Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-04-25
Added to the List of Out
RACES in Georgia.
Lige Strickland, Negro, Horribly Mutt.
lated and Hanged by Mob.
Crowi Hunting for Another Negro Will &c
Lynchcd. II Found.

! quarter 81 TINS place, early, today. Be
fore death was allowed to end the suf-
-ferings of the negro. his ears were sut
OF and the small finger of his left hand
was severed al the second joint. These
trophies We're in Palmetto, today on
the chest Of the negro was u piece Of
! blood stained paper attached by an or
! binary pin. On one side Of this paper
| was written:
New York Journal. We must pro-
t"ct our ladies. 23-g9'
The other side Of the paper contained
2 warning 1" the negroes az me neigh
horh""d. II read as follows:
beware all darlirs You will L.
treated the same way"
before being lynchrd. Strickland was
| given a chance "a confess To thr mis-
deeds. Of which the mob supposed him
e. bc guilty. but he protested his in
nocrnc" to the last. Three times me
| moose was placed around his neck and
the negro was drawn " on the ground
three times 10 was let down with a
warning that death was i'm store for
him should he fail Ia confess his com
plicity in the Crawford murder. Three
| times Strickland proclaimed his inno-
cence until weary Of useless torturing
the mob pulled on the rope ana tied the
end around the slender trunk Of the
tree. Not a shot was fired
The lynching Of Lige Strickland was
not accomplished without a desperate
effort on the part Of his employer to
save his life. The man who pleaded
for him is Mai. w. w. Thomas, an eX-
| state senator. and one Of the most dis
tinguiShed citizens of CoWota county
He did all in his power to prevent the
lynching of the negro and did not dis
continue his efforts when he had been
assured by the leaders Of the mob that
the negro would be taken to Jail at
Fairburn. one mile from the spot
where this 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 Gran
ford and the assaiant of his wife made
| his confession. Immediately prior to
his burning. he Implicated Lige Strick-
land. Hose contending that he had been
offered money by Strickland to Kill
Crawford. 1t was known positively,
statements in his last confession and
many Of those who aided in his burn
ing We're disposed to disregard his
statement in regard to Strickland.
Late sunday night. about u men
went to the plantation Of Major Thorn
as and took Strickland from his little
| cabin in the wood and left 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 the sturdy old gentleman
| followed the lynchers in his buggy. ac-
| companed by his son William Thorn
! as. determined to save. if possible. the
\ life IF his plantation darkey. They
overlook the lynchers with their victim
at Palmetto and then ensued. with only
7 he moonlight To brighten the fees Of
| these grim men. a weird and dramatic
scene.
! 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 q 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 | know.
gentlemen. You can kill me if you
wish, but know nothing to tell"
The negro's life might have been
ended then but for the arrival of Ma
jor Thomas. WHO lcapcd from his bug
sy and asked for a hearing. He asked
the crowd to give the negro 4 chance
for his life ana said:
"Gentlemen, the negro is innocent
Hose said Ligc had promised to give
him $50 To kill Alfred Crawford and |
don't believe Liec has had $50 since
he has been on my PLANTATION. He has
never done any of you any harm. /
want to promise me- that YOU will
turn him over to the bailiff of this
town. that he may be given hearing
do not ask you 10 liberate him. Hold
him for the courts.
The mob replied that Strickland had in
famed the negroes in the neighbnrhood /
ana had bad reputation. Major Thomas 4
reminded the mob that the negro had f.!
voluntarily told Of having seen Hose on |
the night Of the murder. one Of the mob /
replied the Strickland had done this in |
the cunningness Of his guilt to establish |
his own innocence There We're some |
however. who agreed with Major Thomas |
and after discussion a vote was taken /
which was supposed to mean life or death /
to Lige Strickland. The vote to let him /
live was unanimous. Major Thomas then |
retired some distance and the mob was 4
preparing to send Strickland in a wagon .
to Newman when member of the mob +
cried out: 1--WE have got him here, lets
keep him
This aroused the mob and a messenger
was sent to advise Major Thomas to
leave Palmetto for his own good, but the
old gentleman was not frightened. He
drew himself up and said emphaticaily:
II have never before been under orders
to leave a town, and | am not going to
leave this one" And then the major, up
lifting his hand to give his words force.
sad to the messenger: Tell them the
muscles in my legs are not trained %
running: tell them have stood the fire
and heard the whistle Of minics from a
thousand Yankee rifles and ! am not
frightened by this crowd