Strung Up in Owenton

Strung Up

 

Lego Gibson Lynched by a Kentucky Mob

 

For the Killing of Frank Legon

 

Taken from Jail and Served Without Mercy

 

Awful Fate of Twenty-Year Old Boy

He Came From a Bad Family and the Mob Removed Him

Owenton, Ky., Jan 28. – (Special) Lego Gibson, who murdered Frank Legon, as taken from jail last night and hanged by a mob. 

Gibson was arrested yesterday for shooting Frank Legon at Owenton, Ky., Friday last. Immediately after the shooting, Gibson disappeared.  Sheriff Shepherd and Deputy Donaway arrested him at the residence of Boswell Hunter. 

When arrested, he was quietly picking a banjo.  He at first resisted, but was overpowered and taken to jail.  He was only 20, but had a very bad reputation.  He was also a relative of Bob Bartlett, the desperado who shot Dr. Contis’ wife some time ago. 

After reaching the jail, Gibson was very quiet, and said the cause of his shooting Legon was jealousy.  They began to quarrel, and Gibson shot him five times. 

The Crime 

Last Friday morning Legon was brutally murdered by Lego Gibson at Squiresville, six miles west of here. The trouble grew out of a horse trade in which Gibson traded to Legon a horse on which was a mortgage to Dr. Taylor. 

Taylor, by proper steps, took the horse and Legon went after Gibson but could not find him.  Gibson was dodging, but when they met on Friday morning some unpleasant words were passed between them, when Gibson shot Legon just above the hip, from the effects of which he died Sunday. 

Frank Legon was a good, industrious citizen, and was recently married.  Gibson fled, but was arrested last Monday Carrollton County [sic], and was brought here and lodged in the jail Tuesday night.  Since then he has been playing the insanity dodge. 

Last night about 11 o’clock he was taken from the jail by a mob of about 60 persons and was hanged to a sapling.

From the Kentucky Post, January 28, 1892