The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-04-28
BURNED AT THE STAKE
A HORRIBLE DEATH FOR a STILL
MORE HORRIBLE CRIME

A HORRIBLE DEATH FOR a STILL
MORE HORRIBLE CRIME
The Negro Sam Hose, the Murderer and
Ravfsher Ca~ptured-In the Hands of
an Infuriated Mob, He is Chained to
Tree, His Body Mutilated and then
Burned-The Corpse and Tree Cut to
Pieces and Carried Off as Souvenir
Newman, Ga, April 23.-In the pres
ence of nearly 1000 people who sent
aloft yells of defiance and shouts of
joy, Sam Hose, a negro who committed
two of the basest acts known to crime,
was burned at the stake in a public
road one n one-half miles from here
lis afternoon. Before the torch was
applied to the pyre, the negro was de-
prived of his ears, fingers and other
portions Of his anatomy. The negro
pleaded pitifully for his life while the
mutilation was going on, but stood the
ordeal of fire with surprising fortitude.
Before h body vas cool it was cut to
pieces, the bones were crushed into
small bits and ever the tree upon
which the wretch met his fate, was
torn UP and disposed Of as souvenirs.
The negro's heart was cut in several
pieces, as was also his liver. Those un-
able to obtain these CHASTITY relics di-
rect, paid their more fortunate posses
sors extravagant sums for them. Small
pieces of bone went for % cents, and a
bit of liver, crisply cooked, sold for
10 cents. One of the men who lifted
the can of kerosene to the negro's head
is said to be a native of the common
wealth of Pennsylvania. His name is
known to those who were with him, but
they refuse to divulge it. The mob
was composed Of citizens of Newman,
Griffin, Palmetto and other little towns
in the country round about Newman,
and Of all the farmers who had re-
ceived word hat the burning was to
take place.
Hon. w. Y. Atkinson, former COVER
nor of Georgia, met the mob as he was
returning from church and appealed
to them to let the law take its course.
In addressing the mob he used these
"O1uS. COIlle u yOu L 1ONl ~ LIN
and when this affair is finally settled
in the courts, you may depend upon it
that | will testify against you" A
m of the mob was seen to draw
a revolver and level it at Governor At
kinson, but his arm was seized n 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.
Crawford. Before being put to death
the negro stated that he had been paid
$12 by "Lige" Strickland, a negro
preacher at Palmetto, to kill Crawford.
Tonight a mob of citizens is securing
the country for Strickland, who has
left his home n will be lynched if
caught.
Sam Hose killed Alfred Crawford, a
white farmer near Palmetto and out
ragged his wife, ten days 6 Since
that time business in that part of the
state has been suspended, h entire
population turning out in an effort to
capture Hose.
Governor Gambler has been asked to
send troops here to preserve order for
a day or two, as it is feared the ne
groes may wreck vengeance, many
threats to that effect having been
made.
Ihb EIA1LEb SlOfL1.
Hose has been on the farm of the
Jones brothers, between Macon n
Columbus, since the day after he COM
mitted his horrible crime. His mother
is employed on the farm, and to her lit
tie cabin he fled as a safe refuge. She
fed him and cared for him, but 1T is
not believed that she knew he was be-
ing hunted for by the authorities. The
Jones brothers were not aware of the
- 1921 -,~-~
not sure that he was the much wanted
man. Saturday morning n Of the
Jones Boys met Hose and he was talk
ing to him when he noticed hat his
ginger" face was ebony black, but
Just below the collar of his shirt the
copper color was discernable. Con-
WINGED that the negro had blackened
his face to escape detection, Jones be-
came convinced that he was the negro
for whom the authorities, assisted by
b~lOodhounds, had been securing the
country for ten days, and they deter
mined TO arrest him. Sunday morning
they brought the negro into Macon and
put him aboard a Central of Georgia
train with the intention Of bringing
him to Atlanta. At Griffin some one
recognized Hose and sent word on to
Newman, the neXt station that the ne
gro was on the train bOunod for At
1anta. When Newman was reached a
great crowd surrounded the train and
pushed into the cars. The Jones boys
were told that the negro could be de-
livered to the sheriff of Campbell coun-
ty and that it was not necessary to
take him to Atlanta. This was ac-
coded 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 turne him over
to Sheriff Brown, taking a receipt for
the prisoner, thus making themselves
sure of the 1880 reward for the ar
rest and delivery to the sheriff of
Campbell county, of n Sam Hose"
Word was sent to Mrs. Crawford at
Palmetto that it was believed Hose
was under arrest n her presence was
necessary in Newman to make sure of
the identification. some way the
news of the arrest ~<ed out, and as
the town has been Sthe alert f6
nearly two weeks, - intelligence
spread rapidly. From ev&Sy house IL
the little city came it's occupants, and