Wednesday, May 13, 2015

May 13, 1884: Hardy Grady

Today we learn about a lynching in Georgia from the Harrisburg Daily Independent (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania) dated May 14, 1884:

Taken from Jail and Lynched.

By United Press over Private Wire.

SAVANNAH, Ga., Hardy Grady, a negro, who a day or two ago attempted to assault a prominent white lady in Effingham county, was taken from jail at Springfield, Monday night by a large force of citizens and hanged to a tree. A placard was pinned to his coat warning other negroes to avoid his fate.


A more in depth article comes from The Atlanta Constitution (Atlanta, Georgia) dated May 15, 1884:

THE LYNCHING OF GRADY.

A Companion in Crime Chained to the Corpse—Action of Judge Adams.

SAVANNAH, Ga., May 15.—[Special.]—Last night Hardy Grady, the negro who attempted the outrage on Mrs. E. G. Hinley, near Springfield, Effingham county, was forcibly taken from the guards and lynched. The outrage was committed on the 17th of April, and the scoundrel escaped. He was pursued and subsequently captured and brought to this jail for safe-keeping.On Monday, together with other prisoners, he was taken to Springfield for trial, Judge Adams presiding. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced by Judge Adams to twenty years in the penitentiary.Grady laughed at the sentence, and expressed his satisfaction at getting off so easy. There were rumors that an attempt would be made to lynch him, and Judge Adams gave direction that he should be carefully guarded. As there is no jail in the place, Grady was chained to a negro named Clark, who was sentenced to three years, and confined in a room in the courthouse, and guarded by four men. Yesterday morning early, Clark, who was ill, asked the guards to take him out, and Grady, who was chained to him, was taken also. They had left the room but a short distance when the crowd of men rushed upon them, overpowering the guards. The prisoners were pulled over a fence, a rope placed over Grady's neck and thrown over a limb., and Grady was hoisted about three feet from the ground and strangled to death, and left hanging with poor Clark manacled to the corpse. Judge Adams, on opening court yesterday, called the grand jury together and commenting on the lynching of a few hours previous, urged on them  the importance of investigating and bringing the lynchers to justice. While the defiance of law is condemned, yet the sentiment of Effingham is that Grady, who has been guilty of several similar outrages, met a deserved fate.

The date seems to be in confusion, so I chose to go with the date listed in The Chicago Tribune lists of lynchings for 1884. Thank you for joining me and as always, I hope I leave you with something to ponder.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.