A Lynch Mob Foiled by Donald E. Baker

MONOLOGUE: 5-6 minutes. A besieged jail. A frightened Black prisoner. An angry White mob. A sheriff determined to uphold the rule of law. A daring escape in the dead of night. Julius August “Gus” Lemcke (pronounced “LEM-key”) was sheriff of Vanderburgh County, Indiana, in 1880 when a clash between overheated political partisans resulted in a Black Republican and a White Democrat shooting each other. The White...
MONOLOGUE: 5-6 minutes. A besieged jail. A frightened Black prisoner. An angry White mob. A sheriff determined to uphold the rule of law. A daring escape in the dead of night. Julius August “Gus” Lemcke (pronounced “LEM-key”) was sheriff of Vanderburgh County, Indiana, in 1880 when a clash between overheated political partisans resulted in a Black Republican and a White Democrat shooting each other. The White man was cared for by his friends. The Black man ended up in the county jail, surrounded by armed and angry citizens determined to lynch him from the nearest tree. This monologue is adapted from Lemcke’s own account of this episode in his 1905 published memoir.
  • Recommend
  • Download
  • Save to Reading List

A Lynch Mob Foiled

Recommended by

  • Ian Donley:
    26 Jul. 2022
    “ The language is vividly clear. From the first paragraph to the last sentence, the story is giving its full complexity and nuance.
    ”
  • Charles Scott Jones:
    25 Jul. 2022
    “ This monologue is so powerful for the simple direct voice of Gus Lemcke, a Republican sheriff, in Vanderburgh County, Indiana, 1880 - from a memoir adapted by Donald E Baker. If current events lead us to believe that times are bad, a historical reflection like A LYNCH MOB FAILED gives hope that we too shall persevere and prevail. The details of this piece are astounding, from the sheriff's family living under the same roof as the convicts in the jail, to the monologue's brilliant last line that I won't spoil. Please read this wonderful piece! ”
  • Rachel Feeny-Williams:
    25 Jan. 2022
    “ Donald Baker has a true gift for writing powerful monologues, his characters equipped with unique voices and stories that you could probably see unfolding before you if you were listening while your eyes were closed. This piece is no exception to that. Its a powerful and dark piece that explores the angry history of parts of America and the prejudices that existed within them. As a British person, I always find it fascinating to read the perspectives of American writers on their history. I certainly picked a great playwright to read for that reason. This piece should be heard! ”
View all 6 recommendations

Julius Augustus Lemcke, age 50, sheriff