The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-04-24

face was ebony black. Just below tie
collar of his shirt the copper color Was
dlscernable. Believing that the negro
had blaokened his face to escape detec-
tion, Jones became convinced that he was
the negro for which the authorities had
been securing the country for ten days
and determined to arrest him. Sunday
morning Jones took the negro to Macon
and put him aboard a Central of Georgia
train with the intention of taking him
TO Atlanta. At Griffin some one recog-
nized Hose and sent word to Newman
the next station, that the negro was on
the train bound for Atlanta. When New
man was reached, great crowd sIr-
rounded the trnin and pushed into tho
cars. The Jones brothers were told that
the negro could be delivered to the sheriff
of Campbell county there and it was not
necessary to take him to Atlanta. This vas
acceded to and the negro WAS taken Off
the train and marched at the head OF
a yelling shouting crowd of 1900 people
to the Jail. Here they turned him over
to Sheriff. Brown, taking receipt fOt
the prisoner, thus making themselves
sure of the $3.50 reward for the ''arresh
and delivery TO the sheriff Of Campbell
county of one sam Hose"
Word was sent to Mrs. Crawford at
Palmetto that Hose was under arrest and
that her presence was necessary In New
man to MAKE sure of his identity. In
Some way the news of the arrest leaked
out and as the town has been on the alert
for nearly two weeks, the Intelligence
spead rapidly. From every house in the
little city came its occupants and good
sized crowd had soon gathered about the
jail. Sheriff Brown was importuned to
give up the prisoner and finally in order
to avoid an assault on the Jail and pos
sible bloodshed, he turned the negro over
to the waiting crowd. A procession was
quickly formed and the doomed negro
was marched at its head through several
streets of the town. Soon the public
square was reached. Here former Cover
nor Atkinson af Georgia, who lives in
Newman, care hurriedly upon the scene
and standing up in buggy, importuned
the crowd to let the law takes its course.
Judge A. d. Freeman of Newman spoke
in a similar strain and prayed the mob
to return the prisoner to the custody
of the sheriff and go home.
The asssmblage heard the words Of the
two speakers In silence, but the Instant
their voices had died away, shouts of
ION to Palmetto; burn him; think of
his orime," arose and the march was re-
sumei.
Mrs. Cranford's mother and sister are
residents of Newman. The mob was
headed in the direction OF their house
and in a short time reached the McElroy
home. The negro was marched through
the gate, and Mrs. MuElroy was then called
to the front door. Sne Immediately iden-
titled the African and her verdict was
agreed to by her daughter who had often
seen Hose about the Crawford place.
ITO the stake" was again the cry and
several of the men wanted to burn the
negro in Mrs. McElroy's yard.
10 this she objected strenuously and the
mob, complying her wish, left for Palmet-
TO.
news was brought that the l O'Clock
train from Atlanta would bring 1000
men.
This was taken to be a regiment OF
soldiers and the mob decided TO burn the
the prisoner at the first favorable place
rather than be compelled to shoot him
when the militia put In an appearance.
Leaving the little town whose Sunda
quiet had been SD rudely disturbed, the
mob, which now numbered 1900 people,
started on the road of Pametto A line
of buggies ami vehicles Of all xmas
their drivers fighting for position in line,
followed the procession, at the head of
which, closely guarded, marched the ne
gro.
One and one half miles out of Newman
"A place believed to be favorable to the
burning was reached. A little TO the side
of,the road was a strong pine tree. Up to
this the negro was marched, his back
placed to the tree and his face to the
crowd which jostled closely about him.
mere lOr Lne urst tIIue, ne WIS d1lOWtQ W
talk. He said: 81 am Sam Hose.
killed Alfred Crawford. but was paid to
do it. Lige Strickland, the negro preach
er at Palmetto, gave me Sls to XIII him.
Al this roar went up from the crowd.
The intelligence impaired by the wretch
was spread among them,
Let him go on; tell all you know
about it," came from the crowd The
negro shivering like leaf, continued has
reoit al.
81 did not outrage Mrs Cransford.
Somebody else did that l can identify
them. Give me time for that
The mob would bear no more. The
clothes were torn from the negro in an
instant A heavy chain was produced
and wound around his body. DE said
not word to this proceeding but at sight
of three or four knives slashing in the
hands Of several members of the crowd
about him, which seemed TO forecast the
terrible ordeal he was about to be put to,
he sent up yell which could be heard for
mile. Instantly hand graspipg knife
shot out and one of the negro's ears
dropped into IA hand ready to receive 1t.
He pleaded pitifully for mercy and begged
his tormentors to let him die. His cries
went unheeded. The second ear went the
way of the other. Hardly had he been
deprived Of his organs of hearing than
his fingers, one by one, were taken from
his hands and passed among the members
of tho yelling and now thoroughly mad
dened crowd. The shrieking negro was
quickly deprived OF other portions of his
anatomy and the words Come on with
the oil'' brought huge can OF Kerosene
to the foot of the tree where the negro,
his body covered with blood from head to
foot was striving and tuggiug at his
chains. The can was lifted over the
negros head by three or four men and
its contents poured over him. By this
time good supply of brush, pieces OF
fence rail and other tirewood had been
placed about the negro's feet. This was
thoroughly saturated and "a match ap-
piled. flame shot upward ard spread
quickly over the pile of wood. AS it licked
the negro S legs he snriesed once and be-
gan tugginG at his chains. As the flames
crept higher and the smoke entered his
eyes and mouth Hose put The stumps OF
his hands to this tree back of him and
with d terrible plunge forward of his
body severed the upper portion of the
chains which bound him TO the tree Bis
body held TO, the tree only by as far as the
thighs, lunged forward, thus escaping
the flames which ronred and cracklei