The Cordele dispatch. (Cordele, Ga.) 19??-1971, 1919-06-06
, GENESIS AND NEMESIS OF A
LYNcHlNG STORY.

GENESIS AND NEMESIS OF A
LYNcHlNG STORY.
From the Philadelphia Public Ledger:
\. A letter came from a correspondent
IA. J. King, was printed in this column
on April 20, describing the lynching
of negro soldier in Blakely, Ga.
The story has been found upon inVes-
tigation, 10 have been without foun-
dalton. A communication from the
publishers Of the Early County News
of Blakely which newspaper reprint.
ed the letter from Mr.. King, first call
ed attentio nthe fact that the story
was false. Their communication fol-
lows:
To The Editor of Public Ledger:
5ir-our little city seems to have
come in for an unusual share of ca
nards from some unknown source late.
! ly. The latest came to us in aclip-
ping from your paper. Just where
your correspondent, A. ]. King, got
this story is puzzle, and we would
appreciate any information that will
! help us locate and expose the author
of the malicious lie.
W. w. FLEMING & SON.
Blakely, Ca, April "a, 1919.
William M. Stubs of this city,
who decided to follow up the story,
wrote to the postmaster at Blakely,
and to his communication the pub
fishers of the local newspaper sent a
reply which Mr.. Stubs has turned
over to the Public Ledger. This re-
ply runs:
Sir-Your letter of inquiry to the
postmaster at Blakely in reference to
clipping from the Philadelphia Pub
lie Ledger concerning the alleged
Wilbur Little has been handed to me
for reply.
This story is absolutely false in toto,
as there has been no lynching of q
negro soldier anywhere in this sec
ton.
The only ground for starting such
a SANDER on our city that | can think
of is that a negro colder from Ala
bama was found dead in Early county
near the Alabama line on the Goth
of March, evidently murdered, as he
was shot through the head, with no
clue as to the identity of his slayer.
But the next day the mystery was
solved and his murdered located, cap
tured and later tried in the Superior
Court of this county, convicted by a
white jury and sentenced to life in
the penitentiary. Yesterday, ! saw
the deputy sheriff carry him away to
begin sentence, just twenty-seven
fays from the time he murdered the
soldier. | enclose you clippings show
ing these facts.
Our community has been the center
of number of baseless stories of this
character in the recent past Since
the beginning of the world war many
Of our Southern negroes have emigrat
ed TO the North. Some of them,
doubtless flattered by the attentions
shown them, have invented some of
the most improbable lies imaginable
II you could get a copy of the Am
sterdam News of New York City of
the date of Jan. 20, you will find one
ly baseless stories you ever read The
street address of this negro paper is
2293 Seventh avenue. New York City.
Unfortunately, we have in times
past had lynchings in our county, but
all of them were preceded by vicious
crimes on the part of the victims.
But il has been several years since
one of these outbreaks has occurred,
and there has been absolutely no such
occurrence as described by the Phila-
delphia Public Ledgers correspondent
in Blakely nor anywhere near here.
Our people have had no trouble of
any kind with returned negro sol
diers. Most of them have returned
to their homes and gone to work.
| would thank you TO correct the
story. Incidentally, negro soldier,
Wilbur Little, is still alive and work
ing for our city court judge.
w. w. FLEMING.
(The author of the letter to the Pub
lie Ledger, Mr. King, when asked the
source of his information, replied that
he "had read the account of the al
legged lynching in negro newspaper"
Editor puhlic ndper