Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1899-04-29
ISAVAGERY OF A
SOUTHERN MOB
Negro Murderer and Ravisher Is
Burned at the Stake Near
Newman, Georgia.
BODY CUT TO PIECES FOR RELICS
CHASTITY Souvenirs Fought For by
the Crowd---Feared That the
Negroes Will Re.
taliate.

Newman, Ga, April 25.-In the pres
cnce of nearly 1000 people who sent
Gloft yells Of defiance and shouts of
JOY, Sam Hose, a negro who commit
ted two of the basest Gets known to
crime, was burned at the stake in a
public road one and one-half miles
from here yesterday afternoon. Be-
fore the torch was applied to the pyre
the negro was deprived of his ears,
fingers and other portions of his body.
The negro pleaded pitifully for his life
while mutilation was going or, but
stood the ordeal of fire with surprising
fortitude. Before the body was cool 1T
was cut to pieces, the bones crushed
into small bits, and even the tree upon
which the wretch met his fate was
torn up and disposed Of as souvenirs.
The Negroes heart was cut in several
pieces, as was also his liver. Those
who could not secure these CHASTITY rel
les direct paid their more fortunate
possessors extrayagant sums for them.
Small pieces of bone went for 25 cents
and a bit of the liver, crisply cooked,
sold for 10 cents. AS oon as the negro
was seer to be dead there was a tre-
mendous struggle among the crowd
which bad witnessed his tragic end to
secure the souvenirs. a rush was made
for the stake, and those near the body
were forced against il and had 10 fight
for their freedom.
Knives were quickly produced and
the body was soon dismembered.
One Of the men who lifted the can
of kerosene to the Negroes head is said
10 be a native Of the commonwealth Of
PENNSYLVANIA. His name is known TO
those who we're with him, but they re-
fuse to divulge it.
The mob was composed Of citizens
of Newman, Griffin, Palmetto and other
little towns in the country roundabout
Newman, and of all the farmers who
had received word that the burning
was TO take place.
Hon. w. Y. Atkinson, formerly gov
ernor of Georgia, met the mob as he
was returning from church, and he APP
pcaled to them to let the law take its
course. In addressing the mob he used
these words:
"SOme of you are known to me, and
when this affair is finally settled in the
courts you may depend upon it that |
will testify against YOU"
A member of the mob was seen to
draw a revolver and level it at Gov
ernor Atkinson, but his arm was seized
and the pistol taken from him, The
mob was frantic at delays, and would
listen TO nothing but burning at the
stake.
Judge A. ID. Freeman, also of New
nan, implorcd the mob TO return the
prisoner to the custody Of the sheriff
and go home. The assemblage heard
the words of the two speakers in
silence, but the instant their voices
had died away shouts of con TO Pal
metto! Burn him! Think of his
crime!" arose and the march was re-
sumcd.
Hose confessed to killing Crawford,
but denied that he had outraged Mrs.
Crawford. Before being put to death
the negro stated that he had been paid
SIP by "Lige" Strickland, n negro
preacher at Palmetto, to kill Crawford.
Sam Hose killed Alfred Crawford, Il
white farmer near Palmetto, and out
ragged his wife ten days ago. Since
that time business in that part of the
state has been suspended, the entire
population turning out in an effort to
capture Hose. lie successfully eluded
pursuit until discovered near Macon.