Accused Negro Slayer Lynched
Mob Seizes Victim While Jury Deliberates Over Verdict
OXFORD, Miss., Sept. 18 (AP)—While a jury weighed evidence in his trial on a charge of killing a white farmer, Ellwood Higginbotham, 28-year-old negro, was lynched near here last night.
The screaming, terrified negro, accused of shooting Glen Roberts, planter, was seized in the county jail by a mob of between 100 and 150 persons and hanged to a tree two and a half miles from town.
The jury, which had been deliberating a verdict since late yesterday, was dismissed by Judge Taylor McElroy. It was not learned how it stood.
Belief was expressed that failure of the jury to return a quick verdict prompted the lynching.
Members of the mob stormed the jail and overpowered Sheriff S. T. Lyles and three deputies.
The body was left swinging from the tree. It was cut down later by the sheriff and his aids.
At least two other papers listed the murder victim as Lyn Roberts. Thank you for joining me and as always, I hope I leave you with something to ponder.
Ellwood Higginbottom is my great grandfather. My grandfather , his son, EW Higginbottom is alive today and is 86 years old.
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine the pain. My condolences to your father and family.
DeleteHi, I believe my grandmother was married to Charles or Charlie Hicks(Hickenbottom.) I was told this story or similar about her ex-husbands side of the family. They were forced to flee and left Mississippi and to my understanding went to Nebraska and changed their names.I read the article on your family and recall reading many of the other family members were forced to flee. My grandmother stated they changed their name from Hickenbottom and shorten it to Hicks. She had 5 children with Charlie or Charles. Not sure if this will reach you.
ReplyDeleteThanks Naisha Granddaughter