The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-08-26
HIS HORRIBLE FATE
HENRY NoLEs VICTIM OF INFURI-
ATED MOB.
SHERIFF COULD NOT PROTECT.
OFFICERS SWEPT ASIDE LIKE so
MUCH CHAFF.

Twelve Miles to Scene of His Helm
ous Crime, Where 6,OO0 Persons
witnessed the Terrible Work of
vengeance-Chained to "A Tree and
saturated with Oil Noles' Body
1ecamc u Blazing Torch.
Chattanooga, Tenn, Aug. 25.-A spe-
,tal 10 the Times from Winchester,
Tenn, says:
Henry Noles, the negro who crimi-
rally assaulted and shot to death Mrs.
Charles williams, wife of a prominent
farmer near Winchester, Tenn, last
Friday, was captured early to-day at
Water Tank, near Cowan, Tenn. He
was carried to Winchester by his cap
TORS and placed in the county jail
Sheriff Stewart attempted to barricade
the Jail and protect his prisoner.
A mob of several hundred gathered
about the jail Assistant Attorney Cen
eral Matt N. Whitaker appeared at the
iail and made speech to the infuriat
ed citizens. He appealed to the citizens
to assist him in allaying excitement
and upholding the majesty of the law.
He promised to reconvene the grand
Jury tomorrow to promptly indict the
negro and have him speedily tried at
the present term of court, assuring the
crowd that his conviction and legal
execution was a foregone conclusion.
This appeal was supplemented by
Judge ]. ]. Lynch, Capt. w. P. Toll
ley Jesse NJ. Littleton, Foster Ramsey
and others.
No sooner had their appeals been
made than several hundred citizens
from the neighborhood where the crime
was committed came up and augment
ed the crowd to thousands. They
swept forward upon the Jail, overpow-
cred the sheriff and his deputies, Sc
cured the prisoner and started for the
scene of the crime, twelve miles dis
tant, at 1915 a. m.
Orderly, but Determined.
The mob was orderly but determined.
1t seemed that the whole population for
miles around had turned out to see the
fate of the wretch. A procession three
miles in length followed the mob to the
Williams home. Arriving at point in
sight of the crime the negro was placed
upon a stump and given a chance to
make a statement.
He mounted the stump stolidly and
laUghed as he began his statement. He
said:
Iell all my sisters and brothers to
meet me in glory / am going to make
that my home. Tell my mother to meet
me where parting will be no more"
He was then asked a number of
questions. Interrogated as to whether
or not anyone else was implicated in
the crime Noles stated emphatically
there was no one implicated but HIM
self
why did you kill Mrs. Williams ?"
was asked.
Il just done that because had moth
ing else to do"
He was taken from the stump, car
ried to a tree near by, bound to the
tree by chains and his body saturated
with oil. At 1:40 p. m. match was
applied and instantly the quivering
body was enveloped in flames. Rails
were piled about the burning body and
soon life was extinct. The negro made
no Outcry at any time and died as
stolidly as a stole. There were no dis
orderly scenes about the burning body.
At least 5000 people witnessed the hor-
ribe fate of the negro. Many remained
until nightfall, augmenting the blaze
until the body was entirely consumed.
They then departed for their homes
quietly.
History of the Crime.
Chattanooga, Tenn, Aug. 25.-Lying
on the floor of the family room with
her face splashed with clotted blood
and the oaken planks stained with the
same drops. Charles Williams found
MS young wife Friday afternoon when
ne returned from marketing his wheat
IN the little town of Maxwell. A bull
iet had crashed through her head and
lfe was completely extinct. Two
Daby children witnessed the crime
alone. The oldest boy, aged 5, told
what had occurred. The young moth
er had been shot and killed by Henry
Noles, negro hand on Williams
place AS the mortally wounded wom-
an sank to the floor Noles shot at the
Doy' the bullet grazing the childs head.
me negro fled to the woods. On re-
celpt of news of the crime Sheriff Stew
Srt departed for the scene with blood
mounds. A posse of determined citi-
zens' we'll armed and provided with
rope, was also on Noles' trail
II Is reported that the motive was
robbery and $40 was obtained by the
murderer. Mr.. Williams is a farmer.
wen to do and one of the most promi-
meht residents of his section of Frank
IN county. The dead woman was a