The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-10-30

Fingers Cut Of---Then HIS Head Was
Removed and His Body Left Hanging
to Pole.
Jefferson Ellis, young colored man, who
ten days before had committed criminal as
sault on Miss Sue Praeter. a beautiful young
woman, who lives with her parents near GAL
loway, Tenn, was lynched within one hun
dred yards OF the scene Of the assault. He
was horribly tortured before he was killed.
He was decapitated while his heart yet beat.
Ellis was captured in Mississippi and taken
to Galloway in hack. He was placed in
buggy beside constable, and was started
toward the home OF the young lady, to be
identified by her, after which he was to be
taken to Somerville aud put in jail. IdentiA-
cation was entirely unnecessary, inasmuch
as Ellis confessed his crime.
AS soon as the wheels Of the constable's
buggy made their first revolution TOO armed
horsemen swung into line behind II. The
oficer drove with reckless rapidity, and the
cavalcade followed him with every horse on
dead run. As the procession was passing
out OF the village OF Galloway. number of
women standing by the roadside cried out
to them:
Remember your wives and daughters,
men; do not let the man escape"
AS soon as the Praeter house was reached
the young lady identified the prisoner. I'm
mediately the constable was covered with q
score OF shotguns and made to deliver the
prisoner, who was taken by the mob.
Ellis confessed to being implicated In the
assault on and murder of Mrs. John Bailey,
frht nh kx~~ n
also told the names Of two colored cronies
Mrs. Harrel. widow who lives within few
miles OF where he was iynched. two months
ago, and, after assaulting her two daughters,
burned them and their mother In their home.
Then he confessed to beating his own wife so
badly that she died.
After Ellis had made these confessions, he
was taken to point about one hundred and
fifty yards from the Praeter house, where
huge fire had been built, and told to prepare
for death.
A trenzied, hot headed man pushed
through the crowd, brandishing knife, and
yelled:
t., 9. "kneel r ssI. down and pray, you dog. I'm go
The wretch knelt, but did not pray, and
the man began cutting of his right ear. Ellis
fell to the ground with shrek Of pain, and
some one cried out:
''You remember how that poor girl begged
for her honor, don't you?"
Then members OF the mob yelled:
"Give me his other earl"
~ want f1nger!"
The doomed mans other ear was severed
from his head. after which each Of his fingers
was cut of. He was then further mutilated.
A number Of the mob favored roasting their
victim alive, and loud cries of "Burn him!
Burn him" could be heard. The major por-
ton OF them. however. favored hanging him
without further brutality, and he was strung
up to the telegraph pole, bearing on his
breast a placard on which was written:
"Death to the Person Who Cuts Down
This Body Before Shutdown"
When the victim had been hung from the
crossbars Of the pole, the greater part OF the
mob left, but few remained. and while his
pulse still family beat he was lowered to
the ground and decapitated with a penknife.
After the flesh was cut away from the neck
bone, the bone was wrenched and the bloody
head was placed In sack. This terrible
trophy was sent to the family Of little girl
living In Mississippi whom Ellis attempted
to assault while the posse was In pursuit OF
him for assaulting Miss Praeter.
The verdict of the Coroner'5 jury WAS
Deceased came to his death at the hands OF
unknown parties" The dead mans family
was then allowed to cut down the body and
bury 1t minus head, ears and fingers.