Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1906-11-10
LYNCHERS BEAT
TROOPS TO NEGRO
Hicks, Who Murdered White
Lynched.
THE TROOPS ARRIVED TOO LATE
Mob stormed Jail and Disposed of
Hicks While Captain Adams and
His Company Were Enroute to Pro
tect the Prisoner.

Moultrie, Ca, Nov. 9.-One OF
the most remarkable races in the his
tory Of the state occurred Thursday
afternoon in Mitchell county, with
Sale City as Its objective point, and
the life Of a negro murderer at stake.
1t was race between the Moultrie
Rifles and Sheriff Forehand with his
negro prisoner, Jet Hicks, whom
sheriff Forehand was endeavoring to
turn over to the Mitchell county Of
ftcers.
Sheriff Forehand won the race. The
negro was turned over and was
promptly incarcerated in the city
guard house. Then the mob got the
negro.
And back Of the whole race was the
fear of the mob. The troops real
lied that if the prisoner was deliv-
cred to the sheriff that lynching was
sure to follow, as there would be no
protection. Sheriff Forehand, on
the other hand, was simply trying
to discharge his duty and deliver the
prisoner to the proper authorities.
The sheriff won the race. And
then the mob beat both factors in the
race. The negro was promptly lynch
ed as soon as he was placed in the
Jail.
Sheriff Forehand reached Sale City
at 8 o'clock, and his prisoner was
turned over to the Mitchell county Of
ficerS, who placed him in the city
guard house. In a very short time
a mob was formed, which stormed
the prison and took Hicks out and
lynched him. The mob had dispersed
when the military company reached
there and all was quiet The COM
pany returned here on a special train.
Jet Hicks was arrested at Vienna,
later identified by DR.. w w. Ste
vens, of Sale City, and was brought
to Moultrie. Sheriff Campbell was
out OF the city, and Sheriff Forehand
OF DOoley, who had him In charge,
kept him at a livery stable for a
couple Of hours. His presence here
created some excitement, especially
since several relatives of the dead
men were in town and rumors were
soon current that lynching was on
foot.
Governor Terrell was notified and
he instructed Captain Thad Adams, of
the Moultrie Rifles, to protect the
negro. When demand was made at
the stables for the prisoner, the mil
itary officials were notified that the
sheriff Of Dooly and DR.. Stevens had
spirited him away through the coun-
try, and would try to reach the sher.
iff Of Mitchell county, with whom
they had conferred by wire at Sale
City. After they were out of town
and on an unknown route, a mes
sage came from the sheriff of Mitch
ell advising that mob was forming
at Sale City, and asking Sheriff Fore
hand to take the negro around by
rfton, meeting him In Albany. The
message was too late.
Acting on instructions from Judge
w. N. Spencer, Governor Terrell
and Assistant Adjutant Scott, the
Moultrie Rifles, commanded by Cap
tain Thad Adams, left here at 6:15
p. M. for Sale City, via Tioknor, to
protect the negro, but as has been
stated, the troops arrived Just as the
mob was finishing the negro.
The crime was a heinous one. Jet
Hicks, a negro, had been repeatedly
warned by Mr.. John Akridge to keep
off Of his place. Saturday night he
found that the negro was in one of the
outhouses and he went to the door
and demanded that it be opened. The
result was that in the next moment
the door was opened and he was shot
through the head and instantly killed.
The negro, Jett Hicks, escaped, and
search was begun for him.
A local reward of $3.50 was offered
for the murderer. The governor
added to this $3.50.
Meta Hicks, the reputed wife of
Jett Hicks, was found dead in a field
belonging to Mr. Akridge since Hicks
committed the murder. On her body
were two bullet wounds. The cor
oner's verdict was that she died by
unknown hands.