Target for 1,000 Shots

• Cleveland Hardin

TARGET FOR 1,000 SHOTS. Negro Summarily Lynched Near His Victim’s Home. FLORENCE, Ala., March 25. 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 summarily executed yesterday by a mob of 200 or 300 persons. Tied to a tree, with his arms up, the negro was riddled with bullets, the first shot, it ss said, being fired by Rice, following which every man in the crowd emptied his revolver at the prisoner. More than 1,000 shots were fired. The negro was captured yesterday half a mile below town and was taken before Mrs. Rice, who fainted at 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 persons favored burning him. but shooting was decided on. Beyond confessing his guilt, the negro had nothing to say and seemeed indifferent to his fate. The body was left tied to the tree by the mob the members of which made no attempt to shield thier identitity. The sheriff overtook the crowd before the lynching, but his appeals were unavailing.

“Target For 1,000 Shots.” Evening Star (Washington, D.C.), March 25, 1907.