field ▁was ▁a ▁black ▁man ▁who ▁was ▁l yn ched ▁in ▁Ell is ville , ▁Mississippi ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 9 ▁for ▁alleg edly ▁having ▁a ▁white ▁girl friend . ▁The ▁murder ▁was ▁announced ▁a ▁day ▁in ▁advance ▁in ▁major ▁newsp apers , ▁a ▁crowd ▁of ▁as ▁many ▁as ▁ 1 0 , 0 0 0 ▁watched ▁while ▁Hart field ▁was ▁h anged , ▁shot , ▁and ▁burn ed . ▁Pie ces ▁of ▁his ▁cor pse ▁were ▁cho pped ▁off ▁and ▁sold ▁as ▁sou ven irs . ▁ ▁History ▁John ▁Hart field ▁left ▁his ▁home ▁in ▁Ell is ville ▁seeking ▁a ▁better ▁life ▁in ▁East ▁St . ▁Louis . ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 9 , ▁he ▁tra ve led ▁back ▁to ▁Ell is ville ▁to ▁visit ▁his ▁white ▁girl friend , ▁Ruth ▁Me eks , ▁taking ▁a ▁job ▁as ▁a ▁hotel ▁por ter ▁in ▁La ure l . ▁When ▁the ▁relationship ▁became ▁known ▁to ▁some ▁white ▁men , ▁they ▁determined ▁to ▁kill ▁Hart field . ▁They ▁accused ▁Hart field ▁of ▁rap ing ▁Me eks , ▁who ▁they ▁claimed ▁was ▁ 1 8 , ▁although ▁she ▁was ▁actually ▁in ▁her ▁mid - tw ent ies . ▁Hart field ▁managed ▁to ▁el ude ▁them ▁for ▁a ▁while , ▁but ▁they ▁purs ued ▁him ▁for ▁several ▁weeks . ▁▁ ▁Sher iff ▁Allen ▁B out well ▁in ▁La ure l ▁raised ▁don ations ▁to ▁fund ▁a ▁hunting ▁party ▁with ▁blood h ounds ▁at ▁the ▁request ▁of ▁Sher iff ▁Har b ison . ▁He ▁was ▁finally