October 22, 1907: Henry Sykes and July 21, 1907: Two unknown Negroes

Today I am choosing to feature two different lynchings. the commonality is in how these lynchings were reported. Both were reported with racial slurs in the headlines. Our first lynching occurred in Mississippi and comes to us through the pages of The Raleigh times (Raleigh, N. C.) dated October 23, 1907:

GORILLA NEGRO LYNCHED IN MISSISSIPPI

He Made a Practice of Calling Up Young Ladies Over the Phone and Sending Insulting Messages to Them—Caught in Act, He Escapes From Police—Mob Caught Him and Shot Him to Death.

(By Leased Wire to The Times.)

Van Vleet, Miss., Oct. 23—Henry Sykes, a negro, was lynched here by a small crowd of men thought to hail from Okolona. Sykes, who was a recent arrival from Indiana, was accused of calling up white girls in Okolona on the telephone and annoying them.

The town authorities used a decoy message to get Sykes there, but before he could be taken he had escaped. An all night chase ended when the captured the negro after a brief fight in which shots were exchanged.

I chose to feature this lynching second because according to the article they were "probably lynched." I don't believe there was really any doubt, just no witnesses came forward. This article comes from The Bismarck Tribune (Bismarck, N. D.) dated July 23, 1907:

QUIET DAY

In Lake County, Tennessee; the Sabbath Was Unusually Monotonous

Only Four Men Killed and Two Coons Lynched During the Day

Nashville, Tenn., July 22.—Four men were killed and two probably lynched in Lake county, Tennessee, yesterday near Blue Landing on the Mississippi river, as the result of various troubles.

Pat Worlds was shot and killed at Blue Landing in a fight with Luther Rankin. Later at the same place two Negroes, names unknown, engaged in a pistol duel and both were killed. A man named Dublin shot and killed a negro in a quarrel over a debt.

At Ridgley in Lake county, a man named Smith fought with a negro. The negro, after having his wounds dressed, left with his brother. their dead bodies were found on the railroad track today. It is supposed they were lynched.

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

January 18, 1899: George Call and John Shaw

Today we learn about a Tennessee lynching through the pages of The Atlanta Constitution (Atlanta, Georgia) dated January 19, 1899:

BOTH WERE SHOT TO DEATH

Lynching of Two Negroes at Lynchburg, Tenn.

Nashville, Tenn., January 18.—George Call, alias Toney, and John Shaw, alias Piglit, negroes, both of bad reputation in the community, were shot and killed by unknown persons at Lynchburg last night. Their bodies were found at an early hour on Poplar street. Call was shot twice through the heart, and Shaw five times through the head and body. both had served terms in the penitentiary for robbery, and some time ago they were whipped by whitecaps and run out of town, but returned. Each was about eighteen years old. A cotton rope was found around the neck of each.

A more in depth article comes to us through the January 19, 1899 edition of The Times (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania):

LYNCHED TWO BAD MEN

A Mob of Tennessee Farmers Hanged Desperadoes.

Special Telegram to THE TIMES.

Chattanooga, Tenn., January 18.

News Reached Chattanooga this afternoon of a double lynching which occurred early this morning at Lynchburg, Tenn. Some two years ago George Call, alias Gill Toney, and John Shaw, alias Wright, colored were convicted of robbery and attempted murder. They were given terms in the Penitentiary, but after serving a few months were pardoned. Both were desperate men and upon their return to Lynchburg terrorized the neighborhood to such an extent that ladies were afraid to venture out after nightfall. During the past month numerous robberies have been committed in and about Lynchburg. Several days ago two negroes entered and robbed the homes of several farmers residing near the town. The negroes were suspected and were taken out and severely thrashed by Whitecaps. Monday night another house was broken into and a lady struck on the head by one of the robbers. The negroes entered their hut and defied the officers of the law. The lady is now in a precarious condition.

This morning about 1 o'clock a mob of one hundred masked farmers rode up to the negroes' cabin. They surrounded the house and, after firing a few shots, made Call and Shaw prisoners. The leader of the band told the negroes to prepare for death, at the same time exhibiting a rops. The cowering culprits screamed and pleaded for mercy. They were dragged at the end of ropes to poplar street, in the centre of town,where speedy preparations were made to hang them to a lamp-post.

During this time the negroes were struggling for their lives, praying and appealing to the mob to spare them. While the men were being hoisted to the top of the lamp-post Shaw fought desperately. Securing a knife from his pocket he cut the rope above his neck and as he fell the mob fired a volley, killing both men instantly. An inquest was held over the remains to-day. The verdict was that they came to their death at hands of unknown parties.

The first article I read came from The Indianapolis News and the body of the article read exactly the same as did The Atlanta Constitution's article. The headlines, however, never used the word lynched. This is why I do not rely on the articles wording to decide if I should feature a lynching, but instead if I find it on  the lynching lists and it meets the definition of lynching. Thank you for joining me and as always, I hope I leave you with something to ponder.

April/May, 1895: Tom Brownlee

Today we learn about a horrible lynching in Georgia through the pages of The Salt Lake Herald (Salt Lake City, Utah) dated May 3, 1895:

"KU-KLUX" DAYS

Evidence That They Have Been Revived in Georgia.

Atlanta, Ga., May 2.—From Butts county, in the central portion of the state, comes a story of a dastardly outrage that smacks of "Ku-Klux" days. The body of Tom Brownlee, a negro, who had been known to his neighbors as an informer against a moonshiner, was found day before yesterday in a creek that runs through the hills of Butts county. He had been pinned down in the bed of the creek by saplings staked to the ground, there to die a lingering death of fearful pain and suffering. The story was told that Whitecappers had perpetrated the terrible crime.

Colonel Chapman, of the internal revenue department, has sent a report to Washington detailing the particulars of the outrage. The government will investigate the case and those who had a hand in the torturing and murdering of the negro, who had the reputation of being a law-abiding citizen, will be brought to justice.

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

September 28, 1897: William Osborne

Today we learn about a lynching in Louisiana through the pages of The Morning Times (Washington, D. C.) dated September 30, 1897:

Negro Lynched for Drawing a Gun.

New Orleans, Sept. 29.—William Osborne, a negro, was lynched last night at Amesville, in Jefferson parish, immediately opposite this city. Osborne became involved in a quarrel Saturday with George W. Stone, overseer of the plantation, and drew a pistol on him. He was arrested for this and locked up in the parish jail. Late last night he was taken by a mob from the jail and hanged.

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

September, 1905: John McDowell

Today we learn about a lynching in Mississippi through the pages of The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, N. Y.) dated September 9, 1905:

NEGRO LYNCHED.

Found Hanging to tree Thirteen Miles From Brandon, Miss.

Memphis, Tenn., September 9—A commercial Appeal special from Brandon, Miss., says that a negro named John McDowell has been found hanging from a tree thirteen miles north of that town. McDowell had attacked a white man with a knife, forcing the latter into a barn and keeping him prisoner for several hours. No details of the lynching are known.

I would like to apologize for my inconsistency with posting. Life sometimes gets in the way, and when things are less hectic I will go back to posting daily. Thank you for your patience and for joining me and as always, I hope I leave you with something to ponder. 

June 23, 1887: James Webb

Today we learn about the lynching of a Mississippi poisoner through the pages of The Times-Picayune (New Orleans, Louisiana) dated June 24, 1887:

LYNCHED.

James M. Webb of Attala County, miss.,

Poisons His Wife Under Circumstances of Peculiar Brutality.

He is Held for Trial Without Bail

But is Taken from Jail and Hung Up on a Railroad Trestle.

KOSCIUSKO, Miss., June 23.—[Special.] On Saturday night, June 18, Mrs. Mary Webb died at her home near Newport, in the southwest part of Attala county, under circumstances which pointed strongly to foul play. Her husband, James M. Webb, was arrested and charged with the crime. It was proven in the preliminary examination that Webb

HAD PURCHASED STRYCHNINE

from the druggist at Sallis and that he administered what he claimed to be calomel about bed time Saturday night. His wife was soon seized with convulsions, which continued for several hours, during which time she suffered terrible agony. Although her parents lived only half a mile away and she implored her husband to go after help, he refused. Finally her little boy, about 7 years old, was waked and sent. When Mrs. Webb's mother arrived the dying woman stated that

HER HUSBAND HAD POISONED HER,

and that it was the second attempt he had made.

Webb refused to go after a physician or to allow his horse to be used. The preliminary trial took place Tuesday, and the above facts were elicited with the further information that on the day previous to the poisoning he had been inquiring of the neighbors

HOW MUCH STRYCHNINE IT WOULD TAKE

to kill, and how long it would require.

Squire Branch, before whom the preliminary examination was held, sent Webb to Kosciusko on Wednesday, where he was lodged in jail. During Wednesday night a mob, variously estimated at from 25 to 100, came to Kosciusko, overpowered the jailer and took Webb to a trestle bridge about one mile from town and hanged him. He hung there till the morning train came along, which passed over the rope,

CUTTING HIM DOWN.

Webb was wonderfully cool when the mob came, never resisting nor flinching. his wife belonged to one of the most highly respected families in the county. They have two young children.

Webb was considered insane by some and was generally disliked. Public sentiment condemns the lynching.

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

Prediction Made

The Atlanta Constitution, July 27, 1903:

JAMES MAKES A PREDICTION

Says Lynching and Burning of Negroes Will Be Seen in Boston.

Boston, July 26.—(Special.)—"Negro lynchings and burnings will before any great time be seen on Cambridge common and in the public gardens of Boston," said Professor James, of Harvard today.

The professor does not believe the race problem a sectional one, and says that prejudice against the black man is just as great in New England as it is in the black belts of the south. He says that the people of Boston will be as quick to burn a negro as those of Delaware and Illinois and that the only offense is wanting to start a bonfire, with a negro for the central figure, in the shadow of Faneuil hall.