Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1902-10-25
Agrrnn INV lVMnurn
NrUnU DUI LIUUHEU
AT TALL tPOOSA, GA
Hanged and Body S Riddled
With Bullets.
ASSAULTED MRS. HENRY DEEs

Governor Gambler Ordered Troops to
the Scene to Protect the Negro, but
They Arrived Too Late to Prevent
Lynching.
Tallapoosa, Ca. Oct 24.-Ben
Brown, 16-year-old negro, was lynch.
ed near here last night for assaulting
Mrs. Henry Dees.
The negro was hanged from the iron
bridge which spans the Tallapoosa
river, ard his body riddled with bull
let's.
The troops sent here by Governor
Gambler arrived too late. as the negro
had been lynched some time when
their train reached here.
About noon Ben Brown stopped at
the home of Mrs. Henry Dees, 3 miles
out, and asked for something to eat.
He then assaulted the woman, chok-
ing and threatening to kill her. Her
outcry aroused the nearest neighbor
and the negro fed, but was run down
by John William Benton and j. G..
Gray, who brought him to Tallapoosa
with a rope around his neck at
o'clock and placed him in the Gala.
boose barely in time to save him from
armed pursuers.
Mob Is Formed.
Another band with rifles and shot
guns soon followed, headed by Caleb
Smith Mrs. Dee's father, determined
on having the negro.
Mayor Hutchins, Rev. Mr. Shankle
and the best citizens counseled order
The mayor telephoned Judge Jones and
secured a promise that he would con
vene court next Monday to try the
negro. On the strength of this pledge
Smith calmed down and went home,
but later he returned with a greater
crowd, announcing that Mrs. Dees was
hardly expected to live.
Mayor Hutchins had previously
wired the governor for troops, antici-
pating the inevitable The troops
We're promised, but failed to arrive
by the first train, although the train
was held one hour at Atlanta.
Sheriff Shellnut, from Buchanan, did
not arrive on the scene till nearly
dark
Ropes and cartridges were openly
purchased, and at 7:30 o'clock the
mob marched, broke down the Gala
boose door, seized the negro and rush
ed him to the scene of the crime. The
sheriff was in front of the book store
when the mob smashed the door down.
Not a shot was fired during the entire
attack on the calaboose.
Negro Confessed Guilt.
The negro admitted his guilt from
the first, The mob, however, took
him into the presence of his victim,
who identified him unhesitatingly. The
negro was then carried to the big iron
bridge spanning the Tallapoosa river,
rope was thrown over one of the
high cross beams, a moose placed
around his neck and in another mo-
ment the body was dangling in space,
and soon thereafter riddled with shot
and ball and left swinging.
The next train brought a company
of soldiers from Atlanta, under com.
mand of Captain Burton Smith. The
train was rushed on by Conductor
Waite who stopped 1t at the river,
hoping that the troops might arrive
in time to prevent the lynching, but
they were just a few minutes too late.
Displayed Great stoicism.
The victim displayed wonderful sto.
lidity The only words that escaped
his lips as he was about being swung
up were:
my God, have mercy on my poor
soul"
The mob soon dispersed. This IS
the first Iynching that has ever occur.
red in this vicinity, and the citizens
profoundly regret it.
The arrival of the troops by the first
train on time would have prevented
the lynching. The mob somehow
learned that troops were coming and
expedited the matter