The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-10-14
LYNCAED At H0NEA path.
A SEVENTEENTH BRUTE
ASSAULTS LITTLE GIRL.
Angry MOD Wreaks Speedy Ven-
geance-Willis Jackson is Pos.
ftively Unidentified by Eleven Year
old Victim.

the left foot from a telephone pole
near the scene Of his crme, the body
OF Wills jackson. 17-year-old ne
gro, who early this morning commit
ted brutal assault on a little girl
here. tonight was riddled with bull
let's. The body hangs tonight cover
ed with blood and shot full Of holes
within 20 yards Of the scene of the
attack. The lynching, which came at
the close Of day of the most in
tense excitement was witnessed by
several thousand people from all
parts Of Anderson county. Before he
was strung up the negro, who had
| twice been identified by his victim
| admitted, it is said, that he was the
right man, but begged for mercy.
1t was II o'clock when the negro
was brought back, having been taken
| from the officers near Greenville, af-
ter a sensational chase in automobiles
| lasting several hours.
| He was taken at once to the home
Of the little girl whom he had at
| tackled, and she identified him a Sec
! ond time. Then the crowd. with it's
] trembling prisoner, went into the
woods where the crime was commit
ted. The spot reached. the negro was
asked II he wished to confess. The
| boy then admitted that he was the
one who had committed the assault,
but begged the crowd to spare him.
His pleas for mercy fell on ears deaf.
ened VIII wrath, however, and had
no effect.
He was rushed into the road ne.'r
the scene Of the crime and a rope
was put about his left ankle. The
cord was put over the cross-arm Of
nearby telephone pole and the ter
rified boy was hoisted into the air.
head downward. Suddenly shot
broke the silence and the first bull
let took effect in the negro's body.
That first shot broke the momentary
spell that held the crowd and a vol
ley was poured into the swinging
body Of the negro. Fully 400 shots,
it is estimated were fired into the
trembling form.
| The negro's bloody corpse was
left swinging in the night air. and
thousands Of people who had wit
messed the violent end of the criminal
dispersed to their homes. Before
leaving. however some members of
the mob and spectators cut off toes
and fingers from the body as memen-
toes of the terrible occasion.
Late tonight all is quiet in Honea
Path and it's vicinity There is no
sign of the violent scenes enacted
here, save the body Of the criminal,
hanging from the pole by the desert
ed roadside.
| Tomorrow the coroner will cut
down the body and hold the inquest.
| The crime for which the negro
was lynched tonight was committed
about o'clock this morning. The
victim was the 11-year-old daughter
Of a prominent citizen Of Honea
Path.
| The child had gone to carry the
cow to the pasture quarter Of a
mile from her home. She was on
one of the main roads, leading out Of
town and was seized and dragged into
| the woods about so yards, where the
attack was made, and it is feared
| that the negro accomplished his de-
vilish purpose. In the woods there
is every evidence of a fearful strug-
gle.
| When the child was seized. her
assailant threatened to kill her if
she cried out to give alarm. Terrified
with freight, she desisted from her
cries. 1t is thought that the noise
Of a buggy approaching along the
road may have frightened the brute
and that he let go his victim. A man
| from the country saw the negro
| come from the woods. and seeing the
child muddy and crying approached
her and asked the trouble.
| The news quickly spread. Willis
Jackson was arrested on suspicion
and taken before the victim, who
| positively identified him, and as posi-
lively said that two other suspects
were not the guilty parties. Con-
stable Hayes took the negro in ar
| automobile and hastened toward An
dersOn.
| me little girl was calm and posi-
/ tive In her Identification Che 10