Webster-Marion County GaArchives Obituaries.....Gorman, Ben May 1903
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Carla Miles http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00010.html#0002476 February 11, 2005, 3:12 pm

The Marion County Patriot, June 5, 1903
The Marion County Patriot, No. 23
June 5, 1903
Page Five

Sand Hill

There was a most brutal murder committed just over the line of Marion in 
Webster County last Thursday.  Ben Gorman, colored, and Mr. Kent were chopping 
cotton together when Gorman slipped up behind Kent and knocked him in the head 
with a hoe almost causing instant death.  The murderer made his escape but was 
caught Friday by bailiff Jim Marshall who started to Preston with him.  A mob 
overtook the bailiff and his prisoner and hung the negro in the middle of the 
road.  The murder and lynching caused great excitement here.

The Marion County Patriot, No. 23
June 5, 1903
Page Five

Negro Lynched

Ben Gorman, a negro about 19 years of age was hung and his body riddled with 
bullets, near Church Hill, in Webster County, last Friday at noon.

The day previous he had knocked Mr. Shelly Kent, a white man 21 years of age in 
the head with a hoe and killed him.  The assault was without provocation and no 
justification whatever.

Kent and this negro, with a lot of other hands were at work in a field of Mr. 
Majors’.  Kent spoke to the negro about 15 cents that the negro was due him and 
the other hands laughed at Gorman about owing everybody.  This seemed to anger 
him, and at the first opportunity he slipped up behind Mr. Kent and struck him 
on the back of the head.  He lived only a few hours.

The murderer made his escape but was caught the next day by a bailiff who 
started with him to Preston.  He was met by a mob who took the negro near the 
scene of his crime, and after hanging him from the limb of a tree riddled his 
body with bullets.  No attempt at concealment was made and this hanging was 
done at midday.

The Marion County Patriot, No. 23
June 5, 1903
Page Eight

News from Hogg

Mr. Shellie Kent, a young white man about twenty-two years old, while working 
on the farm of Mr. Tige Majors was killed by a negro, the negro being also a 
hand whom Mr. Majors had hired for wages.  It sees that the negro had become 
dissatisfied and left, but being under a contract Mr. Majors brought him back, 
he appeared to be worried over the thought that Mr. Kent had informed as to 
where he had gone.  One day soon after while at work a conversation was gotten 
up as to the negro owing Kent.  When in a most unexpected moment, while Mr. 
Kent’s back was towards the negro he raised his hoe crushed his skull felling 
him instantly.  Mr. Kent was carried to the home of Mr. Majors and he died 
about ten o’clock that night.

The negro was caught tied to the limb of a large oak, received his due reward.

A warning to other bad characters.

Ray



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