Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1908-02-12

EEE Lincoln county, Dec. 27, and brought
there Monday morning at 7 o'clock to
be tried by special term Of ordered by Judge
Wkerson for that purpose dragged from the soldiers
and riddled with bullets and hanged The negro had
admitted his guilt, and nothing but the formaly OF
trial stood between him and legal execution yet des
perae had grown the feeling Of the community, that even
the soldiers the stern voice of the law ignored and
the vengeance Of the mob was dealt out in swift and ter
ribe
In their effort to prevent the mob from getting the
prisoner the soldiers had their guns but ordered
to shoot and the struggle descended hand combat the
militia using the deadly guns as weapons OF mllder
order This mode of warfare only incense the people,
and the vcousness OF the mob directed toward the
soldiers in many istances
\ Members Of TIM mob wounded by shots hired by
those of their number.
7 Adj Gen. Fridge, who accompanied the troops OF
militia from ia kson Brockhaven stated in his report
that he did not give the mand to FIRE the mob
because the members Of the mob had instantly become
interminged with the soldiers that shooting would
have been as disastrous to the militia as to the mob
The soldiers receiving orders to hre upon the mob,
we're forced to make hand to hand defense for their
prisoner and after short while overpowered by
the constantly increasing mob. Seeing that the militia
had no orders to fire. made the augmentng mob boder
and boder until the negro who had already been beaten
and lis throat cut and almost dead was assoed from the
every midst Of the guard and pulled like sled the
ground At least 200 shots from the then renzied mob
hed at the helpless and HeleSS mass and from the
Of the body Of those firing had good
Having dealt its vengeance, the mob then went through
the maneuvers Of hanging the negro. He strung
to telephone pole, where his body hanged for half
hour in the mist and rain.
The negro was brought down from Jackson Miss,
Monday morning on train No. |, accompanied by Sheriff
j. F. Greer several deputies and the Capital Light Guards
under command Of Adjt-Gen 0. N. Fridge who
Joined at the depot by Capt j. L. Storm and Company
Of Brookhavcn The Brookhaven military company
4 Al Il. al ..I.1
and was being pushed and iosed by immense crowd
Of people from all parts Of the county, who
sembed for various today being the time set by
Judge NJ H. Wikerson TO try Pgot for his crime at
special term Of Lincoln county circuit court AS
as the train came to a stop mad rush was made for
the rear COACH where the militia sheriff and prisoner
seen to emerge AS they stepped to the ground
the soldiers formed Gordon around Pigot
The mob closed in on them all the while, and in few
moments both companies OF soldiers were engaged in a
hand dtohand struggle In tew minutes the soldiers were
partially overpowered Pigot knocked to the ground
and rampled on but the militia again and
secured possession of the prisoner who erked to his
feet and with him in the center the soldiers made dou
Bile quick run Of for two blocks down the railroad
tracks in the direction OF the courthouse and jail The
mob was in close pursuit all the while making
short cut TO head the soldiers and prisoner oft from the
iai Two blacks from the depot where had to
e turned the troops we're again forced stop by sheer
rce of numbers the mob by then numbering about l2OO
There the last stand was mace Inc SoluleS ana
struggled over the prisoner Tor about ten minutes when
finally rope was thrown his head and willing hands
took hold quickly dragging him from the soldiers
During the melee an awful cash had been cut in his
throat and as he wss pulled along The ground shot alter
shot was poured into his body by nfuraed citzens.
conservative estimate places the number oil
shots fired at 200 or over AS soon as the firing was
ever the negro being riddIed almost like sieve Of
the mob climbed telephone pole threw the rope over
one of the oothods and Pgot drawn up and hanged
in the cold misty rain for thirty minutes when he was
cut down and hauled TO the county Jail dray lie
was put into a rude coffin and only limited number were
allowed to view the remains.
The negro was mass Of bruises cuts and gunshot
wounds His head was almost severed from his body,
his skull was crushed and the brains oozng from several
places One eye was gouged cut and the other badly
swollen from lick. There was not three square inches
Of his clothing through which bullet had not passed.
During the fray when the militia was trying to protect
Pgo j. T. Williams the father Of the youpg lady ASSAULT
Cd was hit over the head with gun and his cut.
Wade Cole from the southern part OF the county also
ceived shot in the thigh Jake Moak shot through
the bottom Of the foot breaking Of the smaller bones.
The crime for which the negro to be tried was an
exceedingly Gendsh one. He waylaid the young lady,
Miss Matte Williams December 81, while she was re-
turning to her home alone in buggy Ruth AZ the
poin Of gun he forced her to alight and 90 with him
q The nearby woods where he afterwards declared he
roadside several parties passing and seeing It but none OF
hen thinking anything Of it. Pigo made his escape and
was not captured until Jan. g. when he apprehended
" near KontwoOd La when he was taken tc New Orleans
Afterwards being transferred to jackson and then brought
so Bvockhuvcn Monday morning PigCt at oil times
acknowledged his guilt saying that he knew death would