Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1903-06-24


saw the strength of the argument and
informed the leaders that White was
in cell No 13 on the front row, third
story.
Door of Cell Opened.
This was enough, and the door to
this row of cells was at once attacked
While the door was being cut another
party with sledges and chise1s attack
ed the large steel box containing the
levers that opened and closed the
cell doors. 1t was 1922 o'clock when
the yelling and cursing mob rushed
into the corridor past the cell doors
of the frightened prisoners to the cell
occupied by White. In smashing the
lever box the mechanism was dam
aged and the door to Whites cell
could not be opened.
Warden Meserve then rushed into
the cell corridor to prevent the mob
taking tie wrong man. He saw that
the men with hammers were about to
demolish the cell door and told them
how TO d1sconnect the door so that it
could be opened. AS soon as the
door to Whites cell sid open there
was a deafening cheer and yells of
Don't hurt him!" Don't shoot him!"
'TBurn him at the stake!" Take him
to the place where he murdered Miss
Bishop!'
White fought desperately for his life
and knocked down the first man who
approached him. One Of the men
threw his arms around the frightened
wretch, thus protecting him. At this
time the narrow corridor was SO tight.
ly packed by the mob that it was i'm.
possible tc get the prisoner out. After
much difficulty the crowd was per.
suaded to retreat from the building
White, in the custody of two men,
brought up the rear. The lawn Ia
front of the prison was a sea of faces
when viewed from the porch. Whites
custodians became convinced that un.
less strategy was used there would be
little chance of getting their man to
the spot on Prices road, where 1t was
planned that he should be burned to
death. This contingency was over.
come by an order to extinguish Ian
terms or keep them concealed. In the
darkness there was a confused rush
and after this no one seemed to know
where the prisoner was. On the way
to the place of execution White beg.
ged to be allowed to say few words
to the crowd before he was killed, and
the promise was made to him that he
should be allowed to make a statement
Ul1say1 for taaA IL
less the negro confessed TO having
committed the deed and did not spare
himself in the telling of it.
Negro Prayed FerventIy.
He again confessed as he was stand.
ing near hedge few feet from where
the outrage was committed. He pray.
ed fervently to God to forgive his sins
and seemed anxious to do as much talk.
ing as possible in the few minutes he
had to live. While White was pray.
ing and confessing and the crowd was
struggling to form a circle, three or
four men began splitting rails with
which to burn the wretch. It took
so long to get the fuel ready that the
crowd impatiently cried to the leaders
to proceed with the execution. The
mob numbered from 5000 to 5000 per.
sons, who surged back and forth
crowding and pushing to gain or hold
a good position from which to see the
burning
Bound to the Stake.
When everything seemed about
ready a man, whose home is said to
be in Kentucky, rode on q horse to
a nearby farm house and in a short
time resppeared with two bundles OF
straw. The straw was piled around
the stake and White was brought
bareheaded into the circle His nerve
seemed good and he held his head up
while he addressed the crowd. A strong
rope was then brought and the negro
was wrapped in its coils from should.
ers to feet. His lips were moving
while this was going on and he seemed
to be trying to finish his statement.
The crowd was in a hurry to get
through with it's work and called out
for the executioners to hasten. After
the rope had been adjusted the negro
was fastened to the stake and the
torch was applied to the straw.
Pushed Into Bed of Fire.
The flames leaped up and licked the
ean's bare hands. He was held there
by one of the lynchers until his cloth.
ing was burning, when he was pushed
into the bed of fire. He rolled about