The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1895-08-02
HORRIBLE!
A NEGRO Fiend Knocks Two
Young Ladies in the Head
With q Hatchet.
Assaults one OF sAe Girls and sheets the
Mother.

With a Hatchet.
Assault. ON. OF tAe Girls and sheets the
Mother.
On Saturday night, July Goth, at
about 8 O'Clock, near Hattiesburg an
other fearful crime was committed by
negro brute by the name OF Tom
Johnson. On the night in question
the daughters OF Mr.. A. D. fairfield,
Misses Katie and Susie fairfield,
aged IA and IS years, respectively, had
occasion to 60 to the barn, and had
stepped out Of the house into the lot
and were met by negro, who struck
Katie over the head with an ak, split
ting her head wide open. Her sister,
Miss Susie, seeing her fate, cried for
help. At this the negro turned to her
and dealt, as he supposed, a death
blow, and dragged her to crib, !
distance OF fifty yards and outraged
her leaving her for dead. ...a
The mother Of the girls went to the
lot in search of them and was met at
the gate by the negro, who began mr.
ing at her with 38-caliber revolver,
hitting her three times, though not
fatally. . :,
Mrs. fairfield wounded and bleed
ing fled to the house, the negro fol.
lowed whereupon she left the house
and hid under it, the negro thinking
the coast clear ransacked trunks and
whatever place he thought articles OF
va ue or money were concealed. In
the meantime Mrs. fairfield fed to .
neighbours house about mile distal t
and gave the alarm, and body OF
neighbors returned only to find that
the fendish wretch had escaped,
leaving his innocent victims datb,ed
in blood, in the COW pen, one Of whom
has since died. The neie hbors at once
raised the alarm, and tie news Of the
revolving crime spread like wild fire
to the adjoining counties and large
bodies OF armed, enraged and excited
citizens proceeded to scour the woods
in pursuit Of the negro, Of whom
Mrs. fairfield had given a de-
scriptiOn. About sundOwn lie was
observed by Mr.. Reddoch and his son
and nephew. The first named is an
aged man and the two youths mere
stripping, but proved to be heroes.
The negro, whom they recognized as
the hunted fugIvc, was on the road
leading to Reddoch's ferry, and on
inquiry as to where he could stay all
night was directed to a negro cabin
near by. The man and boys formed
plan to capture him, and sent for help,
but fearing he would escape before aid
arrived boldly approached the cabin,
and there bcheld the execrable wretch,
whose hands not long since was fresh.
ly dyed with the blood OF innocent
human beings, uplifted and leading
in prayer the other negroes OF the
place. Oh, what despicable and
hypocritical scoundrel. D.,
Mr.. Reddoch and the two young
men entered the cabin, and drawing
their pistols ordered him to hold up
his hands and surrender. He hesi-.
tated, and suddenly made m0ven Q It
towards his trousers pockets, but as.
he did so one Of the party pulled the
trigger. The cartridge failed to ex-
plOde, but it had the desired effect
and the negro gave up and his captOfs
conveyed him to the county Jail at
Hattiesbnrg, where the indignant pe0-
pie gathered and broke open the prison,
and aftor desperate resistance, was
finally subdued, and the crowd started
with him to the fairfield home to be
identified, but on the road he made
his escape. and after a long chase
was re-captured and carried before
Mrs. fairfield, who fully identift d
Johnson as the negro who committed
the crimes mentioned. Then meas
ures were taken for his execution. A
committee was appointed, and after
making a confession, he was allowed
to choose his own manner Of death.
johnson desired to be shoot, and &c.
cordingly he was tied between two
saplings and over one thousand shots
fired into his body, and all that re.
mained of Tom Johnson, the murderer
and rapist was the mangled body.
The following is the confession he
made:
II left Meridian Tuesday night
July 16, 1895, and came down to Hat
ticsburg and went out to Mrs. Z. NJ
Summerall'S and attempted to rob heI
house IN the Wednesday night follow
ing, firing the field fence first. i'm
mediately went down to Mr.. w. J
Draughan's, firing his field fence lrs,
and then robbed his house. No Onl
was with me. / carried out OF Mr.
Draughan's house trunk and ther
went back and carried out another
trunk. l went to Mr.. A. d. Hartheld'i
on Saturday night, the 10th, and hi,
his daughter Susie with an ak ane
knocked her down. l then knocked
his daughter Katie down with the al
and killed her. l hit her two lick:
with the AK. Mrs. fairfield came
running up and l shot her twice with
my pistol. l shot at the dog once, anC
followed it to the house. l then went
into the house to rob it, but did moi
find any money then went back tC
the lot where Susie was knocked doWr
and took her up and put her 10 thl
crib. I did all this myself. No Onl
was with mo and NO one had any know
ledge or my beiny In the country.
| ! know nothing ot the killing d
Mrs. Williamson IN Hattiesburg, tlcl
OF the Farmer, family In Meridian.
brought 4 cake 0f bread with me from
, Ncshoba county when ! came 10 thi,
county, and lived on II and peacheI
and watermelOns. until ] COMMITTEES
the crime at A. D. Hartfeld,s. 1fee
that l ought to die f4r these crlmel