The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1899-06-15
HOSES HEINOUS CRIME.
STORY TOLD BY AN IMPARTIAL
NORTHERN MAN.
Rev. DR.. George II. Hepworth, Special
Staff Representative of the New
York Herald, Visits Scene of Georgia
LynChing and After Full and Free
Investigation Gives His Views on
the Subject of Lynching and Race
Troubles in the South.

The New York Herald sent Rev. Dr.
George II. Hepworth to Georgia to in
vestigate the causes of the lvnching
of Sam Hose. In his first letter he
tells of the hideousness and brutality
of the crime of Hose, and its retribu-
ton. He says that the retribution,
terrible as it was, was natural. and
that he cannot tell what he might
have done if he had been there. Then
he follows this up in a judicial tone.
showing that for the good of the
South and the whole land some rem
edy for lynching should be devised.
The letter is in part as follows:
The people of Georgia are willing
to be judged, provided the judgment
is just, and are more ready to accuse
themselves than we are to accuse
them. Thev take as grave view of
the situation as we of the North do.
and as earnestly seek remedy for
existing evils as the spirit of progress
could desire.
Thomas Wilkes, has one popularity
namely, that it cannot be duplicated
in this or any other country. His
crime was unique in its hideousness.
Its atrocity was simply unthinkable.
The neighborhood was reused.
There was vengeance in the air. Re-
ligion, law, even civilization, was
lost sight of. The populace was
frantic, for no one could tell whose
family might next be devastated.
The hell of popular passion broke
loose. The man was chased by
whites, by blacks. by bloodhound
at last caught. Was any torture too
great? They lost sight of the fact
that some methods of punishment
degrade those who inflict it, and bring
them to the level of the savage.
They were beside themselves with an
uncontrolled thirst for revenge They
thought of their own wives and
daughters and their blood beat in
their veins like pent up tide in a
tempest. God pity them! God for
give them! They were not men; they
were maniacs. Their fury knew no
bounds.
''The calm second thought has
come. l can assure you that every
body concerned regrets the part he
took in that tragedy. There were,
perhaps, five thousand people on the
scene, and eXcesses are easily resorted
to by crowd. What a dozen men
can't do a thousand can. Numbers
fan a flame into conllagration. |
have talked with all classes of the
people here in Atlanta, learned and
illiterate, poor and rich, and not 4
man has expressed any opinion save
one of regret.
1--WE shall be greatly puzzled unless
we can fully grasp the social situa-
ton here, which is very different from
anything to be found in the North.
| am not at all sure that we should
ourselves have pursued any other
course under the circum stances. The
cry which made the wclkin ring was
we must protect our wives and
daughters and that is the key to the
problem. If my wife or mother or
sister had been outraged by double
dyed villain, I cant tell you what
would or would not do. When the
! matter is brought home to Yourself
YOU recognize its horror. There are
| no lengths to which YOU would not
90 in the way of punishment. 1t is
| easy to condemn a thousand miles
| away, but hard to condemn when on
the spot with like fate staring you
in the face. neither plead nor cx-
| cuse; | simply say that | also am
human.
| ''Nincty-tive per cent. Of the ne
| groes have the entire confidence Of
their employers. They are respected
because they are iaw-abiding citizens.
They have property interests Of their
own to guard, and man who has 4
few hundred dollars at stake is con
servative. But the ) per cent. Of the
fellows who are not only ignorant,
but vicious. who know no restraint
and will commit any crime without
compunction, have ample opportun-
| itv to perpetrate deeds Of daring
deviltrv, and as at present cOnsti-
tuted the people of the region are
powerless to protect themselves, and
live in the continual consciousness OF
insecurity.
"A woman dare not trust herself at
any distance from her home after
dark. With nine men out of ten
whom she meets she Will be as safe
as at her own tireside. 1t is the un-
known tenth whom she fears. We
can hardly conceive Of this state OF
affairs, but it is the actual condition
in many counties in this State and in
other States Of the South.
The following editorial commen,
on the recent lynchings in Georgi:
from the current issue Of Nrpcr'.
Teekly is also significant as indicat
ing that the people Of the North are
at least beginning to understand The
situation in the South. HarpCr.
Wcckly SAYS:
.Whatever anv Northern readcl
may feel about the burning of The
negro Sam Hose and the lynching 0
Of the negro preacher Strickland, il
Georgia, one thing he should alwav
bear in mind, that there is no vita
difference between the white man il
, the South and the white man in tn
North, and that what white men d.
in Georgia white men from New York
or Massachusetts,. or Minne.Ot
would probably do in Georgia unde
! similar circumstances. \ county il
|. Georgia went stark crazy over San
) Hose. Northern readers cannot un
I derstand it 4 letter has come to tn
: Weekly from Georgia woman whic
, tells story of Sam Hoses crime a
Georgia understands it. 1t is hardl
4 letter that the Weekly may print
but it may all lie believed, and
helps to an understanding Of what la
. happened. No man who believe
what this woman believes and ha