Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-01-14
THE GIRLS EERE NOT LYHOHED
Denial of tho Story About the Lynching
of the Sims Girls in Alabama.

THE GIRLS WERE NOT LYH0HED
Denial of tho Story About the Lynching
of the Sims Girls in Alabama.
MOBILE, Jan. 9.-The story of the
lynching of five more of the Sims
family, including two women, tele-
graphed from here yesterday to certain
New York papers, is absolutely untrue.
Rumors of such an event were current
here Wednesday, and as such were sent
out for what they were worth through
regular press channels. Investigation
yesterday, however, exploded the whole
story.
kilograms received to-day from the
sheriff of Wayne county, Miss, again
deny the truth of the story. Other dis
patches say that the girls and their
mother are at Womack Hill, Choctaw
county, and are entirely unmolested,
the only condition imposed being that
they shall remain there and not join the
community Of Simsites in Mississippi.
The hunt for Neal Sims still con-
tlnues, and if he is caught he will prob
ably be hanged.
THE CRIMES OF THE SIMS GANG.
On December 18th Bob Sims and two
members of the gang named Thomas
and John Savage were lynched in Choc-
taw county by mob John Savage was
the son of Thomas, and was only 10
years old.
The Sims gang had been guilty Of
many crimes, the elimination coming
on December gath, when the McMillin
| family was murdered because of some
trouble about land. A sheriff's posse,
armed with six-pound cannon, started
| for the Sims cottage. Sims and his two
| companions were we'll armed and had
| expected to hold the cottage until night,
when dash for liberty would be made.
On seeing the cannon the outlaw offered
TO surrender il the sheriff would guar
antee him protection from the members
of the posse. This the sheriff said he
could not do, but he would give him a
| guard of so armed men. This PROPOSE
ton Sims accepted. The armed guard
started with the prisoners on the
journey to Butler. After their departure
a crowd, numbering about 80 men,
mounted on horses, and started in pur-
suit. On the road they met John
Savage, who had been reported as cap
tured, and hanged on Christmas eve.
Without much ado they put a rope
around his neck and hanged him up to
q tree. They overlook the other
prisoners about two miles from the
starting 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 buggy, which
was then driven out from under them.
After the lynching the mob formed in
circle about the bodies and shot into
them. Later the two daughters of Bob
Sims, Laura and Beatrice, cut the bodies
down and removed them to their home.
Ever since the McMillin murder a
posse has been at work hunting down
the Sims boys and their followers. The
family is now nearly wiped out. 1t is
said that three more men who were en-
gagged in the outlawry of the gang will
be put to death as soon as they are
caught.
The daughters of Sins were remark
able young women. 7 II father owned
small farm in Cho county, oper.
ated moonshine dis .lery, assisted by
his sons and daughters, and on Sundays
preached to his neighbors the peculiar
doctrines of his so-called religion. The
main feature of this religion was the
complete reputation OF all allegiance To
human law and an Interpretation OF
divine law to suit the views of himself
and his followers. He insisted that every
man should be governed by his own
sense of right and wrong without regard
to law. He held that every man had a
perfect right to do just as he pleased.
Sims neighbors were ignorant and
superstitious backwoodsmen, and they
readily agreed with the last principle Of
his code of morals, and became enthu.
siastic followers of the new prophet eS
they called Sims. The Simsites soon
numbered about 100 persons, aud regu.
lar weekly meetings were held at the
home of the leader. His three daugh-
ters were enthusiastic believers in his
teachings. They had received somt
education at local schools, and the entire
family were regular readers of mum
Der of newspapers. The daughters
learned printing, and with small out
fit, purchased by their father, they estab
lished weekly paper called the Ir1t
Way. 1t was devoted entirely to ex
planning and advocating the doctrines Of
the elder Sims. One room of the los
. house in which the family lived was
/ used as a printing office, and the three
young women did all the work on The
new paper, mental and mechanical. 1t!
circulation was limited to the member,
, of the organization.
, Last summer two girls went to Mont
gomery and called on Governor Jones a
the executive mansion to make term
for their father. They were neatly
dressed and modest looking, and the
evident sincerity with which they tolt
, the story of their alleged wrongs mad,
, favorable impression on Gov. Jones
/ and he promised to investigate tn,
matter and sec that Bob Sims received
justice.
The action Of the girls in boldly goinl
to the governor and asking protection
for their father completely surprised the
citizens of Choctaw county, and fol
awhile they ceased to interfere with tn,
Simsites in any way. Soon afterwarC
! Bob Sims returned to his home.
r When the attack on the house o
: John McMillin was made in Christina
! week and his family murdered by til,
Simsites, the daughters of the OUTLAW
leader were in the party dressed in mem
, clothing and each one carrying heavy
, repeating rifle. They were in the thicl
! of the fight, and are said to have free
many of the shots that exterminateC
| the McAIillin family