SMOTHERS , Wallace
Smothers, a black native of Mt, Sterling, Ky., was living in Clark
Co. where he was employed as a farm laborer. On Sunday, Julz 11,
1915, he ESSER raped a 7-year-old white girl near Thompson Station,
Clark Co, He hid in a barn over night and the next day hid in an
oat field where he watched the posse searching for him. On Tuesday,
hunger forced him to go to a house for food and the posse was noti-
fied. He was captured shortly afterwards and because of the fear
that he would be lynched, he was taken to the jail in Lexington for
safe keeping until he could be tried. A special session of the
grand jury and term of court was called, had he was tried on July
28. After a deliberation of only 20 minutes, the jury returned a
verdict of guilty and he was sentenced to die. Before his death,
he wrote a letter to his mother in which he restated his innocence.
He was electrocuted at the Kentucky State Prison on Sept. 3, 1915,
WINCH STER SUN, Winchester, Kentucky, 9-3-1915,
SMOTHERS, Wallace
Smothers, a black native of Mt. Sterling, Ky., was living in Clark
Co. where he was employed as a farm laborer. On Sunday, Julz 11,
1915, he #$8ER raped a 7-year-old white girl near Thompson Station,
Clark Co. He hid in a barn over night and the next day hid in an
oat field where he watched the posse searching for him. On Tuesday,
hunger forced him to go to a house for food and the posse was noti-
fied. He was captured shortly afterwards and because of the fear
that he would be lynched, he was taken to the jail in Lexington for
safe keeping until he could be tried. A special session of the
grand jury and term of court was called, had he was tried on July
28. After a deliberation of only 20 minutes, the jury returned a
verdict of guilty and he was sentenced to die. Before his death,
he wrote a letter to his mother in which he restated his innocence.
He was electrocuted at the Kentucky State Prison on Sept. 3, 1915.
WINCH STER SUN, Winchester, Kentucky, 9-3-1915,
SMOTHERS, Wallace
Smothers, a black native of Mt, Sterling, Be was living in Clark
ere he was employed as farm laborer, On Sunday, July 11,
he BAIL repod © 7-year-old white girl near Thonpeon Station,
He hid in a barn over night and the next day hid in an
oat field where he watched the posse searching for him, On Tuesday,
He was captured shortly afterwards and because of the fear
that he would be lynched, he was taken to the jail in lexington for
safe keeping until he could be tried. A special session of the
grand jury and term of court was called, had he was tried on July
28, After a deliberation of only 20 minutes, the jury returned a
verdict of guilty and he was sentenced to die. Before his death,
he wrote a letter to his mother in which he restated his innocence.
He was electrocuted at the Kentucky State Prison on Sept. 3, 1915.
WINCHSTER SUN, Winchester, Kentucky, 9-3-1915,
‘ik nam of Mh Shrhigy oy Sng Case
meres on
1 Sab ctetroutat at the Kontaty State Feison en Sopt.5y Sr
“ANGLSTER SOY, Wines, Eanackyy 34015.
CC BY-NC-SA 4.0