The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1892-01-06
Swift Retribution.

swift
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, q 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 fiendsh
crime having been already related The
people OF Choctaw County, tired of the
bloody doings of Fob 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 ad or alive. Sims and
his two companions were heavily armed,
and had expected to hold the cottage un-
I'll night, when dash for LIBERTY would
DO made. On 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 he could not do under
the existing state Of airs and the In
tense excitement prevailing, but he
would do the next best thing he could
and give him guard Of fifty armed
men. This proposition Sims finally &C
copied, 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
10 Oh
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
a meeting and took counsel as to what
action was advisable. 1t was soon &C.
termined that the prisoners should be
lynched, so, mounting their horses, they
started in pursuit On the road they
met John Savage, previously reported az
captured and hanged Christmas I've
y ithout mucn ado they p"t rope
around his neck and strung him up to
convenient tree
Continuing on. they orertOok the other
prisoners about two miles from the start
ing point and, returning with them to
the same tr from whicl John Savage
was hanging, the mob ad listed rop 5
about their necks and mounted them TWO
at time in a buggy. inns ana one of
the younger Savages were the first OF
those who surrendered TO fall victims to
the fury of the enraged popu d @. VIII n
asked n he had anything TO say, Sims
reElied, defiant y.
"Come, feel my u Sc, and see If you
think | am coward.
The buggy was then driven out from
under them and they swung into eter-
ty. IN like manner Tom Savage and
his nephew were hanged u the Same
tree. The Savages pleaded for mercy
and declared their innocence, while
Sims refused to be blndfolded, assisted
in adjusting the oEe about his neck,
and took things as coolly as though eat
ing hristmas dinner instead of p ay.
ing a lead ng role in tragedy which
was to land him In eternity.
After the nching the mob formed
circle about The dangling bed es, which
they filed with lead. They then dis
pcrSed in the direction OF their several
homes Miss Iele McKinzie, he young
lady school teacher, who was board ug
at \ Civilians and who was shot three
times i'm the neck " hen Sims attacke
the Mcmillan homestead, is dead.
A later di patch says that the lynch
ing still goes on Two more victims =
John Sims, brother of OBJ and Mos ely,
his nephew-were both hanged the fol-
lowing night, and the avengers are in
hot pursuit Of a negro hat was with the
Sims gang the night OF the massacre.
They have burned Bob Sims dive ling
and al the houses on his place, and
Xxi led every living thing to be found on
the place except the family, and they
had to cape to 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
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