Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-01-07
SMIn Retrihntion.

SWltt hetfhDuuous
Bob Sims and two members OF his
bloodthirsty gang named Thomas and
John Savage were lynched in Choctaw
County, Alabama, by mob. John Saw
age, a son of Thomas, was only 10 years
OF age. The Sims gang had been
guilty Of many crimes, the elimination
coming when the Mcmillan family was
murdered because OF some trouble about
land, the circumstances of the fendish
crime having been already related The
people of Choctaw County, tired of the
bloody doings of Bob Sims and his crew,
determined that no appeal to law was
tolerable at this time, and that summary
justice be meted out A sheriff's posse,
armed with six-pound cannon, proceeded
to Sims cottage. determined to take
the outlaw d ad or alive Sims and
his two companions were heavily armed,
and had expected to hold the cottage un-
Til night, when dash for liberty would
be made. Cn seeing the cannon, how
ever, the outlaw sought to "parley" with
the Sheriff, offering to surrender II the
Sheriff would guarantee him protection
from the members OF the posse This
the Sheriff sa d he could not do under
the existing state OF ali airs and the in
tense excitement prevailing, but he
and give him guard of fifty armed
men. This proposition Sims finally ac-
cepted, saying that by holding out he
felt he would sacrifice the lives OF his
wife and daughters, at the same time
remarking that he did not expect he
would get as Tar as Butler either dead
or alive.
The armed guard started with the
prisoners, consisting OF Bob Sims, Tom
Savage and two sons Of John Savage on
the journey to Butler. After their de-
parture the remainder OF the crowd
which had gathered at the scene, num-
bering about $50 determined men, held
meeting and took counsel as to what
action was advisable. IL was soon de-
termined that the prisoners should be
lynched so, mounting their horses, they
started in pursuit On the road they
met John Savage, previously reported as
captured and hanged Christmas Eve
Without much ado they put a rope
around his neck and strung him uD to
convenient tree
Continuing on. they overlook the other
prisoners about two miles from the start
ing point and, returning with them to
the same tree from which John Savage
was hanging, the mob adjusted ropes
about their necks and mounted them two
at time in a buggy. sims and one of
the younger Savages were the first OF
those who surrendered to fall victims to
the fury of the enraged popu ace. When
asked If he had anything to say, Sims
replied, defianty:
"Oome, feel my Lu sc, and see II you
think am coward.
The buggy was then driven out from
under them and they swung into eter-
l.. To-, IN md
his nephew were hanged to the same
tree The Savages pleaded for mercy
and declared their innocence, while
Sims refused to be blindfolded, assisted
in adjusting the Iope about his neck,
and took things as coolly as though eat
ing a Christmas dinner instead OF play
ing leading role in tragedy which
was to land him in eternity.
After the lynching the mob formed n
a circle about the dangling bodies. which
they filed with lead. They then dis
persed in the direction OF their several
homes Miss Belle McKinZie, the young
lady school teacher, who was boarding.
at McMillan's and who was shot three
times in the neck when Sims attacked
the Mcmillan homestead, Is dead.
A later Dispatch says that the lynch
ing still goes on. Two more victims
John Sims, brother Of Fob, and Mos'ey,
his nephew-were both hanged the fol-
lowing night, end the. .avanaers, are In
hot pursuit Of q negro that was with the
Sims gang the night OF the massacre.
They have burned Bob Sims dive ling
and all the houses on his place, and
killed every living thing to be found on
the place except the family, and they
had to escape TO a neighbor hou o.
The Sims family say they are going to
leave the country. The crowd continues
to enlarge, and is fully 500 strong, and
is hunting for Neal Sims 1t is reported
that Neal Sims has gotten together
about forty men, and intends to burn
| Womack Hill. The bodies OF Bob Sims
! and the three Savages have been cut
down and thrown over in the graveyard.
John Savage, the first hanged, was left
hanging.