Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-08-10
HANGED AND THEN SHOT.
LYNCHING FOLLOWS AN OUT
RAGE IN RANDOLPH.

The 9-Year-OId Daughter of n Baptist
Minister the Victim of Naked Negroes
Lust-The Little One Seized in the
Road While Going to school.
CUTHBERT, GA, Aug. "a hundred
men, disguised by masks and armed with
guns and reyolvers, appeared in front of
the Jail at this place at o'clock this
morning and demanded the sur
render OF Henry Davis, a negro,
aged 10 years, charged with despoiling
q pretty little white child but years of
age. The jailOT refused 10 accede to the
demands of the crowd, and warned them
not to advance on peril of their lives.
ATTACHING THE JAIL,
A shout of defiance WAS the only heed
paid the admOnitiOn, and a moment later
imprOvised battering-ramsl IN sturdy hands
were forcing open the portals OF the jail,
The jall0r was absolutely at the mercy of
the attacking party and the corridor to
the cells was soon swarmtng with the
masked avengers.
LED TO THE SLAUGHTER.
The iron bars to the cell in which Davis
was confined We're not sufficient TO pro-
tect him, and Is minutes after the first
attack he was being dragged between
riVing at their destination, the cap
tors epcircled the neck Of
their victim with slip-noose
and throwing the other end of the rope
over a sill of the bridge gave pull alto
getheT, and swung Davis struggling
body between heaven and earth. Strangu-
latiOn would soon have completed its
work, but before it had time to do so a
vOlley of bullets, which completely per-
forated Davis body, ended his misery.
THE CRIME.
The crime for which Davis was SO
traglcally executed was one of the most
revolving ever perpetrated in this county
Sylvia knight, aged years, and her
brother, aged 7, children of Rev. John T..
Knight, of Wards Station, left their home
Friday morning to so to school. They
carried their books and dinner basket and
were wished God speed as they trudged
along the road by the kind-hearted mother
who stood on her piazza watching them
recede from view.
HORRIBLE APPARITIoN.
The little ones had reached aspot three
fOurths of mile from home when a naked
negro sprang out into the roadway before
them and seIzed the little girl in his arms.
The children screamed with terror. The
negro ran into the woods with the little
one in his arms, leaving her terrOTized
brother crying in the highway, and threat
ened with death if he made move
or further outcry. Having ac-
cOmplished his horrible purpose the
negro fled into the woods, releasing
the little girl. Bruised and bleeding
she ran home with her brother, and told
the story of the outrage to her parents.
Both children testified that they could
identify the nude assaiIant, aud eacn said
that he had large scar on one Ofhis hips
PURSUIT AND CAPTURE.
Rev. Mr.. Knight and an armed posse
of neighbOrs secured the woods. and
made prisoners Of five or six negroes on
suspicion. The captives were taken be-
fore the children, and Davis
was identified at sight. An
examination of his person revealed the
scar on the hip which the children had de-
scriDed. Lynching would have followed
Immediately had it not been for Rev. Mr..
Knights request that the law be allowed
to take its course. Public Indignation
continued to increase, however, ana it's
elimination was the tragedy OF this morn-
ing.