vicksburg Evening Post clipping,” Mississippi State University Libraries, accessed October 30, 2024, https://msstate-exhibits.libraryhost.com/items/show/415.
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