Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-08-20
TWO NEGROES
BURNED AT STAKE
Horrible Fate ofMurderers of Hodges
Family at StatesborO. Ga
MOB OvERPOwERED MILITARY

Statesboro, Ca, Aug. IL. With
clothing saturated with kerosene.
writhing and twisting in their agony.
screaming to heaven for the mercy
that the mob would not show. Paul
Reed and Will Cato, negroes. two OF
the principals in the murder and burn
ing of Henry Hodges and wife and
three of their children six miles from
Statesboro three weeks ago. were
burned at the stake.
A determined mob charged on the
court house. overpowered the military
guard, secured Cato and Reed, who
had been found guilty after legal
trial and sentenced to be hanged. took
them two miles from StatesbOrO and
there burned them alive. The climax
came quickly and Unexpectedly.
In the trial of Reed little delay had
been caused. and on its conclusion the
prisoners. as before. were hustled into
the witness room. where strong mill
tary guard was mounted over them.
A commotion at the front drew the
crowd there. This was but temporary.
Presently they were back at the rear
and some % men crowded around the
guards. wrested their weapons from
them and threw open the breech
blocks. The weapons were empty. That
was what the crowd wanted to ascer-
tain The troops had been given orders
not to load their rifles. The captured
soldiers were held as prisoners. T.. :
same policy was followed with others
of the soldiers. Man after man. caught
isolated. was relieved of his rifle after
a struggle.
Reed was taken down one stairway
with a rope about his neck and Cato
down the other. both pleading for their
lives.
Cato begged to be shot or hanged.
saying he was innocent: that he had
no part in the crime. Some of the more
humane wanted to grant his request.
but they were in the minority. The
rest wanted to visit the same death
upon the negroes that they had Wis
tied upon the Hodges family.
A number of the mob made speech
recounting the horrors of the crime.
This inflamed the crowd to the burning
pitch. To large stump IL feet Eieh
the men were chained with their ba. lis
to the stump. With trace chains the
men were dashed to the stump.
Then a wagon load of pine wood was
hauled to the spot. II was piled around
the men and 10 gallons of kerosene
was thrown over them. Then followed
an awful scene Frenzied cheers rent
the air as men. almost craZed with the
hatred of the men being punished. saw
the cruel flames drinking up the life
blood. Just as the match was applied
to the pyre, one of those in front asked
Reed IL he wanted to tell the truth be-
fore he died. Yes, sir: l killed Mr..
and Mrs. Hodges" he replied.
who killed the children" he was
asked
Handy Bell" came the response as
the flames leaped upwards. and further
questioning was impossible in the wild
tumult. The spectacle was frightful.
AS the flames touched Reeds naked
oil-soaked skin he twisted his head
around in an endeavor to choke him
self and avoid the fearful torture Only
once did he complain. He said: Lord,
have mercy"
Cato screamed in agony and begged
that he be shot. His heavy suit of
hair which was oil-soaked was almost
the first thing the flames fastened on.
and screaming with agony while the
hemp rope became a collar of fire
around his neck. a thrill of horror ran
through the frames of the more timid
spectators. Before the flames had
quenched Cato's life, the rope vas
from side to side as he endeavored to
avoid the fiery tongue BY effort al
most superhuman he writhed under the
close-locked chains. For only about
three minutes was he visible to the
crowd before the great pile of fagots
made a wall of flame which the wind
wiped around on Cato's body and hid
him from view. He was the first to ex-
hibit Inconsistencies. and was per-
haps the first dead. Before the flares
progressed very far up his body. his
head sank forward and many believed
that the fire got into his lungs and
killed him. As Cato's head swung back
and forward, some OF the more excited
members of the party commenced
throwing light wood knots at ii.
AS soon as IL was seen that the men
were dead, the crowd commenced dis
persing. A large number remained be-
hind. however. piling more fuel on
until both bodies were burned except
the trunks. Others employed them
selves in thrashing out the fire. which
commenced spreading along the dry
streaks of pine needles
S. Minot Curtis Dead.
Newark, Del. Aug. 18.-S. Minot
Curtis. the oldest lay member of the
general convention OF the Episcopal
Church in the United States. died at
his residence in his seth year He mad
In his time attended Is triennial con-
ventions of the church in this country
as Delaware's lay representative. lie
was also for 81 years on the standing
committee. and for "A years secretary