The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-08-19
BURNED AT STAKE
IN GEORGIA
Two Negro Murderers Taken
From MiIitiamen by Mob
and Cremated.
SENTENCED TO BE HUNG
This Method Was Too Easy for tn.
Crowd Anxious for Quick Justice
Prisoners Covered With
Oil and Wood.

ing saturated With Kerosene, writhiag
and twisting in their o screams
ing to heaven for the mercy that the
mob would not show, Paul Reed and
Will Cato negroes, two of the prlnci-
pals lin the murders and burning of
Henry Hodges and family. six miles
from Statesboro three weeks ago We're
burned at the stake.
A determined mob charged on the
court house. ~overpowered the militia
guard, secured Cato IL Reed. who had
been found guilty after 4 legal trial and
sentenced to be hanged, TOOK them two
miles from Statesboro and there burned
them alive.
The trial of Paul Reed. the ringlead-
er in the murder. being concluded. and
a verdict of guilty rendered. both he
and Will Cato. found guilty the day be
fore, We're sentenced to hang Septem-
Der 3.
In the trial of Reed little delay had
been caused, and on its conclusion the
prisoners, as before. We're hustled into
the witness room. where n strong guard
of military was mounted over them.
When Agitation Began.
In the corridors the agitation began.
The spectators left the court room, and
from the lawn outside many entered
the Railways. Shortly the crowd was
addressed by a tall man Who seemed to
inflame it greatly. He called on those
about him to follow him. Then Cap
tain Hitch of the O%gletllorpe Light in
fantry, who was in command Of the
military forces. realized that the stu
alton was desperate. He posted guards
on each of the stairways that led to
the floor above. where the prisoners
We're confined. With fixed %bayonets,
but unloaded rifles. the guards stood.
The mob surged toward them. but was
repulsed several times, The determined
effort was yet to be made.
At the rear stairway the graveSt dam
| ger threatened. Prominent men, among
them the Rev. Mr.. Hodges, brother of
the murdered man. sprang to the front
| to address the crowd. They begged
| them to dispense. Sheriff kindrick was
among these. He cautioned the crowd
against violence and pleaded with them
to leave. declaring that five more men
were equally guilty with Cato and
Reed, but that only by information to
be secured from the condemned men
could the others be convicted. The
crowd demanded that he promise not
to AXE the negroes back to Savannah.
This he declined TO do.
Guns Were Not Loaded.
Suddenly some twenty-five men
crowded around the guards. BEFORE
they could be prevented they mad
caught two of the guards, wrested their
weapons from them and thrown open
the breechlocks. The weapons We're
empty. That was what the crowd
wanted to ascertain. The troops a
been given orders not to load their
rifles. The captured soldiers We're held
prisoners. The same policy was fol-
lowed with others of the soldiers MAJ
after man caught isolated was relieved
of his rifle after 4 struggle.
Thu small garrison of troops with
drew into the room am closed the door.
The mob crashed agaii ST ii. The pris-
orers We're then at Their mercy. Cato,
Reed. Handy Bell anG the other prls-
oners covered before the crowd. They
dragged Cato and Reed out. Reed was
taken down one stairway with a rope
about his neck and Cato down the 9TH
er. both pleading for their lives. By
this time the crowd numbered 500 per-
sons. The doomed men were dragged.
the crowd shouting and cheering, along
the roadway leading TO the Hodges
homestead, where the five members of
the family had been murdered and
burned. This was their destination.
The heat was so intense that the
crowd wearied when two miles of the
six mile route had been traversed. Co
ing SeVenty-fve yards from the road
they halted. The two negroes were
told they had but a short time to live
and that they should confess. Reed
confessed. duplicating other negroes,
as he had in the court room. He de-
MED, however. that he had taken an
active part in the murder. Cato an
swered incoherentlN.
The crowd moved across n field to a
strip OF woodland. A NIB of the
moi made n speech. ~recounting the
horrors of the crime. This nflamed the
crowd to the burning pitch. To a large
stump. twelve feet high. the men We're
chained with their backs to the stump.
Then a wagonload of pine wood was
= - -, H. ,~,...
the men and ten gallons of kerosene
was thrown over them.
Photographer Present.
A photographer was present and the
crowd was cleared back that he might
get views of the men bound to the
stake and ready for the burning. lust
as the match was applied to the pyre
of those in front asked Reed if he
wanted to tell the truth before he died.
Yes. si:. l killed Mr.. and Mrs.
Hodges" he replied. Who killed the
cnildren?' he was asked. Handy Bell
am the response as the flames leaped
upwards and further questioning was
Impossible in the Wild tumult.
The scene was frightful. AS the
flames touched Reeds naked, oil soaked
skin he twisted his head around in an
endeavor to choke himself 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 hair, which
was oil soaked, was almost the first
thing the flames fastened on, while the
hemp rope bee: ne a collar of fire
around his neck. For only about three
minutes was he visible to the crowd be.
fore the great pile of faggots made a
wall of flames which the wind wiped
around on Cato's body and hid him
from view. Before the flames prog.
ressed very far up his body his head
sank forward. Apparently the fire got
into his lungs and killed him.
AS soon as 1t was seen that the men
were dead the crowd commenced dis.
persing. A large number remained be.
hind, however, piling more fuel on until
the bodies We're burned except the
trunks.
Killed bv Electric Wire