Lauderdale Mob Fires 1,000 Shots

• Cleveland Hardin

LAUDERDALE MOB FIRES 1,000 SHOTS. NEGRO CONFESSES ATTEMPT ON MRS. RICE. Sheriff Makes an Earnest But Futile Appeal to Crowd Whose Identity, Was Not Concealed. Body Left Tied to Tree. Florence, Ala., March 24-The negro Cleveland Hardin, who attempted to assualt Mrs. Ben Rice near here Friday, and was driven off by Mrs. Rice Shepherd dog, was summarily executed today by his intended victim’s husband and some 200-300 sympathizers.. tied to a tree, with his arms the negro was riddled with bullets, the first shot being fired Rice, following which, it is said, every man, in the crowd emptied his revolver at the prisoner. It is said that over 1,000 shots were fired. The negro was captured today a mile below town and was taken before Mrs, Rice, who fainted at sight of him. Upon recovering, she fully identified her assailant, and, being asked at should be done; with him, told the negro’s captors to do as they thought best. Hardin was taken a short distance from the Rice home, where a conference of the mob leaders was held. Some said burn him, but shooting was decided on. Beyond confessing his guilt, the negro had nothing to say and was stolidly indifferent, to hisfate. The boy was left tied to the tree by the mob, members of which made no attempt to shield their identity. The sheriff overtook the crowd before the lynching, but his appeals were unavailing. A posse of 200 men had been suing the negro since Friday.

“Lauderdale Mob Fires 1,000.” The Abbeville Times (Abbeville, AL), March 28, 1907.