Mob Shoots Negro Thousand Times

Case(s)
Source Type: Newspaper
Author: n.a.
Publisher: Daily Arkansas Gazette
Place of publication: Little Rock, AR
Date of publication: 3/25/1907
Transcript:

MOB SHOOTS NEGRO THOUSAND TIMES. Black, Who Attempted to Assault Alabama Woman, Tied to Tree and 200 Men Empty Revolvers Into His Body. Florence, Ala., March 24,—THe negro, Cleveland Harding, who attempted to assault Mrs. Ben F. Rice near here Friday, and who was driven off by Mrs. Rice’s shepherd dog, was summarily executed Sunday by his intended victim’s husband and 200 or 300 sympathizers. Tied to a tree with his arms up, the negro was riddled with bullets, the first shot being fired by Rice, following which every man in the crowd emptied his revolver at the prisoner. It is said that more than 1,000 shots were fired into his body. The negro was captured half a mile below town and was taken before Mrs. Rice, who fainted at the sight of him. Upon recovering she fully identified her assailant and on being asked what should be done with him, told the negro’s captors to do as they thought best. Harding 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 his fate. The negro’s body 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.

Citation:

“Mob Shoots Negro Thousand Times.” Daily Arkansas Gazette (Little Rock, AR), March 25, 1907.