The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-08-17
Dragged the Negroes Out

tOAg lHe 4IOOlA dHu y ClooSu LIN
door The mob crashed against 1t, burst
ing tt as ii dough- it we're an eggshell. The
prisoners were at their mercy, all resist
ance having been beaten own. Cato
Reed. & Handy Bell and the other prisoners
covered before the crowd. r hey dra ggeGs
Cato and Reed out. pleasing q Bell into tt
The hands Of the few soldiers left there
as soon as they learned that he wa s not
Reed q forlwhom they hat mist AIKEN h I'm.
Reed was AIKEN down one stairWa with
"a rope a bout his neck and Cato down the
other both pleading for r. era iye $.
SfBy tleESthe crowd numbered s5OO. they
8draeged the men Il along shouting and
cheering along the roadway leading to
the Hodges homes cad. II where the five
of the family hal been murder
cd and burned. That was their destina-
ton 55The heat was SO intense that the
crowd wearIcd when two lilies of the
/ six mile route had been StraYersed Cos
ing scventy-five yards IF from the road
the crowd halted, The two negroes were
made to seat themselye on a log. #T They
were told they had e. but q short time
to live, and that they should confess,
Reed Confessed; Cato Denied.
II Reed was the first to speak. He 4 con-
tossed. duplicating other egroes, as he
had In the court-roo m. He denied, how
ever, ms l9au etASt4 g faStts0 put
In tho murder. s3s iss38s
81 cato answered !ncoherently The crowd
moved across a field to { g strip Of wood
land. Several men climbed to branches
and called for ropes. # 8a3 Is
$s Burn them n 55''B Burn them 7, shouted
tho crowd Cato begged to be shot or
hanged, anylng he was; innocent; that he
had had no part In the crime. Some
of the more humane wanted to grant
his request. but they were In the 8nlinorl-s
5ty, The rest wanted to visit the anlc
death upon the negroes that they had
visited upon the FIod Ees family.
Il "A member OF the mob made q speech
8recounting the horrors OF the crime This
Unframed che crowd to the burning pitch.
To Ia large stump, twelve feet high, tho
men were chained with their backs to the
stump. Il With trace chains the men were
flashed to the stump. Nj i.
Es Then "a agon load OF pine-Wood wal
hauled to the SPOT. It was piled around
q tile men, and then gallons Of kerosene
was thrown over them. N.Y. Ri " Il
"a photographer was present and the
crowd was cleared back that he might
get! several views Of the men hound TO
tn. stalk and ready for the burning, \
Flames Drink Up Life Blood.
The scene, which followed, beggars de-
scription Frenzled cheers rent the air
as men, almost crazed with the hatred
OF the men being punished sa q, the cruel
Flames drinking up the life blood. Just.
as the match was applied to- the pyret
one !, OF those In the front asked Reed
didn't he want to tell the truth before
he! died. isSslsl 81
~ s. sjr;fgI killed ii Mr. and Mrs.
Hedges, he replied, s,t Al 4. K
s.'siNyyhO killed the children? 2" 4. he was
ask ed & N AZ -, $5 s ,5
Handy Bel, ''8 came 81 he respoglse, as
1.-the flames leaped upwards and further
Questioning was Impossible In the Wild
tnmult. 81
Tho spectacle was frightfnl, AS the
Flames touched Reeds naked oil-soaked
! skin, he twisted his head around In an
spasayoy to shoke Attnsclt aad AVOID the