Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 August 1901 — BIG MOB BURNS A NEGRO. [ARTICLE]

BIG MOB BURNS A NEGRO.

Enraged Residents of Term Lynch a Negro. Abe Wildner. a negro, about 30 years old, was burned to death late Tuesday evening at Red Branch, near Sherman, Tex., by a mob of 2.000 enrage! citizens. For three days from 3,000 to 6,000 men and boys had sought Wildner. Last Friday evening Mrs. Bessie Caldwell, wife of J. M. Caldwell, a young farmer living on Sanbern’s ranch, ten miles west of Sherman, was outraged and murdered and her body dragged into a storm cellar and hid. Caldwell had gone to the postofflce for his mail. At 6:30 in the evening he returned and finding blood scattered over the floor, went into the cellar and there found his wife, a bride of only five months and only 19 years old, cold in death. Her head was terribly bruised by an ax, her throat cut from ear to ear and her clothing twisted about her throat and mouth as if to gag her. Neighbors were at once called in and the husband recalled the fact that a negro came to his house about 10 o’clock that morning and bought a small lunch. He lingered about the place and Caldwell told him to leave. About 3or 4 o’clock Caldwell saddled his horse and went to get his mail, some four miles away. Neighbors say as soon as the young husband left home they saw a negro go to the house and it was nearly an hour before he went away. He then left by a back door and walked rapidly. As soon as the husband raised the alarm many neighbors joined in the pursuit The governor was apprised of the state of affairs and gave notice to the volunteer company of this city, Gainesville and Denison, to be in readiness to move at a moment’s notice. This was communicated to the crowd that had Wildner in charge, then hastening with him to Whitesboro. As soon as the orders of the governor were communicated to the mob they tied the negro to a stump and piled dry cornstalks around him and set the heap on fire. The negro, who had already confessed, died in great agony.