Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-04-28
Negro Preacher Lynched.
Hoses Confession Implicated Him, But
He Protested His Innocence.

The body of Lige Strickland, a negro
preacher, who was implicated in the Gran
ford murder by Sam Hose, was found
swinging from the limb of a persimmon
tree near Palmetto, Ga, early Monday.
Before death was allowed to end the suffer
ings of the negro his ears were cut off, and
the small finger of his left hand was sever
ed at the second joint. These trophies
were brought to Palmetto.
On the chest of the negro was piece of
blood stained paper attached by an ordi-
nary pin On one side of this paper was
written: ave must protect our ladies.
$500" The other side of the paper con-
tanned a warning to the negroes of the
neighborhood. 1t read as follows: 'Be-
ware, all darkest You will be treated the
same"
Before being lynched Strickland was
given a chance to confess, but he protested
his innocence to the last. Three times the
moose was placed around his neck and the
negro was drawn off the ground. Three
times he was let down, with a warning
that death was in store for him should he
fail to confess his completely in the Gran
ford murder; three times Strickland pro-
claimed his innocence, until the mob pulled
on the rope and tied the end around the
slender trunk of persimmon tree. Not a
shot was fired. Strickland was strangled
to death.
The lynching of Lige Strickland was
j not accomplished without desperate effort
10 save his life The man who pleaded for
him is Major w. w. Thomas. an ex-state
senator, and one of the most distinguished
citizens of Coweta county. He did all in
| his power to prevent the lynching of the
negro, and did not discontinue his efforts
until he had been assured by the leaders
| of the mob that he would be taken to jail
| at Fairburn.
One mile from the spot where this prom
Use was made Lige Strickland was hanged.
The negro was a tenant ON the plantation
of Mr.. Thomas. When Sam Hose, the
murderer of Alfred Crawford, made his
confession, Immediately prior to his burn
ing, he implicated Lige Strickland, con
| tending that he had been offered money by
| Strickland to kill Crawford. 1t was known
| that Hose had made false statements in his
| last confession, and many of those who
aided in his burning were disposed to disre-
gard his statement in regard to Strickland.
| Sunday night about 10 men went to the
plantation of Major Thomas, and took
Strickland from his little cabin in the
woods, left his wife and five children to
wait and weep over the fate they knew
was in store for the negro. Their cries
aroused Major Thomas, and he followed
the lynchers in his buggy, accompanied by
his son, William Thomas, determined to
save, if possible, the life of his plantation
darkey.
The series of crimes which began in
the burning of Palmetto by inceudiaries,
the lynching a month later of four negroes
by the whites of that little town in retalia-
ton, to be followed ten days ago by the
murder of Alfred Crawford and the assault
on his wife in the same locality, for which
the negro, Sam Hose, was burned at the
stake Sunday, have stirred the people OF
Georgia and the South into a frenzied in
terest in the social problems which the
crimes reveal. The discussion of the
crimes and the remedy for the lawlessness
has reached all circles, and the question OF
protection for the white women in the
sparsely settled farming districts is the
topic of the day. The Atlanta Constitu-
ton devotes page to collection of opin,
ions on how proper protection can be af
forded to the women of the country.
Governor Gambler, when asked if he
would take any steps to punish the mem
bers of the mob who burned "Sam" Hose
and hanged "Lge" Strickland near Pal
metto, answered;
81 have nothing to say to that, except
that it is the duty of the grand jury o.
Coweta and Campbell counties to make in
vestigation of the lynchings."
When it was suggested that the peopl,
of the North would be interested in know
ing if the lynchers were to be punished
the governor said abruptly:
''It is none of the North's business.
have no statement to make in that direc
ton" The governor added that he be
lieved the whole trouble traceable to poll
tics.