The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-04-25
Tried 10 Save ELS Life.

Inc lyncnlnS OIL 1lSe strickland was
not accomplished without a desperate
effort on the part of his employer to
save his life. The man who pleaded
for the negro is Major w. w. Thomas,
eX-state senator, and one of the most
distinguished citizens of COweta cOun-
ty. He did all in his power to prevenE
the lynching of the negro. and did not
discontinue his efforts until he had
been assured by the leaders of the mob
that the negro would be taken to Jail
at Fairbury. One mile from where the
promise was made, Lige Strickland was
hanged.
The negro was a tenant on the plan
tation of Major Thomas. When Sam
Hose. the murderer of Alfred Crawford.
and the assailant of his wife. made his
confession, Immediately prior to his
burning, he implicated Lige Strickland,
Hose contending that he had been Of
fered money by Strickland to kill Gran
ford. 1t was known positively, how
ever that Hose had made false state
ments in his last confession. and many
of those who aided in his burning were
disposed to disregard his statement in
regard to Strickland.
Tore Him From His Family.
Late Sunday night about fifteen men
went to the plantation of Major Thom-
as and took Strickland from the little
cabin in the woods that he called home.
leaving his wife and five children to
wait and weep over the fate they knew
was in store for the negro. Their cries
aroused Major Thomas and that sturdy
old gentleman followed the lynchers in
his buggy. accompanied by his son, W.
NJ. Thomas. determined to save, if pos
sible, the life of his plantation darkey.
He overlook the Iynchers with their
victim at Palmetto. and then ensued.
with only the moonlight to brighten
the faces of those grim men. the weird
est and most dramatic scene this Sec
ton has ever known.
Lige Strickland was halted directly
opposite the telegraph office The moose
was adjusted around his neck, and the
end of the rope was thrown over the
limb of a tree Strickland was told he
had a chance before dying to confess
his completely in the crime. He re-
piled:
Il have told you all 1 know, gentle
men. You can kill me if you wish, but
1 know nothing more to tell.
The negro's life might have been end
ed then but for the arrival of Major
Thomas, who leaped from his buggy
and asked for a hearing. He asked the
crowd to give the negro a chance for
his life here on the streets of Palmetto
and said:
Declared He Was Innocent.
Gentlemen, TINS negro IS innocent.
Hose said Lige had promised TO give
him $40 to kill Alfred Crawford, and
believe Lige has not had $40 since he
has been on my place. He has never
done any of you any harm, and now
1 want you to promise me that you VIII
turn him over to the bailiff of this town
in order that he may be given d
hearing. 1 do not ask that you iDef-
ate him. Hold him, and if the courts
adjudge him guilty, hang him.
To this the mob replied that Strick-
land had infiamed the negroes in the
neighborhood and had bad reputu-
ton. having been run away from East
Point several years ago.
Major Thomas reminded the mob
that the negro had voluntarily told Of
seeing Hose on the night of the mur-
der. \ member of the mob replied that
Strickland had done this in the cum
ningness of his guilt to establish bis
own innocence. There were some.
however, who agreed with Major ThoEl-
as. and after a discussion, d. vote was
taken which was supposed to mean lie
or death to Lige Strickland. The vote
to let him live was unanimous.
Major Thomas then retired some dis
tance and the mob was prepared "a
send Strickland in wagon 10 Newman,