Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-04-24

the jail. Sheriff Brown was importuned
10 give up the prisoner and finally. in order
TO avoid an assault on the jail and possible
waiting crowd.
A procession was quickly formed and the
doomed negro was marched at its head
through several streets of the, town. Soon
the public square was reached Here form
er Governor Atkinson, of Georgia, who
lives in Newman, came hurriedly upon the
scene and standing up in a buggy impor-
tuned the crowd to let the law take Its
course.
Governor Atkfnson's Appeal.
Governor Atkinson said: MY Fellow citi-
zens and Friends:-I beseech you TO let
this affair go no further. You are hurry
ing this negro on to death without an
Identification. Mrs. Crawford. whom ne is
said to have assaulted and whose husband
he is said to have killed, is sick in bed ana
unable to be here to say whether TINS Is
to Jail. The law will take its course and
! promise you II will do so quickly and et-
fectually. Do not stain the honor Oh 1ne
10 perform"
Judge A. D. Freeman. also of Newman.
spoke in a similar strain and implored the
mob to return the prfsoper to the CUSTODY
of the sheriff and go home.
The assemblage heard the words OF the
their voices had died away shouted, "On
10 Palmetto. Burn him! Think OF his
crime" and the march was resumed
Mrs. Cranford,s mother and sister are res
idents OF Newman. The mob was headed in
the direction of their house and in a short
time reached the McElroy home, The negro
was marched in the gate and Mrs. Nc
Elroy called to the front door.
Wretch Is Identified.
She at once identified the African and her
verdict was agreed to by her daughter. who
had often seen Hose around the Crawford
pace.
ITO the staker' was again the cry. and
several men wanted to burn him in Mrs;
McElroy's yard. To this she objected
strenuously and the mob. complying with
her wishes. started for Palmetto. Just as
they were leaving Newman word was
brought that the o'clock train from At
lanta was bringing LOCO people to Palmetto:
This was thought, to be regiment of
militia, and the mob at once decided 10
place rather than be compelled to shoot
him when the militia put in an appearance
Leaving the little town whose SUNDAY
quiet had been so rudely disturbed, the
mob. which now numbered nearly 1,50O peo-
pie. started on the road to Palmetto. A
line of buggies and vehicles of all kinds.
their drivers fighting for position IN line.
followed the procession. at the head of
which. closely guarded: marched the negro.
place believed to be favorable for the
burning was reached. A little to the side
of the road was strong pine tree. Up to
placed to the tree and his face to the
crowd. which tostled closely about him.
Here for the first time he was allowed to
talk. He said:
Admitted His Crime.
at am Sam Hose. killed Alfred Gran
ford, but was paid to do it. Lige Strick-
land. the negro preacher at Palmetto. gave
me si2 to kill him."
At this a roar went Up from the crowd.
The intelligence imported by the wretch
was spread among the; them
IT." came from the crowd. The negro. shiv-
ering. like a Leaf continued his. recital.
7 did not outrage Mrs. Cranford Some
body else did that can identity them.
Give me time for. that zs.,e -.
The mob would hear no more. The
clothes were torn from the wretch In an
instant. A heavy chain was produced and
wound around the body OF the terrified ne
gro, clasped by. a new lock which dangled
at Hoses neck.
He said not a word to this proceeding.
but at the sight of three or four knives
flashing in the hands of several members
of the crowd about him, which seemed to
forecast the terrible ordeal he was about TO
be put to, he sent up a yell which could
be heard for a mile Instantly hand
grasping a knife. shot out and one of the
negro's ears dropped into a hand ready to
receive 1t. Hose pleaded pitifully for mer-
cy and begged his tormentors to let him
die.
His cries went unheeded. The second ear
went the way of the other. Hardly had he
been deprived of his organs of hearing be-
fore his fingers. one by one, were taken
from his hand and passed among the mem.
bers of the yelling and now thoroughly
maddened crowd
Is Saturated With Kerosene.
The shrieking negro was quickly deprived
of other portions of his anatomy and the
words: Come on with the OIL" brought 8
huge can of kerosene to the foot of the
tree where the negro. his body covered
with blood from head to foot. was striving
and tugging at his chains.
Inc can was nlte u oNeI the Hesio ? .. ne,
by three or four men and its content:
poured over him. Fly this time good sup
ply OF brush, pieces of fence and other fire
wood had been p:cedh haa6gs,x about the negro
and a match applied. A flame shot upwart
and spread quickly over the pile of wood
AS 1t licked the negro's legs he shrieket
once and began tug ging at his chains. Al
the flames crept his her and the smoke en-
tered his eyes and mouth Hose put tn
him and with a terrific plunge forward o
his body severed the upper portion of TIL
chains which bound him to the tree.
His body. held to the tree only as far
the flames which roalred and cracked abou
his feet One of the men nearest the burn
ing negro quickly ran up and. pushing hiI
Get back into the FIRE there" and quick
ly coupled the disjoint,.d links of the chair
The road for distance of half mile o
each side of the burning negro was blac
with conveyances and was simply impass
able. The crowd surro unded the stake o
all sides. but none of those nearer tina
100 feet of the center were able to see wha
was going on. Yell alter yell went W
and the progress of the flames were com
municated to those in the rear by shout
from the eye witnesses.
The torch was applied about half pas
2. and at 3 o'clock the body of Sam Hos
was limp and lifeless. his head hanging {
one side. The body was not cut down.
was cut to pieces. The crowd fought fo
places about the smoldering tree and wit
knives secured such pieces of his carcas
as did not fall to pieces.
The chain was severed by hammers. tn
tree was chopped down and. with sue
pieces of frewood as had not been burnel