A Black Fiend Promptly executed by a mob.

Case(s)
Source Type: Newspaper
Publisher: The Times-Picayune
Date of publication: Jul 14, 1898 12:00 am
Source URL: View Source
Transcript:

A Black Fiend Promptly Executed by a Mob. Birmingham, Ala., July 13.-Near Coaling, Tuscaloosa counts, last night, just after dark, a negro named Sidney Johnson entered the home of Mrs. Hodges, a widow, who resides alone with her small children. He, after knocking her down from behind with a heavy stick, choked her into insensibility and as- saulted heu, having meanwhile locked her children in an adjoining room. A 7-year-old son escaped through a window and gave the alarm in the neighboshood. Posses were quick- ly organized and search for the fiend com- menced, and the mobs pursued the negro all night. This morning, when but one mile be- hind him, six miles from the seene of last night’s crime, Johnson attacked Miss Cobb, a 18-year-old white girl, while she was get- ting water at a spr.ng. She struggled with her assailant and screamed for help. Her two sisters came from the house near by, and the three fought the negro off, after a desperate encounter. An hour later the mob overtook and captured Johnson, and he was taken before Miss Cobb, who immediately identified him. Thé mob then swung him to a convenient limb and riddled his body with bullets. Mrs. Hodges, Johnson’s first victim, was severely injured, and may die. One hun- dred farmers composed the lynching party. Alabama, BIRMINGHAM. A Black Fiend Promptly Executed by a Mob. Birmingham, Ala., July 13.-Near Coaling, Tuscaloosa counts, last night, just after dark, a negro named Sidney Johnson entered the home of Mrs. Hodges, a widow, who resides alone with her small children. He, after knocking her down from behind with a heavy stick, choked her into insensibility and as- saulted heu, having meanwhile locked her children in an adjoining room. A 7-year-old son escaped through a window and gave the alarm in the neighboshood. Posses were quick- ly organized and search for the fiend com- menced, and the mobs pursued the negro all night. This morning, when but one mile be- hind him, six miles from the seene of last night’s crime, Johnson attacked Miss Cobb, a 18-year-old white girl, while she was get- ting water at a spr.ng. She struggled with her assailant and screamed for help. Her two sisters came from the house near by, and the three fought the negro off, after a desperate encounter. An hour later the mob overtook and captured Johnson, and he was taken before Miss Cobb, who immediately identified him. Thé mob then swung him to a convenient limb and riddled his body with bullets. Mrs. Hodges, Johnson’s first victim, was severely injured, and may die. One hundred farmers composed the lynching party. –