Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1899-04-26
WATCH THE DATE.
Horrible Lynching at Georgia.

The Monday papers told of horrible
lynching in Newman, Ga, Sunday after
noon. Sam Hose, negro, was the VIC
tim and he met his fate in the presence of
200O people. The crime with which he
was charged was established by his own
confession. A farmer sat at his supper
table with his wife and children. Hose,
who had been paid $12 to kill the farmer,
stole in unnoticed and Drained his victim
with an axe. He then seized the farmers
wife and outraged her, forcing her to lie in
her husbands blood.
After hunt of several days the negro
fiend was captured and taken before the
farmers wife, who identified him at once.
The following associated press dispatch
tells how he was handled by the crowd.
The clothes were torn from the colored
man in an instant. A heavy chain was
produced and wound around the body OF
the terrified negro, clasped by new lock
which dangled at Hoses neck. He said
not word to this proceeding, but at the
sight of three or four knives in the hands
of some of the members of the crowd about
him, which seemed to forecast the terrible
ordeal he was about to be put to, he sent
up yell which could be heard for long
distance. Instantly hand that grasped q
knife shot out and one Of the negro's ears
dropped into hand ready to receive it..
Hose pleaded pitifully for mercy and
begged his tormentors to let him die. His
cries went up unheeded. His second ear
went the way of the other. Hardly had he
been deprived of his organs of hearing
when his fingers, one by one, were taken
from his hands and passed among the mem
bers Of the yelling and now thoroughly
maddened crowd. The shrieking negro
was quickly deprived Of other portions of
his anatomy and the words 'sCome on with
the oil" brought huge can of kerosene oil
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.
The can was lifted over the negro's head
by three or four men and the contents
poured over him.
By this time good supply of brush,
pieces OF fence rails and firewood had been
placed about the negro's feet. This pyre
was thoroughly saturated and match
applied. A fame shot upward and spread
quickly over the pile of wood. As it licked
the negro's legs he shrieked once and be.
gan tuggipg at his chains. As the flames
crept higher and the smoke entered hil
eyes and mouth he placed the stumps O.
hands to the tree back of him and with &
terrific plunge forward Of his body severed
the upper portion Of the chains which
bound him to the tree. His body, held t.
the tree only as far as the thighs, lunget
forward, thus escaping the flames which
roared and cracked about his feet. Ont
of the men nearest the burning Negro
quickly ran up and pushing him back said
"Get back into the fire THERE" and qu1ckl,
bound him with the disjointed links of tn
chain.
The road for distance of bali mile OIL
each side of the burning negro was blacl
with conveyances and was simply impass
able. The crowd surrounded the stake o.
all sides, but none of those nearer than 10
feet of the center were able to see wha
was going on. Yell after yell went up an
the progress of the flames was communi
Gated to those in the rear by shouts fror
the eye-witnesses.
The torch was applied at 2.S0 and at
o'clock the body OF Sam Hose was limp an
lifeless, his head hanging to one side. Th
body was not cut down. 1t was cut t
pieces. The crowd fought for places abou
the smoldering tree and with knives secure
such pieces of bis carcass as did not tall t
pieces. The chain was secured by han
mers, the tree was cut down and with sue
pieces OF the frewood as had not burne
were carried away as souvenirs.
The body OF Lige Strickland, whom Hos
, accused of giving him s12 to kill the farm
er was found hanging from the limb of
pine tree Monday horribly mutilatet
, Pinned to the body was a huge placar
bearing these words: "We must prote