Negro is Hung and Then Shot to Death

Case(s)
Source Type: Newspaper
Author: n.a.
Publisher: Poughkeepsie Eagle-News
Place of publication: Poughkeepsie, NY
Date of publication: 3/25/1907
Transcript:

NEGRO IS HUNG AND THEN SHOT TO DEATH. Florence, Ala., March 24. Cleveland Harding, the negro who attempted to assault Mrs. Ben F. Rice, near here Friday and who was driven off by Mrs. Rice’s shepherd dog, was lynched today by a mob of 200 or 300 persons. After having been tied to a tree with his arms up, the negro was riddled with bullets. The first shot, is is said, was fired by Rice, following which every other man in the crowd emptied his revolver at the prisoner. Over 1,000 shots were fired. The negro was captured today near town and was taken before Mrs. Rice, who fainted at the sight of him. Upon recovering she fully identified him, she 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 favored burning him, but shooting was decided on. Beyond confessing his guilt, the negro had nothing to say and seemed indifferent to his fate. His body was left tied to the tree by the mob, the members of which made no attempt to shield their identity. The sheriff overtook the crowd before the lynching, but his appeals were unavailing.

Citation:

“Negro Is Hung and Then Shot to Death.” Poughkeepsie Eagle-News (Poughkeepsie, NY), March 25, 1907.