The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1921-04-07

Shocking Crime Committed Last Friday Stirs
Citizens to Mob Violence

still the whereabouts Of the me-
gro was as great q mystery as on
any previous day. Automobiles
came into town from every direc-
tion, occupied by men many Of
whom were strangers to the peO-
pie of this place. All dav Sunday
groups of men could be seen on
the streets and up and down the
public roads, armed and ready for
any conflict. They were as quiet
and orderly as if in funeral pro-
ceSSion, yet determination could
be seen written in their eyes, and
it did not take prophet to tell
what would happen to Sandy when
he was caught.
Sunday night passed without
anything developing in this imme-
diate neighborhood. However,
about IL o'clock word reached
here that he had been shot and
wounded short distance on the
other side of Langford, but had
escaped into the woods. The lit
tie crowds began to consolidate
and move toward Langford. Ear
ly Monday morning the negro was
found near the place where he
was detected the night before.
It was found that he was shot
through the leg, and was lying on
the ground soundly sleeping with
his gun in his hands. So sound
was his slumber that it required
two or three swift kicks to awak-
en- him. The woods were then a
seething mass of humanity, but
the same quiet manner and or
derly conduct prevailed that had
characterized the proceedings of
the hunters throughout the pre-
vious days of the chase.
Sandy, it is said, was question
ed as to why he committed such
a cold blOOded murder. He was
not very talkative and evaded the
interrOgations as much as posi-
hla. He said that he had been
shielded and fed by a negro liv-
ing near by. This negro was
brought to the scene and given a
good sound thrashing. He de-
clared. his innocence, and swOre
vengeance against Thompson, be-
inn anxious to aid in his hanging.
1t is said that Thompson was then
carried by this negro to a cQnven-
lent tree, and after the moose had
been adjusted about his neck, the
rope was thrown over limb, and
the negro on the ground asked
permission of the pleasure of pull
ing the end of the rope. This was
done, it is said, and he pulled it
until ThOmpson's body was dang
ling in the air at least 20 feet
from the ground.
Vengeance having. been wreak-
ed, the participants and onl0Okers
disappeared as quietly as they
had assembled, and in a little
while nothing could be heard in
the vicinity where Sandy was
hanging but the singing of the
birds and the occasional hoot OF
an owl.
The capture of Sandy Thomp-
son was accomplished by H. II. Be
thune and Dink Stevenson. These
gentlemen had an idea that he
would try to make his final es-
cape from the community by a
road near Langford, and accord
ingly they took their stand near
the road Sunday night. At about
ten o'clock they heard the rattle
of rubber boots coming down the
road, and they were certain that
in a. few moments they would be
face to face with the desperate
criminal. Sure enough it was
Thompson, and he was hitting the
road in a lively pace and carried
on his shoulder the same gun with
which three days before he had
snuffed out the life of good and
honorable and innocent man.
Mr.. Bethune and Mr.. Stevenson
realized the imminent danger OF
making their presence known to
the negro while he was coming
facing them. They waited until
he had passed short distance,
and then called to him to halt and
throw up his hands. He answer.
ed their demand by whirling and
firing heavy charge Of buckshot
at Mr.. Bethune, the load barely
missing his head. He then took 9
crack at Mr.. Stevenson. Mr.. Be.
L s %hn q n