The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1922-05-25
GEORGIA NE
LANDED IN JAIL

Macon, Ca, May 4fJm benson,
negro youth, prayed nususlly long
in the Bibb county jail ppight before
he threw himself upof his bunk for
his first nights sleep II this week;
he prayed for the mem RS Of the mob
that broke into the iaAt Irwinton,
Ga, early Tuesday, dT$kked him out
and attempted to lynd him; and
prayed for his ultimat release, re.
asserting his innocence
benson is under serl nee to hang
on June 16, for an IeRed attack
upon an aged white won56a some three
years ago. His case WENT to the su-
preme court of the Unitssl States.
Believing that Densof escape from
the mob was made poss3 Die by an act
of Providence there me numerous
white people of this aid of Wilkin-
son county, it was rel reported
tonight, who will ask Gkysrnor Hard
wick to commute the sthtence of the
negro to life imprisonment It is the
only chance to save hisi li{e.
benson was captured This morning
by posse who believtd m law and
order. There were two Newspaper re-
porters from this city ~ the party
They turned benson oyer to Sheriff
L. P. Player at Irwintoig GA, whom
only few hours beford< Had Declared
his belief that benson Ma dead.
1t as like bringing n man back
from the grave to preseht the prison
er at the Wilkinson aoslntyf fail. AS !
soon as the negro could dbe fed and
clothed, for there were Only 4 few rags
left on his body, he was }1bed to the
county Jail in this city. 4
"Lawdy, Boss, looks mighty. good,
Jail sho do" ID Densd {as the car
in which he riding peryed into
the gateway Of the lccal
"I'se sho mighty prouS Be here"
and Jim smiled until big white
teeth glistened.
Inside the Jail there two re-
ceptions for the prisons ms by, the
white prisoners; the otl tte me-
groes.
"They tied rope aro] NV neck,
said benson. "Then thd <2S 2SgEed mel
into the car. I asked 10 let met
pray and they replied III 4 rs. hadnskI
time. :. IS :Ss (
"I heard them say the Spld al jt6f1
me- Sjast. out Of town % je "a !
rope around my neck was choking me.
I reached up one hand in the dark and
felt the slip knot. I un ntied it. The
car was speeding 80 miles an hour. I
says to myself, Jim, jump or be kilt
81 jumped, feet first, fiam-hooey,
just like that. hit the ground on my
feet, then on my head, and must
have Topped over four times and roll
ed into the ditch.
"When I got out of the ditch sew
eral shots were fired at me. / crawl
cd, but they kept on firing. I got up
again and ran. I was barefooted, my
clothes were torn and the gravel cut
my feet"
At sun-up yesterday the negro said
he obtained bread from another negro
and then returned to the swamp. At
sun-up today he said he crawled out
and got plums, being nearly starved
Then he heard the bloodhounds on his
trail.
"Pretty soon the white hound came
upon me-" said the negro. T kept
jumping from one side of the creek t.
the other. I couldn't shake him. He
got right up to my heels, so I stopped
snapped my fingers at him.. and,
Lawdy, he curled his tail and walked
right up to me. took off my belt
and tied him to me-
The negro had this dog tied to him.
was playing with second hound and
was fighting off third when the posse
reached him.
Sheriff Player said here tonight that
he had names of persons in the mob
that attacked the Jail early Tuesday
morning and that arrests would be
made.