The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1886-12-23
HORRIBLE CRIME.
Five Persons Most Foully Murdered
and Cremated in Geor-
gia.
The Author OF the DemOniac Deed Con-
fesses and Is Roasted at the
Stake.
ATLANTA GA. special. !


News has reached this city of q terrific.
murder committed in Franklin County in
which five lives we're lost, and the perpe-
traitor was subsequently lynched. Under
the law of Georgia when misdemeanor-
convicts are only fined they have the privi-
lege of selling their services if any one
will pay the fine and take them. 1t was
thus that John Swilling, substantial
farmer, made the acquaintance of Franz
Sanders, who was in Jail. Sanders
had been but recently a resident of
the county, coming from South Carolina.
Swilling agreed to take him, and made him
one of the family. On several occasions
Sanders has attempted TO escape the task of
working out his fine and thus the gratitude
which he should have felt toward Mr..
Swilling was turned into bitter hate.
Wednesday Mr.. Swilling took some cotton
to Toccoa, where he disposed of il. On
returning home the family, consisting of
Swilling, his wife, and three children,
retired at an early hour in one room.
Sometime before daylight Thursday morn
ing Sanders, who slept in the house.,
resolved to secure the money and
escape. Taking the AK with which he
worked he noiselessly entered, but as he
reached the beside Swilling sprang up.
He was given n blow on the head which
went crashing through his brain. Another
blow killed Mrs. Swilling. while asleep.
Having got his hand into the bloody bust
ness, Sanders then deliberately went to
the three children and drove the poll of his
AK through their skulls. His murderous
deeds accomplished, the next thought was
for concealment. A lamp nearly filled with
oil was on the mantelpiece. This Sanders
took and poured the oil over the bed
clothes. He then applied fire, and, putting
the stolen money IN his pocket, sailed
forth for the purpose of giving plausi-
bility to the deed. He ran 10 the
house of George Swilling. brother
of his victim, and told him of the
fire. George hurried back, accompanied by
several neighbors, while Sanders continued
IN another direction. Unfortunately for
Sanders, the house was not completely
burned when the party reached it, and the
fire had not yet touched the body OF Mr..
Swilling. 1t was thus that the wound on
SwillIngs head was discovered. Then the
absence of Sanders was noted. search
was at once made for him, and before the
day closed he was caught and confessed the
bloody deed. The citizens took him from
the officers, and hurried him TO the
ruins o. Swilling's house. When the mob
reached the scene of the tragedy they made
Sanders describe in detail the whole crime.
As soon as he had finished the narration
they gave him five minutes in which to
pray. A fire was built on the spot where
Swlllings holy had lain, and into it San
ders, tied head and foot with chains, was
thrown. When the pile had burned away,
leaving nothing but charred bones, the
party separated.
Sanders was fugitive from South Caro-
lima, where n charge of murder was hang
ing over him. At the age of l6 he COM
mitted forgery, and therefor served an i'm
prisonment of five years. Upon his release
he married an unsophi-tcated country girl.
He quarreled with her in January last and
cut her throat He disappeared that night
and had not heen seen or heard from until
the particulars of this terrible tragedy we're
made public.