Saturday, July 4, 2015

October 9, 1903: Samuel Williams

Today we learn about a Florida lynching through the pages of The Greensboro Patriot (Greensboro, N. C.) dated October 14, 1903:

Lynched Him by Mistake.

Starke, Fla., Oct. 11.—A young white man, Samuel Williams, was lynched at Lawtey, a small place near here, Friday night by an angry mob that was searching for Alta Williams, an older brother, who is accused of maltreating a girl of 14 and another of 6.

Alta was arrested some weeks ago and charged with breaking into a store, and was released on bail. Later the other accusations were made, and scores of armed men were out hunting for him with the openly avowed intention of lynching him. A posse of 25 men, headed by the Sheriff, searching long, but could not find him.

His younger brother Samuel was found, it is said, and the mob sought to learn from him his brother's whereabouts. This Samuel refused to tell.

He was then strung up time and again, being let down at short intervals to be asked if he would give the desired information. But the posse members were too eager, and the last time they lowered him he was dead.

The mob dispersed, but it is reported is again after Alta. The lynching of the wrong man has created a great sensation, and many persons are denouncing the mob's violence in unmeasured terms, and threatening legal punishment. It is hard to get the exact details, as all interested are keeping quiet as to the actual facts. More trouble is feared.


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

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