Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1922-05-24
WOMAN MAIL CARRIER KILLED.
Georgia Negroes Attacked Carrier as
She Placed Mail in Box.

DaFluSDoFO, Ga., May lS. - Mrs.
Elizabeth Kitchens, wife Of w. r..
Kitchens, was shot and instantly
killed about four miles from here
this morning by two negroes, who
are said to have attacked her when
she stopped to place a letter in a
mail box at farm house. Mrs. Kit
chens is rural mail carrier out Of
Davidsboro, having held that posi-
ton for the past two years.
Mrs. Kitchens was only twenty
years old, and mad been married just
about month.
Information here is that the ne
groes were hidden beside the road,
and when Mrs. Kitchens stopped her
car they boarded it and attempted to
rob her. Before she could use tho
gun she carried in the car to protect
the mail one OF the negroes is said
to have placed a shotgun close to her
head and fired, the discharge mang-
ling the skull and causing instant
death. The woman's body Is being
brought here.
Arrests Madeleine Confession.
Davidsboro, Ca, May 1S.-lt was
reported here this afternoon that a
posse has captured three or four ne
groes in connection with the killing
Of Mrs. Eliza abeth Kitchens, 20 years
Of age, which occurred four miles
from here this morning.
One OF the negroes, Is years old,
named Atkins, has confessed to the
crime, according to information re-
ceived here, and had implicated sew
eral others. Blood, it was said, was
found on the boys clothes, and the
shotgun he is alleged to have used
was found at the home Of his father,
together with the money obtained
from Mrs. Kitchens. The money, It
was stated, was found in cigar box
which Mrs. Kitchens carried with her
when she delivered mail.
The captured negroes, it was re-
ported, are heavily guarded. The
posse is making preparations to
lynch them as soon as it is certain
they are all who were connected with
the crime, it is said.
Ono OF tho Negroes Lynched.
Davidsboro, Ca, May 1S-Follow-
ing his confession that he robbed
and murdered Mrs. VIM. Kitchens,
rural mail carrier of this city, Char
lie Atkins, a 15-year-old negro boy,
was burned at the stake at 6 o'clock
tonight. The lynching occurred at
the scene Of the murder, more than
two thousand persons from several
counties witnessing or taking part,
according to witnesses who have
spoken Of the affair.
After being tortured with a slow
fire for fifteen minutes the mob
loosened the trace chains that held
Atkins to pine tree and placed the
scared body in the middle Of the
main highway. He was conscious,
crying in pain. The mob demanded
to know if there were others con-
nected with the murder. Atkins, 1t
was said, named John II. Taryer, an
other young negro boy, whom, he
said, was the only other person con-
nected with 1t. He had previously
connected his brother with the case.
Members Of the mob raised his
body again, fastened it to the pine
tree, in an upright position, rekind-
led the fire at the base of the tree,
and then stood off, giving those in
the crowd opportunity to fire shots
into the body. Undertakers who OBJ
tanned the body following the lynch
ing say that more than two hundred
shots entered the charred body.
Immediately after completing the
lynching the mob set out to find
Tarver, determined on lynching Aim
II he can be found. The roads in this
section were thronged with automo-
blles, more than 800 cars being at
the scene of the lynching.
j. s. Wilbanl1s, Lees Scout, Dead