November 6, 1887: George Hart

The following lynching is found in The Salisbury Truth (Salisbury, N. C.) on November 10, 1887:

LYNCHED.

George Hart, colored, who murdered young Ed. Waldrup, near Waverly, last year, was taken out of jail at Opelika, Ala., by a mob of about 75 masked men, and carried where the crime was committed, where he was hung. A placard was pinned on his back, saying:  "The person who cuts this man down will suffer the same fate." The mob came into the town about 11 at night, and was so orderly that no one knew they were there until the sheriff reported it. When they arrived, the proceeded to the jail and demanded the keys from Sheriff Gordon. He refused to surrender them, whereupon six men overpowered him and took the keys from him.

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

The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.

Ida B. Wells

November 5, 1918: George Taylor

Join me in a journey to the past near Rolesville, North Carolina. We start our journey among the pages of The Davie Record (Mocksville, N. C.) on November 13, 1918:

Lynching in Wake.

Within six hours after he had been identified by Mrs. L. S. Rogers as the man who criminally assaulted her on the afternoon of October 30, George Taylor, a negro, was lynched in sight of the Rogers' home about two miles southeast of Rolesville. Coroner Separk and deputy sheriffs found the negro's body hanging by its feet from the limb of a tree, the body having been terribly mutilated and riddled with bullets. The lynching, as far as can be remembered, is the first that ever occurred in Wake county.

Our next stop is brought to us by the Creedmoor Times-News (Creedmoor, N. C.) on November 13, 1918. Under the heading PERNELL ITEMS and found after Little May Kerney improving from her appendicitis and before we learn Mr. Ollie Honeycutt called on Miss Lissie Lowry we find the following:

Several of the Pernell people went Sunday to see the place near Rolesville where the negro rapist, George Taylor was lynched the past week. They say there will be signs for quite awhile and it is something to see.

Our final stop brings us to the pages of the News and Observer (Raleigh, N. C.) printed on the 22nd of November, 1918:

LYNCHING INQUIRY WITHOUT RESULT

Coroner's Jury Says George Taylor Met Death at Hands of "Unknown" Persons

GRAND JURY MAY TAKE INVESTIGATION FURTHER

Negro, It Is Alleged, Confessed To Assaulting Mrs. L. S. Rogers, of Rolesville

Completing the examination of thirty witnesses, twenty-one white and nine colored, before Coroner Separk and a jury, the investigation begun two weeks ago to find out who lynched George Taylor, a negro who was strung to a tree, cut to pieces with knives and his body riddled with bullets, near Rolesville, November 5, has ended, and the jury said that the negro came to his death at the hands of persons "unknown" to it.

Seven witnesses, three white and four colored, were examined by Solicitor Norris on the last day of the hearing. None of the seven gave any testimony that would in any manner throw light on the lynching.

The termination of the inquiry, Solicitor Norris said yesterday, does not necessarily imply that continued efforts will not be made to bring about the identification and prosecution of the members of the mob. A Wake county grand jury which will here on Monday may continue the inquiry by the further examination of witnesses.

Jury From Rolesville Section.

In court circles yesterday, the fact that the members of the coroner's jury were all from the Rolesville neighborhood, where the assault was committed was being commented. While the solicitor was frank to say that there was no evidence adduced at the hearing by which he could obtain a verdict from a coroner's jury, placing responsibility for the lynching, he would not indicate that evidence did not come out which may be material in a grand jury investigation.

Another aspect of the case yesterday, to which Solicitor Norris called attention, was that indictments may be brought in this county and the trial of the indicted be held in any county adjoining Wake. In the event of indictments, the hearings would probably be held at Louisburg, in this judicial district. None of the thirty witnesses examined during the hearing gained immunity from prosecution, in the opinion of the officials.

The negro Taylor was taken from deputized citizens, after he had been identified by Mrs. L. S. Rogers, as her assailant, by four men on Tuesday night, November 5. About 7:30 in the evening he was lynched, the body having been found early next morning by Sheriff Sears, who had been informed that a lynching had occurred in the Rolesville neighborhood the night before. Solicitor Norris immediately went to the scene and began an investigation, which was concluded yesterday. 

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

November 4, 1913: John Cudjo

Today's lynching is brought to us through the pages of The Chanute Daily Tribune (Chanute, Kansas) dated November 5, 1913:

NEGRO LYNCHED IN OKLAHOMA.

Slayer of Sheriff Is Hanged to Telegraph Pole and Shot to Death.

Wewoka, Okla., Nov. 5.—John Cudjo, negro, who killed Deputy Sheriff John Dennis Saturday night, was lynched by a mob of one hundred men last night. The negro was hanged to a telephone pole in front of the county courthouse and his body was riddled with bullets. Cudjo killed Dennis White and the officer was endeavoring to arrest him. A posse had been trailing the negro since Sunday night. Late yesterday the negro surrendered after he was shot several times.

While County Judge Norvell was securing a confession from the negro a mob gathered, a noose was slipped over his head and he was drawn up to a telephone pole cross-arm.

The negro's body was left hanging from the telephone pole with a placard tacked beneath it bearing the words:

"To the Memory of Lee Cruce."

The action of Governor Cruce in commuting death sentences of convicted murderers has greatly incensed citizens and open declarations are made that hereafter the state's executive will have no opportunity to save the life of murderer's in this section.

The next article is from The Wichita Daily Eagle (Wichita, Kansas) dated November 7, 1913:

WIDOW SAW NEGRO HANG

Wife of Slain Officer Watched Wewoka, Okla., Mob Work—Saved Black From Burning.

Muskogee, Okla., Nov. 6.—All that saved John Cudjo from being burned at the stake instead of being swung up to a telegraph pole and his body filled with bullets at Wewoka last Tuesday night was the express wish of Mrs. John Dennis, widow of Deputy Sheriff John Dennis, for whose murder the mob lynched Cudjo.

It was known hours in advance that the negro would be lynched when the officers arrived in Wewoka with him. It had been fully determined that he should be burned at the stake. When Mrs. Dennis heard of this she objected. She did not want the negro burned, and the mob respected her wishes to that extent. Mrs. Dennis sat in the front office of the Wewoka Democrat and watched the mob as they swung the slayer of her husband up to the telegraph pole and riddled him with bullets. With her were seven children, who had been made orphans by the negro slayer.

The people at Wewoka are expecting Governor Cruce to make an investigation of the lynching. The open insult that was offered the chief executive of the state when the mob tied to the feet of the negro's body as it swayed from the pole a placard which read

TO THE MEMORY OF LEE CRUCE

could hardly be expected to pass without some action on the part of the governor. The placard remained tied to the negro's feet until the body was cut down hours later. It was an expression of the sentiment of the community upon Governor Cruce's well known policy of commuting the sentences of all persons who are sentenced to capital punishment, including negro murderers.

In Wewoka it is said that scant courtesy will be shown representatives of the governor if they are sent there to investigate. And should the governor  go in person, the attitude of the people will be made known to him in plain words.

There was no effort at secrecy on the part of the mob. There were no disguises. Perhaps not more than half a dozen actually took part in the lynching. But a dozen more joined in shooting the body after it was strung up. Practically every woman and child in town, however, witnessed the work of the mob. They all knew it was going to happen and were out in the streets to see what was going on.

Wewoka is in the black belt and the sentiment there is unanimous on what should be done with a negro slayer of a white person. This has been accentuated by the governor's consistent refusal to permit a negro to be hanged in the state.

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

November 3, 1902: Sam Harris

Join me in a moment in history. We are brought to Salem, Alabama by way of The Atlanta Constitution (Atlanta, Georgia) on November 4, 1902:

NEGRO BRAINS WHITE MOTHER AND DAUGHTER

Sam Harris Uses an Ax on Mrs. Meadows and Child, Near Salem, Ala.

MURDERER IS RIDDLED BY HUNDRED ARMED MEN

Although Identified by Miss Meadows, the Negro Stoutly Denied Guilt to the Last—Purpose Thought to Have Been Robbery.

Salem, Ala., November 3.—9Special.)—Sam Harris, a negro, entered the home of George Meadows, a prominent planter who lives 4 miles south of here, about 9 o'clock this morning, during Mr. Meadows' absence, and with an ax struck his wife and 18 year old daughter each on the head, crushing Mrs. Meadows skull and fracturing that of her daughter. Mrs. Meadows has never regained consciousness and will die.

The negro was placed in custody and held till Miss Meadows had sufficiently recovered to identify him. This she did at 4 o'clock this afternoon and the negro was taken in charge by about 125 armed men and his body riddled with bullets on the spot. He denied his guilt until the first shot was fired, then he acknowledged the crime.

His purpose was to rob the house, which he, perhaps, did, as all the drawers in the bureaus and dressers were opened and showed evidence of being rifled. The whole country around is in a state of confusion.

The negro had heard that Mr. Meadows had disposed of two mules and that the money was on the premises, so when Mr. Meadows left the place this morning to attend the organization of a school some miles off, he prepared to act.

Casting aside the sack into which he was placing the cotton as he picked it, he went by his house and blackened his hands and face with smut, and taking an ax, started for the home of Mr. Meadows, which was near at hand. The home of Mr. Meadows is in a sparely settled community, but other houses are near. The settlement is about 6 miles from Salem and some distance from a telegraph or railroad station.

Arriving at the house, the negro went in and struck Mrs. Meadows two terrible blows on the head with the ax, and began searching the place for money. Hearing some one coming, he went to the door and saw Miss Meadows coming. As she came up the steps, he struck at her with the ax and she threw up one arm to ward off the blow, and her arm was broken by the lick. She turned and ran with the negro following. He caught up with her at the gate and struck her a fearful blow on the head, knocking her to the ground, and then he kicked her in the side, bruising her badly. He then returned to the house, but failed to find the money, and thinking both women dead returned to his work, after slipping home and washing off the smut.

The daughter came to herself, after lying in her blood a while, and started for the neighbors for help. Arriving at Mr.Codenhead's, she told the story, and the word soon spread over the county. Sheriff Hodges was sick in bed, but one of his deputies, Chief of Police Morgan, R. W. Capps, a son in law of Mr. Meadows, Tax Collector Booker, and others left for the scene of the attempted murders and have been gone all day. This afternoon the negro was caught by a posse and the smut was found on his face and the water where he had washed the other smut off was in the washpan at home. He was carried to the scene of the crime and was identified, as stated, by Miss Meadows.

The crowd was momentarily growing larger. After the evidences of his guilt  were seen, including his finger print on the back of the chimney where he had gotten the soot, he was carried to the Meadows home.

The negro never got 6 feet from the steps before the sharp report of a pistol rang out, the negro gave a groan, then another shot and then a sound like a rattle of artillery or shot pouring on a tin roof, and then all was still. The negro sank to the ground dead.

Mrs. Meadows cannot recover, and her daughter is in great danger.

The negro's wife is under arrest, charged with complicity.

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

November 2, 1891: Larkin Nix

Join me today in a moment of history. We first stop at The Atlanta Constitution (Atlanta, Georgia) dated November 1, 1891:

WAS NIX LYNCHED?

The Family Visited by a Midnight Mob and Nix Carried Off.

THOMASVILLE, Ga., October 31.—[Special.]—Was he lynched? Does the lifeless body of Larkin Nix swing from a limb in some swamp, or has he found a watery grave at the bottom of the Ochlockness river?

All manner of rumors are afloat today. The killing of George Mize at Pelham a few days ago is still fresh in the mind of the public. Larkin Nix, the now missing man, fired the fatal shots.The cause was Mize keeping Nix's daughter as his mistress. At the inquest a verdict of murder was found.

Nix Was Missing.

Nix had fled, and from the night of the shooting until this morning the officers have searched for him in vain. Several times they have been led off on false trails. However, there was one man who never despaired. Laying aside all else he gave his entire time to hunting for the murderer.

Every rumor of Nix's whereabouts was traced with the skill and persistence of a detective. John Mize, brother of the murdered man, has had his revenge.

But He Was Found.

At 1 o'clock this morning a party of armed men, without masks, surrounded the home of Mr. Nix, nephew of Larkin, twenty miles from Thomasville, and demanded that Larkin Nix be turned over to them. The leader claimed to be a deputy sheriff. Some of the party entered the house, and, after a search, discovered their game. Nix, seeing that resistance was useless, went quietly. Tom wished to accompany his uncle, and followed a short distance.

And Now He Is Missing Again.

The ominous click of guns, and a command to go back, given in the tone that conveyed a threat, caused him to desist. He arrived in Thomasville this morning and reported the capture. He recognizes [sic] John Mize, who proves that the party were enemies, not friend of the murderers. Sheriff Doss has telegraphed to various points, but up to this time has failed to locate Nix or any of the party. Mr. Tom Nix is of the opinion that his uncle was lynched.

But Found Again.

THOMASVILLE, Ga., October 31.—[Special.]—Sheriff Doss has just received a telegram saying that Nix is in the guardhouse at Meigs, and to come for him. What the object of the capturing party was in keeping Nix from midnight until this hour, without informing the officer, is hard to determine. They were only twenty miles from Thomasville.

We wrap up this journey through the pages of the Altoona Tribune (Altoona, Pennsylvania) printed November 3, 1891:

A Southern Murderer Lynched.

CAMILLA, Ga., November 2.—Larkin Nix, who shot and brutally killed George Mize in Tyomas [sic] county, a few weeks ago, was captured yesterday in Decatur county and conveyed to Meigs last night. He was taken from the guards and brought into Mitchell county by the friends of Mize, and lynched by the infuriated mob.

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

November 1, 1886: Hewey

Today we go to Texas to learn about a lynching that occurred there. We get our information from The Saint Paul Globe (Saint Paul, Minnesota) printed November 2, 1886:

Lynched.

SHERPHERD, Tex., Nov. 1.—The mail carrier from Bold Springs, who arrived here this evening, brings information that last night a mob overpowered the guard about Hewey, who killed young Samuel Day ten days ago, seized the murderer and hung him to a tree a short distance from the village. The murderer had been run down by bloodhounds, and was being brought to Shepherd when the mob overtook him.

We find an article with a little more information in The Perry Daily Chief (Perry, Iowa) printed November 12, 1886:

—A special of Nov. 2. from Shepherd, Texas says:  Hewey, the mulatto who murdered Samuel Day, the son of a wealthy planter, some ten days ago, was last night forcibly taken from the guards who were bringing him to Shepherd and hanged to a tree by a mob. Hewey shot Day because he thought the latter was trying to cheat him out of four bales of cotton. He had been pursued by bloodhounds, and was only captured after a long chase.

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