Omaha daily bee., 1899-04-25
DIES PROTESTING INNOCENCE
Another Negro Sacrificed to Fury of a
Georgia Mob,
HIS EMPLOYER TRIES TO SAVE HIS LIFE
Ficl>Ic Mob Promises to Turn Pris-
oncr over to Authorities. hut FOL
lows Later Impulse to Put
Him TO Death.

Him TO Death.
PALMETTO, Ga, April 24-The body OF
Lige Strickland the negro preacher who
was implicated in the Crawford murder by
Sam Hose was found swinging to the limb
OF a persimmon tree within a mile and a
quarter of this town today. Before death
was allowed to end the sufferings Of the
negro his body was mutilated. On the chest
of the negro was a scrap Of bloodsained
note paper attached with an ordinary pin.
On one side of this paper was written:
New York Journal. We must protect our
ladies. 23-99." The other side of the paper
contained a warning to the negroes of the
neighborhood 1t read as follows:
Beware, all darkies. You will be treated
the same way"
Before being lynched Strickland was given
a chance to confess to the misdeeds of which
the mob supposed him to be guilty, but he
protested his innocence to the end.
Three times the moose was placed around
his neck and the negro was drawn up off
the ground; three times he was let down
with warnings that death was in store for
him should he fail to confess his completely
in the Crawford murder Three times Strick-
land proclaimed his innocence until, weary
of useless torturing the mob pulled on the
| IOpt anu JIeu Tie tuu dIOuuu tue bleuuel
trunk of the persimmon tree Not shot
was fired by the mob. Strickland was
strangled to death.
Employer Defends Strickland.
The lynching was not accomplished with
out desperate effort on the part of Strick-
lands employer to save his life. The man
who pleaded for the negro 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 and did not discontinue his
efforts until he had been assured by the
leaders of the mob that the negro would be
taken to Jail at Fairburn. One mile from
where this promise was made, Lige Strick-
land was hanged. The negro was tenant
on the plantation of Major Thomas.
When Sam Hose, the murderer of Alfred
Crawford and the assailant Of his wife
made his confession Immediately prior tC
his burning, he implicated Lige Strickland
Hose contending that he had been offered
money by Strickland to kill Crawford. II
was known positively, however, that Hose
had made false statements in his last CON
fession and many of those who aided fin hie
burning were disposed to disregard his
statements In regard to Strickland.
Late Sunday night about fifteen men
went to the plantation of Major Thomas and
took Lige Strickland from the little cabin
in the woods that he called home, leaving
his wife and five children. Their cries
aroused Major Thomas and that sturdy old
gentleman followed the lynchers in his
buggy, accompanied by his son, W. NJ
Thomas, determined to save, if possible, the
life Of his plantation darky. He overtool
the lynchers with their victim at Palmetto
and then ensued, with only the moonlight
to brighten the faces of these grim men
the most weird and dramatic scene this
section has ever known.
Negro Pleads Not Guilty.
Lige Strickland was halted directly oppo.
site the telegraph office. The moose was
adjusted around his neck and the end of the
rope was thrown over a limb. Strickland
was told he had q chance before dying tc
confess his completely in the crime. He re.
, piled: Il have told you all / know gentle.
men. You can kill me if you wish, but
know nothing more to tell"
The negro's life might have been ended
then but for the arrival of Major Thomas
VINO leaped from his buggy and asked fol
hearing. He asked the crowd to give tn,
negro a chance for his life here on tn,
streets of Palmetto, and said:
Gentlemen, this negro is innocent. Hose
said Lige had promised to give him $40 tc
Kill Alfred Crawford and ! believe Lige ha!
not had $40 since he has been on my place
lie has never done any of you any harm
and now | want you to promise me tha
! you will turn him over to the bailff of thi!
town in order that he may be given hear.
Ing. do not ask that you lberate him
Hold him and If the courts adjudge hin
guilty, hang him."
To this the mob replied that Strickland
had intlamed the negroes in the neghbor.
| hnn md had nod
run away from East Point several year.
ago.
Major Thomas reminded the mob that the
negro had voluntarily told of seeing HOSE
on the night of the murder. A member
of the mob replied that Strickland hat
done this in the cunningness of his gull
to establish his own innocence. There wer,
some. however, who agreed with Majol
Thomas, and after a discussion a vote was
; taken which was supposed to mean life OF
death to Lige Strickland. The vote to lie
him live was unanimous.
Crowd Breaks Its Promise.
Major Thomas then retired some distance
i, and the mob was preparing to send Strick.
land in a wagon to Newman, when member
of the mob cried OUT 1--WE have got hin
here; let's keep him" This again reused
, the mob and a messenger was sent to Major
I but the old gentleman was not frightened
; He drew himself up and said emphatcally
81 have never before been ordered to leave
a town and / am not going to leave thi!
one"
, And then the major, uplifting his hand tC
give his words force, said to the messenger
Tell them that the muscles in my legs
are not trained to running; tell them tina
| have stood the fire and heard the whistle
of the minnies from thousand Yankee
rifles and / am not frightened by thi!
crowd"
Major Thomas was not molested
Then, with the understanding that Lig'
Strickland was to be delivered to the jai
or at Fairburn, Major Thomas saw the mol
moving away with the negro. The mob tool
the negro near to the home OF Marsha
Givens of this place. and again the noos,
was adjusted around his neck. He wa
hauled off the ground, but was let dowr
to allow him to confess. He refused to dt
,, So and the lynchers were about to hau
! him I'D again when the son Of Marsha