The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-04-24
FRIGHTFUL WORK
OF A GEORGIA MOB.
Negro Who rIurdered a rlan and
Outraged His Wife Shockingly
rlutiIated and Burned at Stake.


OF defiance and shouts OF Joy. Sam Hose.
negro who committed two base crimes.
was burned at the stake in public road
2le miles from here Sunday afternoon.
Before the torch was applied 10 the pyre
the negro was deprived of his ears.
fingers and other portions Of his body.
The negro pleaded pitifully for his life
while the mutilation was going on. but
stood the ordeal OF fire with surprising
fortitude Before the body was cool IL
was cut 10 pieces the bones were crushed
into small bits and even the tree upon
which the wretch met his fate was torn
up and disposed of as souvenirs. The
negro's heart was cut into several pieces,
as was also his liYer.i Those unable 10
obtain the CHASTITY relics direct paid their
more fortunate possessors extravagant
sums for them. Small pieces OF bone
went for 20 cents and a bit OF the liver
sold for 10 cents. AS soon as the negro
was seen to be dead there was a tre-
mendous struggle among the crowd
which had witnessed his tragic end to
secure the souvenirs. A rush was made
for the stake, and those near the body
were forced against II and had to fight
for their freedom. Knives were quickly
produced and soon the body was dis
membered.
Hon. w. Y. Atkinson, former governor
Of Georgia. met the mob as he was re-
turning from church and he appealed to
them To let the law take its course. In
addressing the mob he used these words:
Some OF you are known 10 me, and when
this affair is finally settled in the courts
you may depend upon IL that l will tes-
tlfy against you"
A member OF the mob was seen to draw
revolver and level Il at Mr. Atkinson.
but his arm Vas seized and the pistol
taken from him. The mob was frantic
at delays and would hear to nothing but
burning at the stake.
Hose confessed TO killing Crawford but
denied that he had outraged Mrs Gran
%ord. Before being put to death the
negro stated that he had been paid $l2
by 'Lige" Strickland. a negro preacher
at Palmetto. TO Kill Crawford. A mob OF
citizens Is securing the country for
Strickland, who has left his home, and
will lynch him If caught
Sam Hose killed Alfred Crawford a
white farmer. near Palmetto. and, il is
said. outraged his wife. 10 days ago.
Since that time business i'm this part OF
the state has been suspended, the entire
population turning out I'm ar effort TO
capture Hose. He successfully eluded
pursuit until discovered near Macon.
Hose has been on the farm or the Jones
brothers. between Macon and Columbus,
since the day after he committed the
horrible crime. His mother is en-
ployed on the farm and to her little cabin
he fled for refuge. She fed him and
cared for him. but IL Is not believed she
knew he was being hunted for by the
authorities. The Jones brothers We're
not aware of the crime until a few days
ago. and were not sure that Hose was
the much-wanted man. Saturday
morning one of the Jones boys met
Hose, and as he was talking TO him
noticed that his ginger" face was
ebony black. Just below the collar OF
his shirt the copper color was discern
ible Believing that the negro had
blackened his face to escape detection,
Jones became convinced that he was the
negro for whom the authorities had
been securing the country for 10 days,
and determined TO arrest him. Sun
day morning Jones took the negro 10
Macon, and put him aboard a Central
of Georgia train, with the intention OF
taking him to Atlanta. At Griffin some
one recognized Hose and sent word to
Newman, the pext station that the ne
gro was on the train, bound for At
lanta. When Newman was reached n
great crowd surrounded the train and
pushd into the cars. The Jones brothers
were told that the negro could be de-
lvered To the sheriff of Campbell county
there, and II was not necessary TO take
him to Atlanta. This was acceded TO
and the negro was taken off the train
and marched at the head OF a yelling
shouting crowd OF 500 people to the jail
Here they turned him over to Sheriff
Brown. taking a receipt for the prisoner,
thus making themselves sure OF the re-
ward of $3.50 for the arrest and de.
livery to the sheriff of Campbell county,
OF one Sam Hose"
Word was sent to Mrs. Crawford at
Palmetto that II was believed Hose was
under arrest. and that her presence was
necessary i'm Newman to make sure of
his Identification. In some way the
news of the arrest leaked out, and as the
town had been on the alert for nearly
two weeks, the intelligence spread rapid
ly From every house I'm the little city
came its occupants. and a good-size
crowd had soon gathered about the Jail.
Sheriff Brown was importuned to give
up the prisoner. ana nnany fn order To
avoid an assault on the Jail and possible
bloodshed. he turned the negro over
TO the waiting crowd. a procession was
quickly formed. and the doomed negro
was marched at it's head through several
streets OF the town. Soon the public
square was reached. Here former
Governor Atkinson OF Georgia, who lives
In Newman, came hurriedly upon the
scene. ana. standing up In buggy. inn
portuned tive crowd to let the law take
Its course.
Governor Atkinson said: MY fell
low citizens and friends: | bcscech you
10 let this affair go no further. You
are hurrying this negro on to death
without an Identification. Mrs. Gram
ford. whom he is said to have assault