June 21, 1913: William Redding

This article comes from The Wilmington Morning Star (Wilmington, N.C.) dated June 22, 1913.

DESPERATE NEGRO LYNCHED.

Police Slayer Suffers Death at the Hands of Mob.

Americus, Ga., June 21.—William Redding, a negro who shot and perhaps fatally wounded Chief of Police William C. Barrow here tonight while the officer was taking his [sic] to prison, was taken shortly afterwards by a mob of 500 men and hanged to a cable at a street corner near the scene of his crime.

The mob was unmoved by the pleadings of a local pastor in Redding's behalf, and after swinging the negro's body in the air, they riddled it with bullets.

Early in the night Redding, after being arrested by Chief Barrow, suddenly wrenched himself loose from the officer, pulled a pistol from his pocket and fired at close range.  The bullet passed entirely through the officer's body and wounded a negro bystander. Chief Barrow, although badly wounded, fired several times at Redding, three other negroes receiving slight injuries.  Redding was placed in jail, but a mob quickly formed, overpowered the sheriff and deputies, tied a rope about the prisoner's neck and led him through the streets to a prominent corner, where he was strung up.  After firing at the swinging body for about half an hour, the mob dispersed, and at a late hour tonight the body had not been taken down.

Barrow has been the local chief of police for about 25 years.

In case you are wondering, Chief Barrow did indeed die from his injuries.