New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-08-17
MOB BURNS TWO NEGROES
GEORGIA VENGEANCE.
One Comfesses, the Other Goes to
Death Protesting Innocence.


statesboro. Ca Aug. 16.-Paul Reed ard Will
Cato. negroes. two Of the I4g'cipals in the muir
der and burning OF Henry Hodges and his wife
and three of their children six miles from here
three weeks ago. were burned at the stake to-
day. This afternoon a determined mob charged
the courthouse. 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 out OF town
and burned them alive.
The climax came quickly and unexpectedly.
The forenoon had passed quietly the trial OF
Reed. the ringleader in the murder being ended
and verdict Of guilty rendered, and both he
and Cato, found guilty yesterday, were sentenced
TO be hanged on September g. The crowd about
the courthouse was not so large as yesterday.
nor was it so threatening. though. for that mat
ter. there was never much parade. the country
mer always being quie-. In the trial of Reed
little delay had beer caused and on its con-
clusIoa the prisoners. as before were hustled
into the witness rSou, where a strong military
guard was mounted over them.
ORATOR INFLAMED THE MOB
The agitation began in the corridors The
spectators left the courtroom, and from the
lawn outside many entered the Railways. Short
Iy before l o'clock the crowd was addressed by
tall man. who infamed it greatly. He called or
those about him TO follow HIM Then Captain
Hitch. OF the OgIethorpS Light Infantry. who
IN command of the soldiers. realized that
the situation was desperate. He posted guards
with fixed bayonets on each of the stairways
that led to the floor above. where the prisoners
were confined.
The mob surged toward them. but were re-
pulsed several times. Prominent men. among
them the Rev. Mr.. Hodges brother of the muir
They begged the mob to disperse Sheriff Ken
drick cautioned them against violence and
pleaded with them 10 leave.
Il am your friend he said. Il beg YOU 20 dO
nothing that will rehec, we'll the
community. Dispense and let the law take its
course. We need these men. There are others
10 be brought to justice. and only from the in
formation TO ne gained from Cato and Reed
can we bring the right ones TO justice. / can
almost promise you that when the case IS
finally sifted there will be five parties who are
equally guilty
WANT To BE SURE OF VICTIMS.
We know you are our friend Kendrick."
some shouted. But promise US that you
will let these men stay ip the statesboro jail.
and not be taken back to Savannah. Their we
will disperse; not until then"
There was some shouting and cheering and
Kendric6 could not reply.
Promise that they shouted. You shall not
take them away from Statesboro."
a commotion at the front drew the crowd there
This only temporary. Presently they were
back az the rear. and some tweut.-nve men
crowded around the guards. Before they could
he prevented they had caught two of the guards.
wrested their weapons from them and thrown
open the breech blocks. The rifles we're empty.
That was what the crowd wanted TO ascertain
TT,
their rifles. The captured soldiers were held
prisoners. and the same policy was followed
with others. Man after man. caught Isolated
was relieved of his rifle after a struggle
At the front a member of the mob crept along
the wall until he got close to the guards. He
threw himself ON one. and two hundred wildly
cheering followed him. Soon the soldiers.
though they fought desperately and inflicted
bayonet wounds some Of their assaiIants,
were OverpOwered.
THE PRISONERS DRAGGED OUT.
The small guard about the prisoners Withdrew
into the room and closed the door The mob
crashed against It. bursting it though it were
an eggshell. The prisoners were at their mercy
Cato Reed. Handy Bell and the other prisoners
covered before the mob. which dragged Cato
and Reed out, turning Bell over to the few
soldiers left as soon as they learned that he was
not Reed. for whom they had mistaken him.
Reed taken down stairway with a
rope about his neck. and Cato down the other
both pleading for their lives
BY this time the crowd numbered 500 persons. /
The doomed men were dragged. the crowd
shouting and cheering. toward the Hodges home
where the five members of the family had been
murdered and burned.
The heat was so intense that the crowd
wearied when two miles of the six-mile route
had been traVersed. Going Seventy-fve yards
from the road the crowd halted. and the two
negroes were made to seat themselves on a log /
They told that they had only a short time
to live and that they should confess
Reed was the first to speak He confessed |
duplicating other negroes. he had In the
courtroom He denied. however, that he had
taken an active part in the murder
Cato answered incOherently.
BURN THEM. BURN THEM"
The crowd moved a field to strip OF
woodland. Several men climbed trees and called
for ropes.
Burn them,' Burn them!" shouted Sc
crowd
Cato begged to be shot or hanged. saying that /
he was innocent: that he had no part in the l
Gnn4inua1 R,,urtb