The Savannah morning news., 1901-08-12

|
the horizon on every side.
At this time it was $3.50 o'clock at
night and dark. Members of the mob
CROPPED their way through the darkness
TO find their destination.
In her own home, where two weeks
before she had been assaulted and out
ragged, stood Mrs. Clark. Her husband
is plain man and she is a woman
without particular education or Gull
ture, but honest, honorable, clean in
life and thought, commanding and re-
| ceiving the respect of her acquaint-
ances and of the community in which
she lives.
Still bound with the chains in which
he had been brought from Liberty
City, Washington was carried into the
presence of the woman he was charged
with having foully and brutality wrong
ed. The eyes of the woman lit with
fierce triumph and the bright glow OF
revenge postponed but at last near at
hand, when they rested upon him. She
looked him straight in the eye and
pointed an accusing finger.
"That Is the Man"
THAT is the mani" she said.
She was asked to be careful-to un-
derstand that a mans life hung upon
her words; that she must not accuse
lightly, nor without being certain of
the truth of her accusation. Again she
raised her arm and pointed an index
| finger at the prisoner; again she said:
THAT is the mani" in a steady, pas
sionless monotone, without striving af-
ter effect, without theatrical display,
without any indicati ton of possible mis-
take, she repeated the words. Upon
the little party standing in the house
her words and her manner produced
profound impression.
Her little son, whom her assailant
had choked into insensibility on the
| occasion of the crimes commission,
succeeded at this juncture in working
his way between the legs of the men
into the room in which Washington
was standing. The boy is nine or ten
years old, and bright and precocious
| for his age and condition in life. With
rapt eagerness he stared into the ex-
| pressionless face of Washington.
That's the niger! That's the mig
ger!" he cried joyfully. and then re-
peated the cry again and again and
again.
Mrs. Clark persisted in her Identified
| ticn, saying that there was no posi-
bility that she could be mistaken She
satisfied those in the house; then the
effort was made to satisfy those in the
woods and along the track of the guilt
| OF the accused.
One by one the prominent men in
| the mob were called into the house,
and for the benefit of each of them
Mrs. Clark repeated her identification
of Washington, as the man who had
assaulted her. One by one they nodded
their heads in acquiescence and made
way for those who followed them. The
| prominent negroes of the vicinity were
called into the house also and allowed
to witness the ravisher and his vic
tim' confronting each other, and to
hear the latter say, with uplifted and
pointing finger and in the unvarying
monotone of her first declaration:
That is the man."
The crowd convinced, its members
agreed that death should be Washing
| tons portion, and that place and that
| hour and hours of the infection of the
penalty. No time was lost in parley
and again the procession moved en-
down the track, as before with the
band of less than a dozen leaders in
charge of the prisoner and leading the
way and with the other members of the
mob trailing on behind. The leaders
insisted that this should be the order
OF march. They kept things in their
own hands, and in every action evinced
their determination to mete out JUS
tice in accordance with their own ideas
of what should be done. The others
were there to approve, If necessary. to
active part in the grim tragedy which
centered around Washington and the
finale of which was even then rapidly
approaching.
Denied the Crime.
Meantime, the negro stalked along
with firm tread and with head held
erect. To every question that was put
to him he returned a sullen negative,
denying that he had been in that part
of the county on the day the crime
was committed, and that he had had
anything whatever to do with it. He
was urged to make a full confession.
You know you are guilty" said one
of the leaders among his judges and
executioners. Tell us the full history
of the crime you committed. 1t may
go easier with you in the end"
You are going to kill me, anyhow
the negro rejoined. TO hell with IT.
About five hundred yards from the
home of Clark hundreds of cords OF
railroad firewood have been piled VI
beside the track. Here, it was decided
convenience dictated the closing scenes
in the tragedy should be enacted, and
here halt was made. The twelve mer
or less who made up the leaders of the
mob were grouped around their pris-
oner; their hands and their eyes were
upon him every moment of the time
|
cessity, because his bonds held hin
tight. were few and fleeing, was close.
ly watched. Nothing escaped the eter.
nal vigilance of the band of desperate
men who held him and his life in theil
unrelenting grasp.
A hundred yards away the crowC
! halted. Occasionally a member of Il
, would make an attempt to get closer t
, the charmed circle. but would be warn.
. ed away with curses and a stern voice
backed by a presented weapon, would
, command him to keep his distance. Il
would be kept
. Again Washington was urged tt
, confess, and again and still again HI
refused. In sullen, desperate silence
without prayer, or a cry, or an appea
, for mercy or consideration, he awaited
the end that every moment brought
closer and closer. There was not {
CULVER in his frame, not a tremor in hi:
voice. His eyes, fixed and staring
, looked straight before him; there wa:
no other indication in his manner tina
he even appreciated the gravity anC
the weighty meaning of the prepare
tons that went on all about him.
s Tied 10 CrowbRr.
y. Ten feet from the side of the tracl
a crowbar was driven into the grounC
fowardS this NVaShinpton wa,