The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1919-07-01
VICTIM OF NEGRO
SEES HIM LYNCHED
John fairfield Hanged and Burned
at Place Crime Was Com
mitted.

for ten days through three South
Mississippi counties by posses which
included several hundred members
of his own race, John Hartfeld, ne.
gro, confessed assailant of an Ellis
vile young woman, was captured
desperately wounded, near Collins at
.daybreak this morning, rushed by au.
tomobile to the scene Of his crime
hanged to tree and then burned to
ashes His victim witnessed the
lynching.
While negroes took no part in the
actual lynching of fairfield, posse
leaders freely admitted they render
ed valuable assistance during the
chase, knowing when they enlisted
that it was intended to lynch the fu-
.gitive when he was captured. Many
of them witnessed the execution.
The lynching was conducted in a
manner which the authorities charac-
terized as "orderly." Guarded by a
committee of citizens Of Ellisville,
hars1eid was taken first to the Of
flee of DR.. A. J. Carter, who, after
examination of gunshot wounds re-
ceived when. the fugitive made his
fight against capture, declared the
negro could not live more than "a
hours In the meantime group of
silent men were piling crossties and
brush in a depression in the ground
near the railroad.
The victim of Hartfeld's crime
was escorted into the physicians Of
fee after his wounds had been ex-
amined. She positively identified him
-as her assailant. When she left the
negro she said to the committee,
seYou have the right man."
Then there was quiet conference
ON the part of members Of the COM
mittee. Reports were circulated that
there would be burning at 5 o'clock.
This story gave way to statements
that there would be a Hanging at
the big gum tree" fairfield was told
what the crowd intended doing with
him, but only repeated, "You have
the right man." Later he said he
knew he was going to die and de-
clared he wished to warn "all men,
white and colored, to think before
doing wrong"
fairfield was not taken to jail, al
Enough earlier reports were that he
had been lodged there. From the
doctors office he was taken to the
tree and faced the crowd. "You have
vthe right man." he repeated.
Then the moose found it's way
around the neck and the trip to the
big gum tree was started, the crowd
still ominously silent.
It was under the big gum tree that
Hartfeld forcibly detained his VIC
tim all Of the night OF Sunday, June
15. It was under limb Of the same
tree that fairfield was hanged as
soon as the rope could be pulled up
by hundreds Of hands. Then the first
demonstrations broke out, While the
body was in its death struggles, pis-
tolls were fred point blank at the
swinging form. Before the rope had
been cut by bullets, burning fagots
were thrown under the body and an
hour later there was only a pile. of
ashes.
The victim, with her aged mother,
witnessed the execution. When she
raatned her home two hundred yards
away she was informed that more
than a thousand dollars had been
subscribed for her use by persons in
the crowd. No arrests were made
after the lynching and tonight the
little town was quiet. Most of the
svisisers from the surrounding coun-
trys left for their homes.
Petitions to Governor Bilbo to pre-
'. zeat The threatened lynching brought
"a reply from the executive to the ef-
feet that he was entirely powerless''
as the State had no rtoops. Further
-more,' the governor was quoted as
Saying, excitement is at such a high
pitch through South Mississippi that
any attempt to interfere with the
mob would doubtless result in the
deaths of hundreds of persons. The
negro has confessed, says he is ready
to die and nobody can keep the in
evitable from happening"
Hartfeld's capture was accompl
ished largely through the work of ths
famous CAN'T bloodhounds, brought