March 30, 1885: George Rouse

Today we learn about a lynching in Georgia found in The Atlanta Constitution (Atlanta, Georgia) dated March 31, 1885:

A Dooly Tragedy.

THE MERITED PUNISHMENT INFLICTED UPON A RAVISHER.

MACON, Ga., March 30.—[Special.]—On Saturday morning last, while Jesse Dales, a young farmer living seven miles from Vienna, Dooly county, was plowing, George Rouse (colored) an ex-convict, entered his dwelling, assaulted his wife, then cut her throat. She was soon afterwards found by her husband. He assembled his neighbors, and they began to search for Rouse. He was captured on Sunday morning. That evening the mob took him, and after hearing his confession, stripped and mutilated his body, and hung him to a tree on the public road where he yet hangs. The negroes also took part in the lynching, and could, with difficulty, be restrained from burning Rouse at the stake.

We have a tidbit from the Edgefield Advertiser (Edgefield, S. C.) dated March 30, 1893 for our article of interest:

Human nature in its savage state, is very much the same the world over. Lee Watson, a colored planter near Memphis, was assaulted and robbed by a negro. He was arrested. A large mob soon collected and overpowered the sheriff and lynched the would-be murderer. They are all negroes and acted just like white folks.

Thank you for joining me and as always, I hope I leave you with something to ponder.