Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 January 1892 — END OF THE SIMS GANG. [ARTICLE]

END OF THE SIMS GANG.

SEVEN ALABAMA OUTLAWS STRUNG UP. Four Members of the Savage Family and Hob Sims Taken from a Sheriff's Posse and Lynched—Two More Follow Soon After Captured at the Muzzle of a Cannon. Alabama Justice. Bob Sims and two members of his bloodthirsty gang named Thomas and John Savage were lynched in Choctaw County, Alabama, by a mob. John Savage, a son of Thomas, was only 19 years of age The Sims gang had been guilty of many crimes, the culmination coming when the McMillan family was murdered because of some trouble about land, the circumstances of the fiendish crime having been already related. The people of Choctaw County, tired of the bloody doings of Hob Sims and his crew, determined that no appeal to law was tolerable at this time,and that summary justice be meted out A sheriffs posse, armed with a six-pound cannon, proceeded to Sims’ cottage, determined to take the outlaw d* ad or alive. Sims and his two companions were heavily armed, and had expected to hold the cottage until night, when a dash for liberty would bo made. Cn seeing the cannon, however, the outlaw sought to “parley” with the Sheriff, offering to surrender if the Sheriff would guarantee him protect’on from the members of the posse. This the Sheriff sa d he could not do under the existing state of atlairs and tho intense excitement prevailing, but he would do the next best thing he could and give him a guard of fifty armed men. This proposition Sims finally accepted, saying that by holding out ho felt he would sacrifice Ihe lives of his wife and daughters, at the same time remarking that lie did not expect he would get as lar as Butler either dead or alive.

The armed guard started with tho prisoners, consisting of Bob Sims, Tom Ravage and two sons of John Savage on the journey to Butler. After their departure tho remainder of the crowd, which had gathered at the scene, numbering about 150 determined men, held a meeting and took counsel as to what action was advisable. It was soon determined that the prisoners should be lynched, so, mounting their horses, they started In pursuit On the road they met John Savage, previously reported as captured and hanged Christmas live Without much ado they put a rope around his-neck and strung him ud to a convenient tree Continuing on, they overtook tho other prisoners about two miles from the starting point and, returning with them to the same tree from whic.i John Savage was hanging, the mob adjusted rop;s about their uecks and mounted them two at a time In a buggy, t ims and one of the younger Savages were the first of those who surrendered to fall victims to the fury of the enraged popu a e. When asked if he had anything to say, Sims replied, defiant y: “Come, feel m/puse, and see if you think 1 am a coward.” The buggy was then driven out from under them and they swung into etern.ty. In like manner Tom Savage and his nephew were hanged ts the same tree. Tho Savages pleaded for mercy and declared their innocencK, while Sims refused to be blindfolded, assisted in adjusting tho "lope about his neck, and took things as coolly as though eating a t hristmas dinner instead of playing a leading role in a tragedy which was to land him in eternity. After the ljnchinti the mob formed n a circle about the dangling bodies, which they filled with lead. They then dispersed in tho direction of their several homos Miss Bode McKinzie, the young lady school teacher, who was board.tig at McMillan's and who was shot three times in the neck when Sims attacked the McMillan homestead, is dead. A later dispatch says that the lynching still goes on. Two more victims— John Sims, brother of l ob, and Mosey, his nephew—were botli hanged tho following night, and the avengers are in hot pursuit of a negro lhat was with tho Sims gang the night of tho massacre. They have burned Bob Sims’ dwe ling and all tho houses on his place, and kided every living thing to be found on the place except the family, and they had to e cape to a neighbor s hou e. The Sims family say they are going to leave the country. The crowd continues to enlarge, and is fu ly 5(10 strong, and is hunting for Neal Kims. It is reported that Neal Sims has gotten together about f( rty men, and Intends to burn Womask Hill. The bodies of Bob Sims and the three Savages have been cut down and thrown over in tho graveyard. John Savage, the first hanged, was left hanging.