The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1904-08-17
TO
HEAVEN FOR FOR
Ridden MERCY
econtinued From First Pase.)

4 Bell and the other prisoners covered
before the crowd. They dragged Cato
and Reed out, releasing Bell into the
hands of the few soldiers left there as
soon as they learned that he was not
Reed, for whom they had mistaken
| him.
Reed was taken down one stairway
with rope about his neck and Cato
came down the other, both pleading
for their lives.
By this time the crowd numbered
five hundred persons. The doomed
men were dragged, the crowd Shout
ing and cheering along the roadway
leading to the Hodges homestead,
where the five members of the fam
| lily had been murdered and burned
That was their destination.
They Confess.
| The heat was SO intense that the
crowd wearied when two miles of the
six mile route had been traversed.
| Going seventy-five yards from the
road, the crowd halted. The two ne
groes were made to seat themselves
on log. They were told they had
but q short time to live and that they
should confess.
Reed was the first to speak. He
confessed, duplicating other negroes,
as he had in the court room. He
denied, however, that he had taken an
active part in the murder.
Cato answered incoherently. The
crowd moved across a field to strip
of woods Several men climbed to
br,,,
Burn them!" Burn them!"
shouted the crowd
Cato begged to be shot or hanged,
saying he was innocent. that he had
taken no part in the crime. Some of
the more humane wanted to grant his
request. but they were in the minor
ity. The rest wanted to visit the
same death upon the negroes that
they had visited upon the Hodges
family. A member of the mob made
a speech recounting the horrors of
the crime This inf1amed the crowd
to the burning pitch. To large
chained with their backs to the
stump. Then a wagon load of pine
wood was hauled to the spot. 1t was
piled around the men, and ten gal
Ions OF kerosene was thrown over
them.
Their Pictures Taken.
\ photographer was present and
the crowd was cleared back that he
might get several views of the men
bound TO the stake and ready for |
the burning. Then followed an awful |
scene. Frenzied cheers rent the air
as men, almost crazed with the ha-
tired of the men being punished, saw
the cruel flames ,lrin king up the life
blood. just as the match was applied
TO the pyre, one of those in front ask
ed Reed If ne wanted to tell the truth
before ne died
Yes, sir: 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 tunlult The spectacle
was frightful. AS the flames touch
ed Reeds naked oil-soaked skin, he
twistedt his head around in an endav-
or to choke himself and avoid the
fearful torture Only once did he
He said:
Lord. have mercy"
Sreamed in Agony.
Cato screamed in agony and beg
sed that he be shot. His heavy head
Of hair, which was oilsoaked, was
almost the first thing that the flames
fastened on, and screaming with ag-
ony, while the hemparope became
collar of fire around his neck, a
brill of horror ran through the flames
IF the more timid of the spectators.
Before the flames had quenched
Sato'sS life. the rope was burned in
.wo and his head swung from side