The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-27
'FThey Were Lynching Me
And TWo White Workers Saved Me"
Negro Who Escaped After Being Hanged Tells
ing Which Another Died; Speak in Harlem Tomorrow

my name was Norman Jackson, I
found out from what they said
They had been torturing Freddie
Moore before they hanged him. You
could tell that from the condition
he was in, especially his feet. Finally,
it seems, they made him say that
somebody by the name of Norman
jackson helped TO kill this white
girl There wasn't anybody living
anywhere near by that name, and
I guess that's why Freddie said that.
He hoped they would go looking for
somebody by that name, and leave
him alone. But it didn't do any
good. They hung him anyway.
Then they heard there was some
body by the name of Norman living
in my grandmother house, and
that's all they wanted to know.
knew there wasn't any use say
ing anything to them, or pleading
with them. I just told them 1 was
innocent, and kept repeating it every
time they hit me. I never pleaded
with them.
They just had one rope that they
hung Freddy Moore with, and they
sent boy away to get a brand new
springy rope. They put it around
my neck, and threw the END of the
rope over the girder to a boy who
was standing there.
The District Attorney came I'D
He was a big fellow with glasses
Somebody said
Here's the big shot. Tell hin
what you want to say
said; II have nothing to say. ]
am innocent"
The D. A. laughed and walked
| away.
Niger, you carry dirk, don't
your"
II don't even carry a pocket knife, >
said.
you lying Son-of-a-bitch," the fell
low said, and he hit me with his
gun.
All the big shots were standing
around there, all dressed up nicely
One Of them standing there in z
brown suit said:
This niger don't even tremble-
he will before we get through"
So they started to hit me AGAR
with their fists and guns.
Niger" they said, do you knoy
how to pray?"
mo" ! said, ct don't know any
prayers"
Niger you'd better learn SONS
kind of prayer quick because, 70,
black son-of-a-bitch, we're going t.
string you up high"
There was one heayy-Set Whit
woman standing in the crowd, shout
ing:
Kill that black BASTARD"
Somebody said:
Lets hang the niger and be done
with it,"
Another voice said:
mo, let's burn him. We hung tbs
other"
But guess since they had the ropt
around my neck, they thought i
would do Q. K.
They started to pull me I'D. slow
1t was a new, springy rope. 1t isn't
an easy death to die. 1t isn't hang.
ing, like that. It's strangulation.
They pulled me up two feet.
hung there, strangling slow.
Then the old man Of the bridge
the bridge-tender, came up. His name
Is Coudeaux. He began to say:
"Cut him down. This boy is limo.
cent. He just came into town TODAY
from New Orleans. I saw him get off
the bus. He doesn't know anythins
about the killing"
was hanging there and + couldn't
say anything. But I was listening
and while was strangIing I wa.
saying over and over again to my.
sell: L am innocent. I am limo.
cent"
l don't know what the sheriff and
The other big shots said, but the old
mans son, Harry Codeaux, got up on
the side of the bridge and cut me
down, and fell to the bridge.
They are two white workers. Cou-
deaux and his old man, that saved
my life.
ITO BE CONTINUED