The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-04-24


square was reached. Here former Governor
Atkinson. of Georgia, who lives in New
man. came hurriedly on the scene and
standing up in a buggy importuned the
crowd 10 let the law take its course.
Governor Atkinson said: My fellow-cit-
izens and friends-I beseech you TO let this
affair go TO further You are hurrying this
negro on 10 death without an identification.
Mrs. Crawford whom he is said to have as
saulted and whose husband he is said to
have killed, is sick in bed and unable to be
here to say whether this is her asssilant.
Let this negro be returned TO Jail. The law
will take its course and 1 promise you it
will do so quickly and effectually. Do not
stain the honor of the State with a crime
such as you are about to perform"
Judge "A. ID. Freeman, also OF Newman,
spoke in a similar strain and implored the
mob TO return the prisoner to the custody
OF the sheriff and go home. The assem-
blage heard the words of the two speak
ers in silence, but the instant their voices
had died away shouts arose of Take him to
Palmettoi" Burn him. Think of his
crime.' and the march was resumed. Mrs.
Cranford's mother and sister are residents
of Newman. The mob was headed in the di-
rection of their house and in a short time
reached the McElroy home. The negro was
marched in the gate and Mrs. McElroy
called to the front door She at once identi-
fled the African and her verdict was agreed
to by her daughter. who had often seen Hose
around the Crawford place.
ITO the stake" was again the cry and
several men wanted to burn him in Mrs. Nc
Elroy's yard. To this she objected stren-
uously and the mob. complying with her
wishes, started for Palmetto.
just as they were leaving Newman. word
was brought that the 1 o'clock train from
Atlanta was bringing 1000 people to Pal
metto. This was thought to be regiment of
militia and the mob at once decided to burn
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 Sunday
quiet had been so rudely disturbed the mob
now numbering nearly 100 people. started
on the road TO Palmetto. A line of buggies
and vehicles Of all kinds their drivers fight
ing for position in line. followed the pro-
cession, at the head of which, closely
guarded marched the negro.
One and a half miles out of Newman a
place believed to be favorable for the burn
ing 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. Here for the first time
he was allowed to talk. He said:
THE CONFUSION.
II am Sam Hose. 1 killed Alfred Gran
ford. but was paid to do it. Lige Strick-
land, the negro preacher at Palmetto, gave
me $12 to kill him."
At this a 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. shiverfng like leaf contin-
ued his recital. Il did not outrage Mrs
Crawford Somebody else did that. L can
identify him. Give me time for that
The mob would hear no more. The clothes
were torn from the wretch in an instant. A
heavy chain was produced and wound
around the body of the terrified negro,
clasped by new lock which dangled at
Hoses neck He said not a word to this
proceeding, but at the sight OF three or four
knives flashing 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 a mile.
out. and one of the negro's ears dropped
into hand ready to receive it. Hose plead
ed pitifully for mercy and begged his tor
mentors to let him die. His cries were un-
needed. The second ear went the way of
the other.
Hardly had he been deprived of his or
gans of hearing, before his fingers, ore by
one were taken from tis hand and passed
among the members of the yelling and now
thoroughly maddened crowd. The shrieking
negro was then 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
tugging at his chains. The lifted
over the negros head by thee or four men
and it's contents poured him. BY
this time good supply OF brush,
pieces of fence rails and other firewood
had been placed about the negro's feet.
This pyre was thoroughly saturated and a
match applied. a flame shot upward and
| spread quickly over the pile of wood. As
| 1t licked the negros legs he shrieked once
and began 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 the tree back of him and
with a terrific plunge forward OF his body
severed the upper portion OF the chains
which bound him to the tree His body.
held to the tree only as far as the thighs,
lunged forward, thus escaping the flames
which roared and cracked about his feet
One OF the men nearest the burning negro
quickly ran up and pushing him back, said
Get back into the fire there and quick
ly coupled the disjointed links of the chain.
The road for a distance of a half mile
| on each side of the burning negro was
black with rigs of every description and
was simply impossible. The crowd sur
| rounded the stake on all sides. but none of
| those nearer than one hundred feet of the
| center was able to see what was going on.
| Yell after yell went up and the progress
| OF the flames was communicated TO those
| in the rear by shouts from the eyewit-
| nesseS
| The torch applied about 2:30 o'clock
| and at o'clock the body of Sam Hose was
! limp and lifeless. his head hanging TO one
| side. The body was not cut down. 1t was
| cut to pieces. The crowd fought for places
about the smoldering tree and with knives
secured such pieces Of his carcass as did
not fall to pieces The chain was severed
with hammers, the tree was chopped down
and with such pieces OF the firewood as
had not burned were carried away as
| souvenirs.
brought Back Pieces of Flesh.