The Ouachita Telegraph - Lynching of Dick Durbin

Date: Jul. 2000
Submitted by: Lora Peppers <lpeppers@ouachita.lib.la.us>

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The Ouachita Telegraph
Friday, December 8, 1876
Page 4, Column 1

REGULATED BY THE ROPE.
How Justice Protects Society in Amite.
        The details of the lynching of one Dick Durbin at Amite, on Monday
morning, briefly recited in Tuesday’s Times, are at hand, and are sufficiently
interesting to bear relation at this time.
        Durbin, who is a white man, has long borne, in the vicinity of
Amite, a reputation for being not only a worthless but a dangerous character.
        About a year ago he was tried for the murder of a colored man, but
through some technicality escaped convicition.  After that he continued to 
abide in the town, living no man knew how, but strongly suspected of being 
crooked on horses with such purposes that the loss of several valuable animals 
was charged to him, although the evidence was not strong enough to warrant his
arrest.
        For some time previous to Monday last, he had been in the habit of
calling, three nights each week, at the cabin of a poor colored woman in Amite, 
and by threats of murder, compelling her not only to furnish him with food and
money, but to submit to villainous personal outrages.
        On Sunday night he came as usual, and began his customary programme,
when the woman’s son – a stout lad – having previously provided himself with a
heavy stick, stole suddenly up behind the wretch, and striking him a heavy
blow over the head, felled him senseless to the floor.  The woman and the
boy then hastily procuring cords, bound the fellow securely, and then
notified the authorities who lugged him off to jail.
        About two o’clock on Monday morning, a party of fourteen masked men,
armed with shotguns, appeared before the jail, and threatening the guard with
instant death in case of resistance, demanded possession of the prisoner
Durbin, whom – being at once delivered to them – they bound hand and foot,
and taking him to the nearest tree, prepared to hang him to the nearest
tree, prepared to hang him off-hand.
        He piteously prayed for life, but finding his executioners
inexorable, begged to be shot instead of hung.  This boon, too, was denied him, 
and being told that he had just twenty minutes to live, was commanded to confess
his crimes.  Thereupon, with the rope around his neck, he related how he had
murdered a man and stolen several horses, giving also the disposition of the
latter.  When he had finished, he was swung up to a limb, and the rope being
secured, three of the lynchers, laying hold of the wretched man’s legs,
pulled them violently until his neck was broken.  His sufferings were
fearful, but despite his struggles the deadly work went forward until he
struggled no more.
        When the Jackson train passed Amite on Monday morning, the body was
still hanging in full public view.
        On the person of the victim were found $50 in currency and a
valuable gold watch, while in his possession at the time of his capture he had a 
fine bay horse, supposed to have been stolen. – N.O. Times.

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