The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-09-20
SWUNG UP And RIDDLED,
The Last Of Dave GOOSby, RapiSt and
Murderer.


A Mob at Valdosta smashes the Jail
Doors With Sledge Hammers, Takes
the Black Fiend to Pine Thicket.
Where. He is Hung and Riddled
With Bullets From Winchesters.
The Negroes Wanted a Chance to
Lynch Him.
Valdosta, Ga. Sept. 19.-The ravisher
and murderer of little Susie Butler in
Thomas county, which crimes were COM
mItted last Saturday, paid the penalty of
his crimes between the hours of l and
o'clock this morning. The story of his
fearful crime, the diabolical outrage upon
frail and weak little white girl, who
was sent by her mother to the spring,
then the murder to shield his first crime,
has been told and retold upon the streets
here by people from that section, but not
until the trembling wretch gave the de-
tails of the dastard!y deed from his own
lips to visitors to the Jail yesterday did
any one contemplate the awful details of
the terrible tragedy. AS was said in
dispatch to the MORNING News last night,
his confession was not only complete, but
in telling of the tragedy ne supplemented
published reports by bringing out details
heretofore unknown. From his lips it
was learned that the knife with which
the deadly wound was inflicted belonged
to the father of the little girl, he having
borrowed it on the previous day.
AS soon as it was discovered that Judge
Hansel had sent him to this city for safe
keeping low whispering among groups of
men told the story that bad blood was
boiling in the veins of brave and deter
mined men BY o'clock last night there
were groups standing in nearly every
part of the city discussing the crime in
all of its aspects, some advocating sum
mary punishment, while the more con-
servative made attempts to disperse the
crowds and dispel all ideas of violence.
BY 10 80 o'clock the streets began
to get clear, and those who
had favored leaving the criminal in the
hands of the law went to their homes
fully convinced that they had been sue
cessful in preventing a swift trial before
Judge Lynch.
When the train from Thomasville ar
rived, at nearly 10 o'clock, the peaceful
scene of an hour before began to change
A crowd of men sprung up near the cross
ing of the Georgia Southern and Florida
road. The train stopped there, and it is
said that a crowd from down toward
Thomasvile dismounted and began to
march toward the county jail They were
probably supplemented on the way by
men from here, and when the jail was
reached at least fifty men were in the
crowd. Entrance was made into
Booker's blacksmith shop and sew
eral sedge hammers were gotten
to use in forcing entrance. The door to
the Jail corridor was knocked in by the
mob and the heavy locks to the iron cage
were broken like pipe stems under the
blows of the hammer Four negroes were
confined in the cage at the time, but when
a call was made for Goosby he stepped
from his cell with light tread and went
with the crowd without fiinching.
People living in the neighborhoodo of the
Jail were aroused by the heavy blows
upon the door, and several people along
the route to the scene Of the last chapter
in the tragedy, saw the mob but could
not recognize anyone in it. The negro
was evidently well known to members of
the mob, as the conversation heard by
residents indicated Some one was heard
to say to Goosby, Dave, l always
thought you had too much sense for such
thing" but the answer could not be
heard
The negro was carried to a little pine
grove at the north end of Patterson street,
and there the finale was witnessed. After
being allowed to pray, some one climbed
little pine tree and fastened a rope to a
limb about fifteen feet from the ground.
y sCanUling was held up by members Of
the mob, and the negro stood on that
while the rope was TIED about his neck.
The crowd then fell back and riddled his
body with bullets. Those who heard the
firing say there was between 100 and 500
shots fired.
Col. Varnadoe of the Fourth Georgia
regiment this morning received
telegram from Gov. Northen requesting
him to protect the negro. Col Narna-
doe says that if the telegram had reached
MIN last night, he would have taken
every possible step to have prevented it.
The body Of the negro has swung from
the limb all day to-day and hundreds Of
people have visited the scene of the
Iynching. While every one here agrees
that swift punishment should have been
leted the brute there is general regret
mat the people of Thomas county did
not lJnch him there. The white people
ana negroes of this county live peaceably
together and the negroes would have
Fnched Goosby themselves If they had
Deeu given a chance