The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1904-08-17
AT
THE STAKE
GEORGIA NEGROES CREMATED
AFTER THEIR CONVICTION
They We're Charged With the Mur-
der Of q White Man, His Wife and
Three Children They We're Taken
From the Militia.

Statesboro, Ga, Aug. with
saturated with kerosene, with
ing and twisting in their agony, scream
ing to heaven for mercy, that the mob
would not show, Paul Reed and Will
Cato, negroes, two OF the principals in
the murder and burning, Of Henry
Hodges and wife and three of their
children, six miles from Statesboro,
three weeks ago, were burned at the
stake yesterday.
A determined mob charged on 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 from Statesboro and there burn
ed them alive. The climax came quick
ly and unexpectedly.
The forenoon had passed quietly,
the trial Of Tom Reed, the ringleader
in the murder being concluded and
a verdict OF guilty rendered. Both he
and Will Cato, found guilty the day
before. were sentenced to hang Sept.
o. @ The crowd assembled about the
courthouse was not as large as yester-
day nor was it so threatening, though
for that matter, there never was much
parade, the cotintryrnen always being
quiet. In the trial of Reed, little de-
lay had been caused and on its conclu-
sion the prisoners, as before, were
hustled into the witness room where
a strong guard of military was mount
ed over them.
In the corridors the agitation be-
gan. Spectators left the court room
and from the lawn outside many en-
tered the Railways. Shortly before i
% clock the crowd was addressed by
a tall man, who seemed to inflame it
greatly. He called on those about him
to follow him. Then Captain Hitch OF
the Oglethorpe light infantry, who was
in command Of the force. realized that
the situation was desperate. He post
ed guards on each of the stairWays
that led to the floor above, where the
prisoners were confined With fixed
bayonets but unloaded rifles the guards
stood The mob surged toward them,
but we're rcpulsed several times The
determined effort was yet to be made,
AT the rear stairway the gravest danger
threatened. Prominent men, among
them the Rev Mr.. Hodges, brother
of the murdered man, sprang to the
front to address the crowd They beg
ged them to disperse Sheriff Ken
drick was among these. He cautioned
the crowd against violence and pleaded
with them to leave.
81 am your friend,Y' he said. II beg
you to do nothing that will reflect on
us as we'll as on the community. Dis
perse and let the law take its course.
We need these men, There are others
to be brought to justice and only from
the information to be 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 persons who are
equally guilty
We know you are our friend, Ken
drick, some one shouted, 'but proinise
us you will let the men stay in States
boro jail and not be taken back to
Savannah,tlien we will disperse and not
until then.'
There was some shouting and cheer
ing and Kendrick could not reply.
& promise IL HAT ti,ev shouted
ssvou sbaii M tara 4,,a,, ,,s, s.om. f,.e,,,
STATE sboro r,t,, y q - q s. q 4 = ~
IA rn,,,,not;ap :, 81 TIA frn,,t dr.,,, 81.
crowd there This was MI ~ te,nrnra = I = ~ ~
Prese,,tlv A tl,ev wa were ~ .hacL - - ths rasr
and some twenty-f;ve men crowded
around the g,,ards Refora +l,ev cn,,ld "A
Sc prevented thew Had ca,,uht two e
The pi1ards swrested tI,e;r weanars ,e frn,,,
them md tiIrown oner tIe brasch
blocks The wea,,nns were e,,,ntv s,,n That -
was what fl,e crowd wantsd e. ascer.
fa;n The tsoans had ss hes,, s;vs,, 20, ~.
slers not to load their rifles The cao-
tured soldiers v were l,s1d nr;sorers - tx TX
of the soldiers. Man alter man, caught t