The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-04-25
SECOND LYNCHING
"Lige" Strickland, a
Colored Preacher,
Hanged.
A GALLANT FIGHT.
Old Confederate Soldier
Pleads in Vain for
Servants Life.

'"Lige" Strickland, a negro preacher
who was implicated in the Crawford
murder by Sam Hose, was found
swinging to the limb of persim-
mon tree within a mile and quarter
Of this place, early today Before
death was allowed to end the sufferings
Of the negro, his ears were cut off and
the small finger of his left hand was
severed at the second joint These
trophies were in Palmetto today On
the chest of the negro was a 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-
tect our ladies. 4-23-'99"
The other side of the paper con-
tanned warning to the negroes of the
neighborhood. 1t read as follows;
Beware. all darldes. You will be
treated the same way"
Before being lynched, Strickland was
given a chance to confess to the mis-
deeds of which the mob supposed him
guilty, but he protested his innocence
to the last. Three times the moose
was placed around his neck, and the
negro was drawn up off the ground;
three times he was let down with q
warning that death was in store for him
Should he fail to confess his compile
ity in the Crawford murder. Three
times Strickland proclaimed his inno-
cense until, weary of useless torturing,
the mob pulled on the rope and tied
the end around the slender trunk of
the persimmon tree. Not a shot was
fired. Strickland was strangled to
DEATH
The lynching of Lige Strickland was
not accomplished without desperate
effort on the part of his employer to-
save his life. The man who pleaded for
him is Major w. w. Thomas, an ex-
state senator and one of the most dis
tinguished citizens of CoWets county.
He did all in his power to prevent the
lynching of the negro, and did not dis
continue his efforts until he had been
assured by the leaders of the mob that
the negro would be taken to jail at
Fairburn. One mil. 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 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, however,
in his last confession and many of
those who aided in his burning, We're
disposed to disregard his statement IN
regard to Strickland
Late Sunday night about Is men went
TO the plantation of Major Thomas and
took Strickland from his little cabin
in the wood, and left his wife and five
children to wait and weep over the rate
they knew was in store for the negro.
Their cries aroused Major Thomas, and
that sturdy old gentleman followed the
lynehers in his buggy, accompanied by
his son, William Thomas, determined
to save, if possible, the life of his plan
tation darkey.
They overlook the lynchers with their
victim at Palmetto, and then ensued
with only the moonlight to brighten
the faces of these grim men, 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 oV-
er q tree. Strickland was told he had
a chance before dying to confess his
completely in the crime. He replied:
Il have told you all I know, gentle
men. You can kill me II you wish, but
1 know nothing to tell
The negroes life might have been end
ed 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, and said; Gentlemen, TINS
negro is innocent. Hose said Lige had
promised to give him $40 to kill Alfred
Crawford, and I don't believe Lige has
had twenty dollars since he has been
on my place. He has never done any
Of you harm; 1 want you to promise
that you will turn him over to the
bailiff of this town that he may be Civ
boa 7 do NOT ask Won 70 lib-
crate him. Hold him for the courts.
The mob replied that Strickland had
inhamed the negroes in the neighbor-
hood and had bad reputation, having
sun away from Eastpoint several years
ago. Major Thomas reminded the mob
that the negro had voluntarily told of
having seen Hose on the night of the
murder One 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 a decision 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 preparing to send Strick-
land in wagon to Newman when
member Of the mob cried out, I'VE
have got him here; let's keep him.
This aroused the mob, and a mes
senger 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, emphatically: I have never been
before ordered to leave a town and I
am not going to leave this one"
And then the major uplifting his
hand to give his words force, said to
the messenger: Tell them the muscles
in my legs are not trained to running:
tell them 1 have stood the fire and
heard the whistle Of mines from
thousand Yankee rifles. and l am not
frightened by this crowd
Major Thomas was not molested.
Then. with the understanding that Lige
Strickland was to be delivered to the
taller at Fairburn. Major Thomas saw
the negro he had pleaded for led on 70
~ death. The mob took the negro to
rroye near the home Of Marshal Civ