Newspaper Page Text
1 II.
MAKES CONFESSION OF HORRIBLE CRIME AND IS TORTURED TO
DEATH IN THE PRESENCE OF 2,000 ONLOOKERS.
DOOMED VICTIM WAS MADE TO SUFFER UNDESCRIBABLE AGONIES.
His Ears Were Cut Off Before He Was Executed and After the Burning There AVas a
Scramble For the Charred Bones of the Victim, Which
Were Carried Away as Souvenirs.
■Sam Holt, th« negro murderer of
Alfred Cranford and the assailant o*
Cranford’s wife, was burned at the
stake one mile and a quarter from
Newnan, Ga., Sunday afternoon at
2:30 o’clock.
Fully 2,000 people surrounded the
small sapling to which he was fastened
and watched the flames eat away hjs
flesh, saw his body mutilated by
knives and witnessed the contortions
of his body in his extreme agony.
Two counties, Campbell and Coweta,
direotly interested in the crimes of the
negro, and the entire state have waited
with impatience for the moment when
the negro should pay the penalty for
his fiendish deeds.
Such suffering has seldom been
witnessed, and through it all the ne
gro uttered hardly a cry. During the
contortions of the body, several blood
vessels bars ted.
The spot selected was an ideal one
for such an affair and the stake was in
full view of those who stood about and
with unfeiguing satisfaction saw the
negro meet his death and saw him
tortured before the flames killed him.
For sickening sights, harrowing de
tails and bloodcurdling .incidents, the
burning of Holt is unsurpassed by any
occurrence of a like kind ever heard
of in the history of Georgia.
A few smouldering ashes scattered
about the place, a blackened stake, are
all that w r as left to tell the story. Not
even the bones of the negro were left
in peace, but were eagerly snatched by
a crowd of people drawn from all
directions, who almost fought over the
burning body of the man, carving it
with their knives and seeking souvenirs
of the occurrence.
Self-confessed and almost defiant,
without a plea for mercy and no ex
pectation of if, Holt went to the stake
with as much courage as any one
could possibly have possessed; fit such
an ■ occasion, and the only fnurmur
that issued from liis lips was when an
gry knives plunged into his flesh and
his life’s blood sizzled in the fire be
fore his eyes. .,___ [ Oh,
Then he cried, “Oh, my God!
Jesus!”
Crowd Orderly But Determined.
The crowd that burned Holt made
no mistake, as the man was identified
by a dozen people. He admitted his
guilt and told of the murder. He con
fessed that he bad murdered Cranford
and said the deed was done with the
expectation of obtaining a reward of
$20 from one Lige Strickland.
He confessed while being brought
' in by his captors, confessed when con
fronted by Mrs. McElroy, the heart
broken mother of Mrs. Cranford, and
confessed when he was taken from the
fire and asked to tell tbe truth about
the crime. He told the details,always
implicating Lige Strickland.
Although Holt was tqrned over to
the sheriff and plaeed in the Newnan
jail, his fate was sealed from the mo
ment his captors put in an appearance
with him.
The remonstrance of
’ W. Y. Atkinson and Judge A. D.
Freeman, two of the most prominent
citizens of Coweta county, were of no
avaj],
The awfnl crime of the murderer
and assailant- was fresh in the minds
LICE STRICKLAND’S BODY
Lige Strickland, the negro who
by Sam Holt, was lynched early
The body of Lige Strickland
about a mile from Palmetto early
were cut off and on the body was
words: pkgtect
«'\VE must
Lige Strickland wns arrested on
miles from Palmetto, at 10 o’clock
SPANISH GOVERNMENT WINS.
Majority of the Senate Is Larger Thao
In IIou*e of Deputies.
A Madrid special says: The Spanish
senatorial elections for the new cortes
were held Sunday and passed
tranquilly throughout the country,
They have resulted in giving the gov
ment a larger majority in the senate
than it has secured in the chamber of
deputies re-asserted in different reliable
It is attempts of Don
quarters that the security
Carlos to raise a loan on the
of his Italian and Austrian estates
have failed.
REPRESENTATIVE BAUM) DEAD,
Xouisianun „,ar rn”uW ° fR1,eU '
i ! mhmgton
stricken with acute rheumatism.
of these people. The agony of the
living victim of his criminality and the
wails of a broken-hearted mother were
fresh in their ears. There was noth
is here •“ were t few b who r desired r pp > d to , ‘T stop
l ^ Qm *
J. B. aud J. L, Jones, the captor of
Sam Holt, won the admiration of the
entire county when the news that the
negro had been captured by them
was received, aud the fact that the
reward money they will receive is to
be given to the widow cf Alfred Cran
ford has won for them still further
praise and admiration.
One of the strangest features of the
entire affair is the part played in the
execution by a northern man. This
man, whose name would not be di
vulged by those who knew him, nn
nounced that he was from the north,
while he calmly saturated Holt’s clotk
j ing with kerosene oil.
The intention and desire of those
who had the negro in charge was to
burn him at the home of Mrs. Cran
ford, and the people of Palmetto, when
they learned of the capture, made elab
orate preparations for the execution,
but they were disappointed. permitted
Mrs. Cranford was not to
see the negro, although she was in
Newnan at the time, and it was sug
gested that he be carrie<Ubefore her.
She is ill, and it has been feared her
brain is deranged. It was thought
the shock would be too great for her,
and the crowd was satisfied with the
positive identification by Mrs. Cran
ford’s mother and a number of others.
No identification was necessary, but
the crowd was cool and went about its
work carefully and almost with a sys
tem.
Masks played no part in the lynch
ing. There was no secrecy, nd effort
to prevent any one seeing who lighted
the fire, who cut off the ears or who
took the lead.
Story of the Capture.
Sam Holt, the murderer of Alfred
Cranford, and the assailant of Mrs.
Cranford, was captured at Marsliall
ville, Ga., Saturday night at 9 o’clock
by Messrs. J. B. and J. L. Jones. He
liafl ftecTx ill lr-' .l-iwp. r'- - 1 -- - e
mother sin'eo ifio Friday afte^ the
crime. blackened
Wnen found his face was
with soot iu au attempt at disguise.
The story of the capture was told by
Mr. J. B. Jones as follows:
I read of the terrible crime and
| took particular notice of the descrip
] | tion of the murderer, A to few plau- days
after a strange negro came my given
talion. He filled the description
to The Constitution, aud my suspi
cions were at once aroused. The negro
worked for me about two years ago,
but under another name, and when he
left he had been indicted by tbe grand
jury for attempting to assault an old
negro vomau in Macon comity,
My close observation of Holt seemed
to have aroused his suspicions, and he
' left the place. It was several days
J before I could again locate him, and
then I had to enlist the aid of another
i party. This person was intimate with
Holt and agreed to deliver him into
; my hands last night. Holt was en
ticed to a certain place, and as he was
1 passing through a dense grove of
I woods my brother and myself sprang he
upon him and secured him before
j had time to offer any resistance.
HANGING FROM A TREE.
implicated in the Cranford murder
night.
found swinging to the limb of a tree
morning. The ears and fingers
a placard containing the following
SOUTHERN WOHEX.”
farm of Major Thomas, about seven
night, and carried off to the -woods.
NASHVILLE LINE PURCHASED.
The Baltimore Trust and Guarantee Com
pany Secures More Franchises.
The Baltimore Trust and Guarantee
j company, of Baltimore, Md., and asso
| dates have purchased the franchise
and property comprising the Nashville
and Suburban Railroad company of
Nashville. Tenn.
The details of the sale are not
known, but it is understood on good
authority that the purchasers of this
j property cently purchased are the same the Nashville parties who Street re
Railway and the Cumberland
Light ana Power company.
j SAY COGIILAN WAS INDISCREET.
■
“° n
; nitli dignified silence.”
THE PENNSYLVANIA LEGISLATURE
ADJOURNS SINE DIF.
BUTTLE FOR SENATOR FRUITLESS
Unless Kxtra Session Is Culled. State Will
Have Hut One Senator For Next
Two Yeurs.
A special from Harrisburg, Fa.,
says: The great battle for United
States senator ended Wednesday with
ou * an election and unless Governor
Stone calls an extra session at which
there should be an election, Pennsyl
tive r“ in H‘ the ir: United t'i States r senate ,op rr dur
ing the next two years.
After the taking of ballot in joint
convention a motion was offered ottered bv by
Mr. Fow', democrat, of Philadelphia,
and adopted, that a vote of thanks be
tendered the officers and that-tke con
vontiou adjourn sine die.
The legislature adjourned Tliurday
noon. There was no change in the last
day’s voting, the friends of Senator
Quay standing by him aud the anti
Quay republicans by B. F. Jones, of
Pittsburg, while the democrats cast
their votes for George A. Jenks, who
had been their candidate since the
deadlock began.
The senatorial contest began on
January 17tb. On that day Senator
Quay received his highest vote, 112
senators and representatives casting
their ballots for him. This was thir
teen less than the number neosisary
to a choice and lie never came iearer.
an election during the more than three
months of the struggle. No such bit
ter political contest has probably ever
before been waged in tbis distinctly country.
The fight has been
Quay and anti-Quay lines, and both
sides had numerous representatives at
all times keeping a close watch on the
numbers aud on each other.
The seventy-ninth ballot, the last to
be taken for a United States senator at
the present session of the legislature,
resulted: Quay, republican, 93; Jenks,
democrat, 85; Jones, republican, 69.
Total, 247. Necessary for a choice,
124. Paired oi’ not voting, 6.
THE SECOND DOLLAR DINNER.
This One Given Under Auspices of Work
ing Men at New York,
The second of the “one-dollar”
Bryan dinners, that under the auspi
ces of the workingmen, w-as held Wed
nesday night at the Grand Central
palace in New York City.
,
<
cage platform democrats in the same
place on J^*”"*****? night
about 1,000 men and women being
present. closed his address
When Mr. Bryan
Wednesday night there was a mighty
demonstration. Men and women made
frantic efforts to shako him by the
hand and it required the eerriees of
several policemen to rescue him and
escort him to one of the reception
rooms. He remained until tbe crowd
had largely dispersed Bartholdi. and then was he
driven to the hotel, As
emerged into the street and got into
his carriage he w*s greeted again by
cheers, several hundred people waiting
t° get a farewell glimpse of him.
The striking difference between the
two dollar dinners was the seating of
the guests of lionpr Wednesday night
on the platform, where they were
plainly visible to everybody painted in he
hall. Back of tho speakers,
on a large canvass, was the following:
“A system of political economy will
yet dawn which will perform as well
as promise; with will rain the riches
of nature info tie laps of the starving
P °r< r 'i
Colonel i Wijliam vv IV J. T Bryan T> entered i •.
the hall soon dter 7 o’clock. He was
received with great applause.
ers were seat el as follows:
Walker; Presiding MrfBryan . pffleer, to his John right, Brieben with
N. O. Nelsof?, of St. Louis; Eev. Dr.
Edward Met lynn, Charles Frederick
Adams am/1 John S. Crosby at Mr.
Bryan’s riiilt. At the chairman’s left
were Maw Samuel M. Jones, of To
ledo; Oli U H. P. Belmont and Wil
liam Temj.e Emmet, great-grandson
of-Robert iilmmett.
The touts and speakers were as fol
lows: “iVunieipal Ownership of Pub- I
lic Frailllises,” Mayor S. M. Jones:
“What/rJust Economic System Would
Do fot Women,” Charlotte Perkins
Stetso,n “The Foes Which Beset
Move/n nts in the Interest of People ”
Rev. ' Idward McGlynn; “Practical
Adjnidnent >/eson; of Social Problems,” N.
O. “All Government Derives
Its flowers from the Consent of the
Go^eued,” William Temple Emmett;
“Tlhmas Jefferson,” William Jen- [
ni Jc, Bryan.
1 o menu was of tbe haddock,' simplest It
J Vegetable soup, egg
,ty „ v ,e, roast beef, roast turkey cran- :
’ J sauce; pickles, ice cream, cake
coffee
-
JURY FAILED TO AGREE.
/
11™"’* A11 ^" Lake City.
to reach a verdict.
01 THE H RNIXG Ol SAM HOLT
AT NEWNAN, GA. 1
HE BLAMES THE COLORED PEOPLE
For Not Assisting In the Suppression o
Crlmo nml Lawlessness Thus Acqui- I
escing By Their Inaction.
When asked , what , he , thought ,, , . of . the ,, ,
,
>«rmngof the negro, Sam Holt, at
ewman, Ga., Sunday Governor Can
l “ er sa ^ ' u part: 1
.
About 11 o clock this . morning . I
advised that Holt had been eapt-,
ilea at once from theie to z'LT JNewnan.
^ immediately called up Newnan by
telephone and asked for the sheriff.
operator said he would send for
^ ^ ^ ^ ^ of
fifteen or twenty minutes he informed
me that , the sherifi . had gone out in the
country, and ho could not tell when
ho would be back. Iu order to ex
baust every means I then sent a tele
gram to the , sheriff, , directing .... him not ,
to receive the prisoner, who had not
yet reached Newnan,and did not reach
here till 2 o clock, anywhere exept
the jail in Newnan. I did this because
1 feared that because of the large re
wards offered the parties having linn
111 charge might deliver him to the
sheriff out m town, or before they
reached town, thus giving the mob an
opportunity to lynch him, and still
elaimf th® rewards. If delivered at
the jail I presumed the sheriff would
at once lock him up and then receipt
for liim.
I heard no more from either Newnan,
Griffin or Palmetto until 3 o’clock,
when the sheriff of Coweta county
called me up by telephone aud said he
had received my telegram; that Holt
had been delivered to him at the jail
iu Newnan, and receipted for
by him, but that after he had
receipted for him and before he had
locked him up, the mob, consisting of
500 or 1,000 men, took him in a hack
aud went off in the direction of Pal
metto. In reply to my inquiry the
sheriff said he did not know a single
man iu the crowd. I directed him to
summon a posse and follow the crowd
and, if possible prevent violence. He
replied that he had done all he could
do.
Ihn ty minutes , , later , I learned that
Ho t had been burned I again called
up the sheriff who informed me that
it uas hue, that he had done all in his
power to prevent it, without avail,
iVaich have not been published, and
• are too horrible for publication, is
the most diabolical iu tbe annals of
crime. The negroes of that community
lost the best opportunity they will ever
have to elevate themselves in the es‘
timation of their neighbors. The dia
bolical lino™™ nature of er.rv“ the double crime aZ was 1£
„ 0 ]1 tl'cv -
perpetrator was wed known, and
owed it to the race to exhaust everv
means of bringing Holt to Lre justice.
This course would have don. to
elevate them in the estimation of good
people and to protect their race against
the mob than all the rewards and proc
lamatmns of all the governors for the
next fifty years.
But they lost the opportunity, and
it is a deplorable fact that while scores
of intelligent negroes, leaders of their
race, have talked to me about the
motto lynching, not one of them has
ever, in the remotest way, alluded
to either the burning of Palmetto,
which provoked the lynching, nor to
the diabolical crime of Holt. I do not
believe these men sympathized with
Holt or the Palmetto incendiaries but
* lfe 7 a!e ^ )lincled -T race prejudice,
ami can see but one side of the
tion. This is unfortunate The Ny
must learn to look at both sides Lai
want «„/» to protect them rtoleneeTufl iu every
right g,u„ sl m „,,
stand ready to employ every resource
of the 3tate in doing so; but they must i i
realize that in order to merit and re
ceive the protection of the community,
they must show a willingness to at
least aid in protecting the community theiV
against the lawless element of i
own race.
THE PLUT0N WAS RIDDLED.
Remains orsunken Spanish Torpedo Boat
Found By Divers.
NTews come from Santiago that the
Spanish torpedo boat destroyerPnton,
which was sunk in the great battle
t ^ iat resulted in the destruction of Ad- j
miral Cervera’s squadron, was discov- 1
ered Friday about three miles west of
“orro castle iu eight fathoms of water,
U was found by divers from the
Yankton, who made a thorough in
spection, finding the hull lying on the
port side aud with no indications of
having been struck by a heavy shell,
as was originally reported. The ves-
8aI . however, is badly stove and liter
ally riddled with six-pound shot. j
A “FIFTEEN-SHOOTER.”
Au.tr!a Claim* a Quick and Numerou.
imperial arsenal.
10H EXTRA SESSION OF THE ALA*
KAMA GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
MEET IN MONTGOMERY MAY 2.
Principal Purpose I* to Consider the
Bepeal of the Constitutional
Convention Act.
Governor Johnston, of Alabama,
has issued a call for an extra session
of tbe state legislature to assemble in
Montgomery May 2. The proclama
tion is as follows :
a Proclamation.
The general assembly of Alabama is
ins •ssjt ^. s;t
}8{)9> ^ ^ ^ foUo
p 0 ,, ea> ou ]y :
To consider the question of re
pealing an act entitled, “An act to
provide for holding a convention to
^vise and amend the constitution of
this state, and for the submission of
^ho q lie8 tion—convention or no conven
tion—to a vote of the electors of the
state,” approved December 16, 1898.
2 - To consider and submit amend
ments to the constitution of the state,
3 To consider a primary r 17 election
, QW
, In ^ itneS8 whereof j bave here unto
get my hand and cansed the great Rea l
of the state to be affixed at the capitol
j n the city of Montgomery, on this,
tbe 20 th day of April 1899
J os . S. Johnston, Governor.
B tbe „ overnor
r, p. M’David, -L Sec. of State.
In connection with his proclamation
calling the general assembly in extra
session the governor gave to the press
a statement to the people, which in
part says:
‘To the People of Alabama:
“I have determined that it is my
duty to convene the general assembly
in extra session tp repeal the con vention
act, submit amendment to the present
constitution, and adopt a primary elec
tion law. .
“I am satisfied that if the act be not
repealed a bitter campaign will ensue,
the convention be overwhelmed by a
vote of the people and desirable amend
ments postponed for years to come.
“An extra session should not cost
over $10,000; the election alone under
tbfe aotj evon if f ru itless, would cost
over $30,000. The money will come in
auy ovent out p f ^he pocket* of the
people.
“In my last biennial message to the
g ene ral assembly, whilst conceding
tbat tbe constitution needed some re
vision, I said: ‘Our state is now en
joviwr«repose most eraieful
fj‘P J “ lii!’ H’if “„t,mM,d Tilltil itettro7 toIhe
j ‘ (lils 0D ,, ' such .
I whether rd
L i !? 7 be nec0ssar y could not
, , 1 1 more certainly;and less
! nT ftmetfdment^nTMMrft^elTOtton , tman a general election. 7,
“‘lYfi V i-wi T1 “. i“7 ™ “>>'? ^ -mm
1 U f. deCK ‘.. to 8U to
.1 , 16 lon 0,8 , , e
' : 5,"” ’ “
° " J f “ It
a0 0 , d wiShold id not feel
]iberty y to mv assent yVoter from a
mea9u £t re thatpermited deoTdTfor 6 whether in
tbe ' B e to convention^to himseU
bo a be held taJe «
not Since thcn a democratic
CO n Ve ques?ffi nt on has Her been heW bSm and lubrnS- without
' t the J n^ ?othe£m^r»£^Torh^ng n Winir them^ kn attemn*
b ee considered T?® by 7 ™’ “ aKe “ pt
>L °, tak , ® aw ay c fr ,°? the m \ he
hS , . ^ .
i ri fnr
e for tliemael ves whetfew K they de
fu'®, •. , f C °°7 e h ° n ° r not »/ nd ^ 1)mtl
I i flpproved n ^ f andlon
s,,; P!1 ce or not. This 7 has been fol
^ i ' Wed a P ; h * - threa ■ thftt i ao ™ lu e ' >s
“
.°/ cou fy conventions shall aisodfj ,
o
th ® WIshes of tbe convention, which
. »«• «d dteUr. for tho
—nsti.totional convention or be driven
°
J. m,toa<J of , ,, non-partisan ,. con
. ^ the general assem
y tbe P| an now seems to be to g.ve
I , 8 7 political >r advantages , 7 r for /' S
those 0D g in eermg and directing the
cause.
MANY CIGARS SEIZED.
Revenue Agents Discover That Cauntev
felt Stamps Are Being Used.
internal revenue bureau at
Washington has so far been notified
°f the discovery of over half a million
cigars manufactured by Jacobs at Lan
caster, Pa., and bearing counterfeit
stamps.
Three hundred thousand of tLese
were found in Jacobs’ own factory at
Lancaster, 70,000 in San Francisco;
32,000 in Philadelphia, 150,000 in
Cincinnati 19,000 in Toledo and
8,o00 in the first New York district.
It i« believed that this amount will be
largely increased as the search goes
OIL.
LYNCHING COMES HIGH
Agcurflu* to ^rfonn" f ^ J 0 “* h ^
i
hers of the supreme bench concurring,
i
2 .
JURY PROMPTLY ACQUITS IIIM OF
CONSPIRACY CHARGES.
ggy jjqNE jddi APPOINTS HIM.
Friends of Defendant Shower Their Con
gratulations—Verdict Was Expected In
View of the Sudden Turn In Case.
Matthew Stanley Quay has been de
dared by a jury of his peers to be not
guilty of the charge of conspiring to
use for his own unlawful gain and
profit the funds of the state of Penn
sylvania deposited in the People’s
'
bank of Philadelphia.
The verdict was announced by the
foreman of the jury just as the hands
°f the courtroom timepiece pointed to
H o’clock Friday morning. There
was an attempt at demdnstration, but
this was sternly repressed by the court
officers, Tbe officers were unable,
however, to keep back those who strug
gled to get to Senator Quay and con
gratulate him. Chairs were upset,
tables were brushed aside and hats
were smashed by the onrushing crowd,
Senator Quay, with a broad smile on
Rig face , responded pleasantly to the
greetings and congratulations of those
who crowded around,
Although the court officers prevent
ed the cheering in the courtroom, thwr
jurisdiction did not extond to the cor
ridors of the city hall aud the first
group of men who left the courtroom
.
sent up a mighty shout, which was
taken up and repeated by the crowd
gathered just outside the “dead line”
drawn by the watchmen, beyond which
only possessors of tickets were nllow-ed
to pass.
As soon as Senator Quay could get
away from those anxious to shake his
band and congratulate him, he made
bis way, accompanied by his counsel,
to the elevator to descend to the street
from the sixth floor of the municipal
building. Here the scenes in the
courtroom were repeated. Everybody
wanted to say something pleasant to
him and crowds gathered near the el
evator shaft on each floor to watch the
car carrying the distinguished party
as if descended the street.
The avenue surrounding the city
ball is wide and smooth and the
neighborhood is the stamping ground
for the politicians of the town. Here
the enthusiasm was immense as tha
senator emerged from the door of tha
building. A group of enthusiasts
rushed forward and attempted to hoist
him to their shoulders, but the senator
waved them back, saying: old
“Oh, no; ob, no; I’m too a man
the vetdiet ‘wtlv “ ° a
"W«H. -fr I expected it.”
. Governor Appoints Quay.
Immediately on receipt of the news
a t Harrisburg that Col. Quay was ac
dotted of the charges against him '
Governor Stone appointed . him United
Stote! > to fiU “h 1 * 1
the next legislature meets and notified
Yice President Hobart as follows:
Bj virtue of the power vest
ed in me as the executive of the state
of Pennsylvania under article 1, clause
2 > section 3 of the constitution of the
United States, I hereby make tempor
ar y appointment of the Hon. Matthew
Stanley Quay to be United States sen
ator Pennsylvania until the next
meeting of the Pennsylvania legisla
tl,re to fil1 the vacancy now existing in
tbis state - Very respectfully, Stone
“VVilliam Penn’svlvania A
“Governor of " vT ” 1 1
The authority mentioned by lu the
I governor says that the governor of any.
8tate ,nftke tem P oral T
meats during a recess to hoid until the
t ta ! 1 «« 18 5» dls tnre P ut< “ ?<t e »* by s - those _ ^wmterpre- who , say
ttiar Uw vacancy did not occur during
*“• «“ W
m session.
Mr. Quay’s acquittal in Philadel- .
phia and his appointment to the
United States senatorsbip created the
greatest excitement in political circles
at the state capital. The fiiends of
Quay are wild with glee and say that
he has achieved two triumphs now
that must certainly react in his favor.
WASHINGTONIANS ROUTE REBELS.
Outpoats of the Regiment Fiercely At
tacked l>y the Filipino*.
A Manila dispatch says: A force of
about two hundred rebels Thursday
afternoon attacked the ourposts of the
Wasbington regiment near Tagnig,
south of Pasig and Pateros. Two
companies immediately engaged the
enemy and advanoed on to the open in
skirmish order.
The rebels were checked and routed
^er two hour, of , fighting, , leaving
twelve men killed on the field and sev
e r al 'wounded. The American troop.
>«o obtained possession of naany Mau
rifles and many other rfccountre
BRYAN’S OLD REGIMENT.
Seoun.l Snutl^Carolina^I. Muatere*
not been annoui ced.