The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-05-27
JIM benson SAFE
IN MACON JAIL
Negro Who Escaped From
Mob Captured and Deliver
ed to Sheriff

Macon, Ga. May 24.-Jim Den
son, negro youth, prayed unusual
" long in the Bibb county Jail to-
night before he throw himself upon
his bunk for his first nights sleep
OF this week: he prayed for the
members of the mob that broke
into the Jail at Irwinton, Ga, early
Tuesday. dragged him out and at
tempted to lynch him: and pray
ed for his ultimate release, re-
asserting his innocence.
benson is under sentence to
hang or June 16. for an alleged
attack upon an aged white woman
some three years ago. His case
went to the supreme court Of the
United States.
Believing that Denson's escape
from the mob was made possible
by an act of Providence there arc
numerous white people of this and
Of Wilkinson county. it was re-
liab]y reported tonight, who will
ask Governor Hardwick TO COM
mute the sentence OF the negro to
life Imprisonment. 1t is the only
chance to save his life.
benson was captured this morn
ing by a posse who believed in law
and order. There eel two news
paper reporters from this city in
the party. They turned benson
over to Sheriff l.. p Player at
Irwinton, Ca. who only a few
hours before had declared his be-
lief that benson was dead.
1t was like bringing a man back
from the grave to present the pris-
oner at the Wilkinson county jail.
AS soon as the negro could be fed
and clothed. for there were only
a few rags left on his body, he wac
rushed to the county jail in this
city.
"Lawdy. Boss, looks mighty good.
Jail, sbo do" said benson as the
car in which he was riding swerv-
ed into the gateway of the local
Jail.
Use sho mighty proud to be
here" and Jim smiled until his
big white teeth %glistened.
Inside the Jail there were two re-
ceptions for the prisoner, n by
the white prisoners; the other by
the negroes.
They tied a rope around my
neck said benson. Then they
dragged me into the car. I asked
them to let ME pray and they re-
piled that they hadn't time.
II heard them say they would
shoot me just out Of town. The
knot on the rope around my neck
was choking me. / reached UP
one hand in the dark and felt the
slip knot. l united it. The car
was speeding 80 miles an hour. /
says to myself. Jim, jump or be
kilt.
q Jumped. feet first. fam-foo-
ey. just like that. / hit the ground
on my feet. then on my head. and
u must have Topped over four
times and rolled into the ditch.
when 1 got out of the ditch
several shots were fired at me. /
crawled, but they kept on firing. I
got up again and ran. | was bare
footed. my clothes were torn off,
me and the gravel cut my feet"
At .un-up yesterday the negro
said he obtained bread from an
other 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. Il
kept jumping from one side of the
creel; TO the other. / couldn't
shake him. He got right UP to
my heels. so 1 stopped. snapped
my fingers at him, and Lawdy, he
curled his tail and walked right up
to me. l took off my belt and
tied him to me-
The negro had this dog tied to
him. was playing with d second
hound and was fighting off a 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.
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