Paid Penalty For His Crime

• Cleveland Hardin

PAID PENALTY FOR HIS CRIME. NEGRO WHO ATTEMPTED CRIMINAL ASSAULT SHOT TO DEATH. Limestone County, Ala, to have better roads–hunting buried money. Special to the Banner. Florence Ala March 21 After a hunt of forty-eight hours Cleveland Hardin the negro who criminally assaulted Mr. Ben Rice’s wife Friday was arrested in the woods near this city yesterday evening. He was takes to the scene of the crime, fully identified -taken to a field his hands tied over the limb of a pine tree and was shot death by a crowd of 600 who had been searching for Hardin from the first alarm. He stoically refused to make a statement. Several negroee engaged in the hunt. Everything quiet. The details of the attempted outrage upon Mrs Ben Rice In the Oakland settlement Friday as far as can be learned are: Cleveland Hardin who had been convicted of a ‘murderous-assault upon another’ negro at Georgetown on the river was hired from the countt by Mr Ben Rice last fall to work upon his farm. Mr Rice was absent from home and Hardin entered the house and finding Mrs Rice alone seized her and attempted to throw her down and in the struggle that ensued she was severely bruised about the body caused by being forced against the furniture in the room. Hardin becoming frightened by the noise and the outcries of Mrs Rice made his escape.

“Paid Penalty For His Crime.” Nashville Banner (Nashville, TN), March 25, 1907.