Richmond planet., 1899-10-14

the woods, for none knew where the fu-
ry would strike. talked with many
colored people, but all will understand
why can give no smes.
The torture and hanging of the col
ored preacher is everywhere acknowl-
edge TO have been without q shadow OF
reason or excuse did not talk with
one white man who believed that
SJrI skland had anything 60 do with
Wilkes. I could not fed any person
who heard Wilkes mention StrickIand's
name. ! talked with men who heard
Wilkes tell his story, but all agreed
hat be said he killed Crawford because
Crantori was about to kill him. aud
that he did not mention Strickland's
name. He did not mention it when ne
was being tortured because he did not
speak to anybody. I could not find
story story started that Strickland him
ed Wilkes to kill Crawford.
On the other hand, saw many who
knew Strickland, and all spoke of him
in the highest terms. went TO see
Mr.. Thomas, and he said that Stiek-
land had been about his family for
years, and that he never knew q more
reliable aud worthy man among the
colore0 people. He said that he was
always advising the colored people to
live right, keep good friends with the
white people and earn their respect
He said he was nearly sixty years old
and had not had FIVE dollars at one
time in 4 year. He defended the poor
cid man against che mob for long
time, and the mob finally agreed; to
put him in Jail for trial, but as soon
as they had Strickland in their control
th ar x,~n0oaHad ~ sunoh Hsv~~
HORRIBLE roRrURING OF THE PREACHER
The torture Of the innocent colored
preacher wss only q little less than
that of Wilkes. His fingers and ears
we've cut Of. and the mob 10 Aicked 9TH
er tortures that cannot even be sug-
gested. He was strung up three times
and let down each time so he could
nocence. be left q wife and five chill
dren, ali OF whom are still on Colozel
Thomas premises.
spent some time in trying to find
the facts about the shooting OF the i've
colored men at Palmetto . few days
before Crawford WAS killed. But no
one seemed to be able to tell who ae-
cused the men, and Nc they were not
given o trial. there WAS no way to get
st any Of the facts.
1t seems that one or two barns or
houses had been burned. and it was
reported that the Negroes were setting
fire to the buildings. Nine colored
men were arrested on suspicion. They
were not men Of bad character, but
quite the reverse. They were intelIi-
gent. hard-working men, and all de-
clared they could easily prove their in
nocence. They were taken to a ware
house to be kept until their trial next
day. That night, about II O'Clock, an
armed mob marched to the place and
Hred three volleys iRto the line of
chained prisoners. They then went
away thinking all were dead. All the
prisoners were shot. OF these, FIVE
died. Nothing was done about the
killing OF these men, but thsre fami-
lies were afterwerd ordered to leave
the place, and all have left. Five wild
ows and seventeen n fatherless children.
all driven from home. constitute one
result OF the lyDching. saw no one
who thought much about the matter.
The Negroes were dead, and while
they did not know whether they we're
guilty or not, it was plain that moth
fling could be done about it. And so
tie mater ended.
With these facts I msde my way
home, thoroughly convinced that .
Negroes life is q very cheap thing in
Georgia.
LoUIsP. LIE Vim.