The record-union., 1899-04-25

His Left Hand Severed-Was
Implicated in Hoses Confession
With Completely in the Gran
ford Murder.
| PALMETTO (Ga), April 24.-The
body of Lige Strickland, the negro
preacher, who was implicated in the
Crawford murder by Sam Hose, was
found swinging to the limb of per-
simmon tree within mile and quar-
| ter of this place early to-day. Be-
fore death was allowed to end the suf-
feringS of the negro, his ears We're cut
off, and the small finger of the left hand
was severed at the second Joint. These
trophies were in Palmetto to-day. On
the chest of the negro was a scrap of
bloodstained paper, fastened with an
ordinary pin On one side of this pa
per was written: New York Journal
we must protect our ladies, $780,
The other side of the paper contained
a warning to the negroes of the neigh
borhood- 1t read as follows:
Beware, all darkies. You will be
treated the same way
Before being finally lynched Strick
land was given a chance to confess to
the misdeeds of which the mob sup
posed him to be guilty, but he protest
ed his innocence until the end. Three
times the moose was placed around his
neck and the negro was drawn up, and
three times he was let down with warn
ings that death was in store for him
should be fail to confess his completely
in the Crawford murder. Three times
Strickland proclaimed his innocence, un-
| til, weary of useless torturing, the mob
pulled on the rope and tied the end
around the slender trunk of the per-
simmon tree.
Not shot was fired by the mob.
Strickland was strangled to death.
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 the negro is Major w. W. Thomas,
an ex-State Senator and one of the
most distinguished citizens of Coweta
County He did all in his power to
prevent 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 Fairburn.
One mile from where this promise was
made Lige Strickland was hanged The
negro was a. tenant on the plantation of
Major Thomas. When Sam Hose, the
murderer of Alfred Crawford and the
assaiiant of his wife, made his con-
fession, Immediately prior to his burn
ing, he implicated Lige Strickland, Hose
contending that he had been offered
money by Strickland to kill Crawford.
1t was known positively, however, that
Hose had made false statements in his
last confession, and many of those who
aided in his burning were disposed to
disregard his statement in regard to
Strickland.
Late Sunday night about fifteen men
went to the plantation of Major Thorn
as and took Strickland from the little
cabin in the woods that he called home,
leaving his wife and five children TO
wall and weep over his 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 darky.
He overlook the lynchers with their
victim at Palmetto. and then ensued,
with only the moonlight to brighten the
faces of these grim men, the werdest
and most dramatic scene this section
has ever known.
Lige Strickland was halted directly
opposite the telegraph office The moose
was adjusted around his neck, and the
ends of the rope was thrown over a
tree Strickland was told that he had
a chance before dying to confess his
completely in the crime
He replied: Il have told you ali I
know, gentlemen You can kill me if
you wish, but I know nothing more to
tell"
The negro's life might have ended
then, but for the arrival of Major
Thomas, who leaped from his buggy
and asked for hearing. He asked the
crowd to give the negro chance for
his life here ON the streets of Palmetto,
and saidr Gentlemen, this negro is
innocent. Hose says Lige had promised
to give him $40 to kill Alfred Crawford,
and believe Lge has not had 500 since
he has been on my place He has never
done any of you any harm, and now
want you to promise me that you will
turn him oveE to the Bailiff of this
town, in order that he may be given
him. Hold him, and if the courts ad-
judge him guilty, hang him.
To this the mob replied that Strick-
land had infiamed the negroes in the
neighborhood, and had bad reputa-
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 murder
member of the mob replied that
Strickland had done this in the cum
ningness of his guilt, to establish his
own innocence There were some how
ever, 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 retired some distance and the
mob was preparing to- send Strickland
in a wagon to Newman, when a mem
Der of the mob cried out:
I'VE have got him here; let's keep
him"
This remark aroused the mob, and
messenger was sent to Major Thomas to
leave Palmetto for his own good, but the
old gentleman was not frightened. He