The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-04-25
Sam Hose Horribly Tortured,
Then CTenated,
LICE STRICKLAND SWUNG UP
Hose implicated Him in the Kill
w ing of Crawford.
ALL PLEADINGs WERE IN VAIN
Former Governor Atkinson Threatened
With Death by the Mob.
GAMBLER ISSUES STATEMENT
Saws the Root of the Trouble is Politics
Other Negroes Are Being Pur-
sued and More LynchiEgs
May Follow.


Strickland, the negro preacher who was Inn
plicated in the Crawford murder by Sam
Hose, was found swinging to a limb of a
persimmon tree within a mile and a Quar-
ter from 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 scrap of
blood-stained note paper, attached with an
ordinary pin. On one side of this paper was
written:
IN. Y. Journal-We must protect our la
dies. 2S-'ss.''
The other side of the paper contained a
warning to the negroes in the neighbor-
hood. 1t read as follows:
Beware, all darkies! You will be treated
the same way"
Before being finally lynched Strickland
was given chance to confess to the mis-
deeds of which the mob supposed him to be
guilty, but he protested his innocence to
,1e end Three times the moose was placed
round his neck and the negro was drawn
OF the ground. Three tine he was let
Town with warnings that death was in
=. ore for him. He failed to confess his COM
icity in the Crawford murder. Three times
sefickland proclaimed his innocence, until,
cary of useless torturing, the mob pulled
.e rope and tied the end around the slen-
.er trunk of the persimmon tree.
Was StrangIed to Death
->ot shot was fired by the mob. Strick-
End was strangled to death.
he lynching of Lige Strickland was not
. ccompished without desperate effort on
< part of his employer to save his life.
e man who pleaded for the negro Is
-sjor w. w. Thomas, an ex-state senator
lid one of the most distinguished citizens
- Coweta county. He did all in his power
20 prevent the lynching of the negro, and
-. not discontinue his efforts until he had
ieen assured by the leaders of the mob that
re negro would be taken to jail at Fair
5urn. One mile from whore this promise
IS made Lige Strickland was hanged.
The negro was tenant on the plantation
9. Major Thomas. When Sam Hose, the
murderer of Alfred Crawford and the as
eailant of his wife, made his confession i'm
nediatey prior to his burning, he implicat-
- Lige Strickland, Hose contending that
e had been offered money by Strickland
0 kill Crawford. 1t was known positively
lowever that Hose had made false state
nlents in his last confession, and many of
hose who aided in his burning were dis
posed to disregard his statement In regard
10 Strickland.
late Sunday night about fifteen men went
20 the plantation of Major Thomas and
took Lige Strickland from the little cabin
in the woods that he called home, leaving
his wife and five children to wait and weep
over the fate they knew was in store for
the negro.
Most Dramatic Scene
Their cries aroused Major Thomas, and
that sturdy old gentleman followed the
lynchers in his buggy, accompanied by his
son, William Thomas, determined to save,
If possible the life of his plantation darkey.
He overlook the lynchers with their VIC
tim at Palmetto and then ensued, with only
moonlight to brighten the faces of these
grim men, the wierdest and most dramatic
SCENE this section has ever known.
Ijee Strickland was halted directly op-
,,oeite the telegraph office. The moose was
placed around his neck, but the end of the
rope was thrown over a tree. strickland
was told he had chance before dying TO
confess his completely in the crime lie re-
Piled:
IT have told you all know, gentlemen.
Won can kill me IL you wish, but know
nothing more to TELL.
The negro's life might have been ended
then. but for the arrival Of Major Thomas,
who leape0 from iliS DuS6y uiio oShSo ~. o
hearing He asked the crowd to give the
negro chance for his life here on the
streets of Palmetto, and said:
nC.entlemen, this negro Is innocent. Hose
said Ijge had promised to give him $40 to
lkiIl Alfred Crawford and believe that he
has not had $40 since being on my PLAN
tation. He has never done any of you any
harm, and now l want you to promise me
that YOU will turn him over to the bailiff
of this town in order that he may be given
n hearing. do not ask that you liberate
him Hold him and If the court adjudges
him guilty, hang him."
Had Innamed The Negroes
TO this the mob, replied that he had in
famed the negroes in the neighborhood and
had bad reputation, having been run
away from East, Point years ago.
Maior Thomas reminded the mob that the
negro had xoluntarily told of seeing Hose
on the o.sSst5he murder. A member of
the mob feIliets st Strickland had done