The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-08-24
TWO MEN BURNED
At the Stake Nesr Statesboro, Gs.,
by Determined Hob.
TIE MILITIA IS oVERPoWERED
The Soldiers On Duty With Unloaded
Guns Were Helpless in the
bands of the Crazed
popuiace.

With clothing saturated With kero'
ssne, writhing and twisting in theil
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 dastardly muir
der and burning Of Henry Hodges and
wife and three children six miles from
Statesboro, Ca, three weeks ago, were
burned at the stake on Tuesday, Aug.
18th.
That afternoon at l.2l O'Clock a do.
termined mob charged upon the cour:
house, oyerpowered 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 States.
boro and there exacted the fearful
penalty.
The forenoon passed quietly, the
trial Of Paul Reed, the ringleader in
the murder, being concluded and a
verdict Of guilty rendered. Sentence
was imposed upon both him and Will
Cato, sentenced the day before, and
September 9 was fixed as the date for
the execution.
The crowd assembled about the
court house Tuesday was not so large
as Monday. Nor was $50 threatning,
though, for that matter, there was
never much parade about the crowd
that argued the worst and the deter
nination Of the countrymen who had
come in from miles around fer the
trial was never to be doubted.
Up to the noon hour there was no
intimation that so soon was to be en-
acted the terrible. climax. In the
trial OF Reed little delay was caused
and upon it's conclusion the prisoners,
as before, were hustled into the wit
ness room where a strong guard OF
military was mounted over them.
THE AGITATION BEGINS.
In the corridors the agitation De-
gan. The spectators left the court
room and from the lawn outside many
entered the Railways. Shortly before
l o'clock the crowd was addressed by
tall man who seemed to irfane it
greatly. He called on those ABOUT
him to follow him. Then Capt. Hitch
Of the Oglethorpe Light Infantry,
who was in command Of the forces,
realized that the situation was desper-
ste. Ee posted guards on each Of the
stairways that led to tie floor above
where the prisoners were confined.
With fixed bayonets but unloaded
rifles, the guards stood. The mob
surged toward them but were repplsed
several times. The determined effort
was yet TO be made. At the rear stair
way the gravest danger threatened.
Prominent In the crowd was Rev. Mr..
Hodges, brother Of the murdered man,
who sprang to the front to address its
members. He begged them to dis
perSe.
Sheriff Kendrick was in the crowd.
He cautioned the crowd against no
lence and pleaded with them to dis.
perse. II am your frienj," he said.
I beg you to do nothing that will re.
feet upon Us as well as on the com
munity. Dlsperse and let the law
take it's course. We need these men.
There are others to be Brought to JUS
tice and only from the information to
be gained from Cato and Reel can we
bring the right oues to justice. I can
almost promise you that when the case
is finally sifted there will be FIVE par
ties who are equally guilty"
TEEIR FRIEND KENDRICA.
I'VE know you are our friend, Ken
drick," some one shouted, but prom
ise US that you will let these men stay
s2ttn the Statesboro Jail and not be taken
back to Savannah. Then we will dis
perse, not until then"
There was shout and cheering and
Kendrick could not reply. Promise
US that they shouted, you will not
take them away from StaSesboro." A
commotion to the front drew the
crowd there. This was but temper
ary. Presently they were back at the
rear and some % men crowded around
the guards. Before they could be
prevented they had caught two Of the
guards, wIestled their weapons from
them and thrown open the breech
locks. The weapons were empty.
That was what the crowd wanted TO
ascertain. The troops had been given
orders not to load their ri1ss.
The captured soldiers were held
prisoners. The same policy was fol-
lowed with others Of the soldiers.
Man after man, caught Isolated, was
relieved OF his rife 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
upon them. In the breach thus
formed his companions threw them
selves. Two hundred wildly cheering
men followed him aud soon the sol.
diers, though they Tough desperate
" and inflicted bayonet wounds upon
some Of their aSSailants, were over
powered.
ONE FIGHTING SOLDIER.
One young soldier Of the Oglethorpe
Guards never surrendered. He fought
his way free, fought through his cap.
tors and out upon the lawn. A weapon
was raised to strike him.
''Shame!" shouted the crowd anc
struck down the man who had raised
the weapon. Then they threw them
selves upon the boy and and overpow
cred him.
The small guard about the prisoner:
withdrew into the room and closed The
door. The mob crashed against it
bursting it as though it were an egg
shell. The prisoners were at theil
mercy, all resistance having beer
beaten down. Cato, Reed, Handy, Bel
and other prisoners covered before thu
crowd. They dragged Cato and Reee
out, releasing Bell into the hands O.
the few soldiers left there as soon aE
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