The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-04-25
STRICKLAND
STRUNG UP
BY GEORGIANS.
His Ears cut off and a Finger
Severed Before Death
INTERVIEWED.
THE PREACHERS LANDLORD
Pleads for his Life, Believing him
Guiltlcss =. The Mob too
Frcnzicd to Listen.

OF Ilge strickland, the negro preacher
who was Implicated In the Crawford
murder by Sam Hose. was found swing
Ing. to the limb Of n tree within q mile
and quarter OF this place early to-day.
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 to-
day. On the chest Of the negro was q
scrap OF blood-s.ained note-paper at
tached with an ordinary pin. On one
side OF this paper was written: 1--WE
must protect our ladies'" On the other
side were the words: Beware, all dark
les, You will be treated the same
way" =
Before finally lynched. Strickland was
given L chance to confess 10 the mis-
deeds Of which the mob supposed him
to be guilty, but he protested his inno-
cence until the end.
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 warnings that
death was In store for him IL he should
fall TO confess his completely In the
Crawford murder. Three times Strick-
land proclaimed his innocence. Then,
weary OF useless torturing. the mob
pulled on the rope and tied the end
around the slender trunk Of the tree.
Strickland was strangled to death.
Unsuccessful Plea.
The lynchIns of Llge Strickland was
no. accomplished without desperate
effort on the part Of his employer to
have his life. The man who pleaded for
the negro Is Major w. W. Thomas, an
eS-stat. senator. and one of the mos.
prominent residents of Coweta county.
He 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 Fairbury. One mile from where
this promise was made Strickland was
hanged. The negro was I tenant on the
plantation OF Major Thomas.
When Sam Hose, the murderer OF
Alfred Crawford and the assailant o.
his wife. made his confession lInmedi-
ately prior to h!s burning. he imptfca-
ted Ligc Strickland. Ease saying that
he had been offered money by Strick-
land TO kill Crawford. 1t was known
positively. however,thnt Hose had made
false statemnets In his last confession.
and manr of those who aided In his
burning were disposed 70 disregard his
statement in regard TO Strickland. Late
Sundnw night about fifteen men went 10
the plantation OF Major Thomas and
took Strickland from the little cabin he
called home, leaving his wife and five
n 20 ,,.ntt ,,,I ~ e.
they knew was In store for the negro.
followed the lynchers in his buggy ac-
companied by his son, W. NJ. Thomas,
determined, II possible, to save the life
OF his plantation darkey.
Overlook the Iynchcrs.
He overlook the lynchers with their
victim at Palmetto. and then ensued,
with only the moonlight to brighten the
faces OF these grim men, a most 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 a tree.
Strickland was told he had n chance
before dying to confess his completely
in the crime. He replied:
IL have told you all know. gentle
men. You can kill me II you wish, but
know nothing more to tell"
The negro's fife might have been end
cd then, but for the arrival of Major
Thomas, who leaped from his buggy
and asked for q hearing He asked the
crowd to give the negro q chance for
his life and said: Gentlemen, this ne
Frrn 10 Il
promised TO give him $50 TO kill Alfred
Crawford. and I believe Lige has not
had $50 since he hns been on mE place,
He has never done any of you any
harm. and now I want you to promise
me that You will turn him oyer to the
balllff of this town In order that he
may be gIven hearing. do not ask
that You liberate him. Hold him, and
II the courts adjudge him guilty, hang
him."
To this the mob replied that Strick-
land had fnifamed the negroes In the
neighborhood and had bad reputation,
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.
a member of the mob rcpiicd that
Strickland had done this In the cum
ninsness OF his guilt 10 establish his
own innocence. There were some, how
ever, who agreed with Major Thomas,
and after a discussion vote was taken
which was supposed to mean life or
death to LlGe Strickland. The vote to
let him live was unanimous.
An Gnrcasoaing Mob.
Major Thomas then retired some dis
tdnce and the mob was preparing to
send Strickland In a wagon to Newman,
when n member of the mob cried out:
I'VE have got him here. let's keep
him" This nGnln aroused the mob. ana
n messenger was sent to Major Thomas
to leave Palmetto for his own good, but
the old gentleman was not frightened.
He drew himself up and sald emphatic
ally: II have never before been order
ed TO leave n town and l am not going
10 leave this one."
And then the major, uplifting Ills hand
20 give his words force. said to the mes
senger: "Tetf them that the muscles IN
my legs are not trained to running. Tell
ahen that have stood the fire and
heard the whistle OF the minnics from
thousand Yankee rifles nnd am uUt
frightened by this crowd" Major
Thomas was not molcsted.
Then. with the understanding that
LlGe Strickland was to be delivered to
the jailcr nj Fairhurn, MINOR Thomas
saw tho negro he had pleaded for lead
of 10 his death. The m0b tool, the ne
gro to n grove near the home OF Mar
Bhal j. ]. Givcns, OF this place, and
again the moose was adjusted around
his neck. He was hauled off the
ground, but was let down to allow him
to confess. He refused to do no. and