Milford chronicle., 1904-08-19
TWO NEGROES
BURNED AT STAKE
Horrible Fate OfMurderers of Hodges
Family at StatesbOro, Ga.
MOB OVERPOwERED MILITARY

screaming TO heaven lot the mercy
/ that the mob would not show, Pau
Reed and VIII Cato negroes. two 0.
J. the principals in the murder and burn
+ ing of Henry Hodges and wife and
! three of their children six miles from
S Statesboro three weeks ago, were
burned at the stake.
determined mob charged on the
court house. overpowered the military
guard, secured Cato and Reed who
had been found guilty after a legal
trial and sentenced to be hanged. took
them two miles from Statesboro and
there burned them alive The climax
came quickly and Unexpectedly.
In the trial of Reed little delay had
been caused. and on its conclusion the
prisoners. as before. were hustled into
the witness room. where a strong mill
tary guard was mounted over them.
A cOmmotion at the front drew tho
crowd there This was but temporary
Presently they were back at the rear
and some % men crowded around the
guards, wrested their weapons from
them and threw open the breech
blocks The weapons were empty. That
was what the crowd wanted to ascer-
tain. The troops had been given orders
not to load their rifles The captured
1 soldiers were held as prisoners. The
same policy was followed with others
of the soldiers Man after man. caught |
! isolated, was relieved of his rifle 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 1
companions threw themselves. Two
hundred wildly cheering men followed
him. and soon the soldiers, although
they fought desperately and inflicted
bayOnet wounds upon some of their
assailants, were OverpOwered.
Reed was taken down one stairway
with a rope about his neck and Cato
down the other, both pleading for their
lives.
Cato begged to be shot or hanged
saying he was innocent; that he had
no part in the crime. Some of the more
humane wanted to grant his request
but they were in the minority. The
rest wanted to visit the same death
upon the negroes that they had Wis
tied upon the Hodges family
A number of the mob made a speech |
recounting the horrors of the crime
This infamed the crowd to the burning
pitch. To a large stump - feet Liel
the men were chained with their back.
to the stump. With trace chains tn
men were lashed to the stump.
Then a wagon load of pine wood wa.
hauled to the spot. It was piled around
the men and 10 gallons of kerosen,
was thrown over them. Then followed
an awful scene Frenzied cheers ran;
the air as men, almost craz-d with the ,
hatred of the men being punishel 1W ,
the cruel flames drinking up the life
blood Just as the match was applied s
10 the pyre, one of those in front asked J.
Reed if he wanted to tell the truth be- 5
ore he died. Yes. sir; l killed Nj
md Mrs Hodges" he replied
Who killed the children?" he was t
isked =
Handy Bell" came the response as -
he flames leaped upwards. and further
was impossible in the wild
umult. The spectacle was frightful
Is the flames touched Reeds naked
'il-soaked skin he twisted his head
round in an endeavor to choke him
elf and avoid the fearful torture. Only
nee did he complain. He said: Lord
ave mercy
Cato screamed in agony and begged
hat he be shot. His heavy suit Of
air which was oil-soaked was almost
he first thing the flames fastened on
nd screaming with agony while tn
emp rope became a collar of fire
round his neck thrill of horror ran
trough the frames of the more timiC
)ectatOrs Before the flames had
lenched Cato's life. the rope We.
lrned in two and his head swrn,
ON side to side as he endeavored tc
void the fiery tongue. BY effort al -,
ost superhuman he writhed under the
ose-locked chains. For only about
lree minutes was he visible to the n
owd before the great pile of fagots N
ade wall of flame which the vino
iped around on Cato's body and hid "
m from view. He was the first to px-
bit Inconsistencies. and was per
Fps the first dead. Before the fare.
'sgressed very far up his body. hi.
,ad sank forward and many believed
at the fire got into his lungs and
lied him. AS Cato's head swung back
ID forward some of the more excited
ambers of the party commenced
rowing light wood knots at it, W.
AS soon as it was seen that the men lin
IRE dead. the crowd commenced dis
rising. A large number remained be-
nd. however. piling more fuel on
til both bodies were burned EXCEPT
? trunks. Others employed them
ves in thrashIug out the fire, which
spreading along the dry frs
eaks of pine needles. the
Died In Pro-cathedral. WI
Del, Aug. 16.-Mrs. Ella
Magahern 35 wears of apa of 11O7