Hazel Turner

Hayes Turner (August 15, 1892 – May 16, 1918) was an African American man who was tortured and lynched in Lowndes County, Georgia. His lynching was reported by The Spokesman-Review on May 20, 1918.

Hayes Turner, along with several other African American men and women, were accused of killing Hampton Smith, a Brooks County farmer, and injuring his wife.

The accusation was that shots were fired through the Smiths' living room window, and a bullet struck and killed Hampton Smith. Mrs. Smith was in the living room with Hampton Smith, and was also struck by a bullet. From within her living room, she "witnessed" Sidney Johnson as the shooter.^{(Shots Fired Through Window)}

Mrs. Smith claimed that, after she and her husband were shot through the window, she ran into the front yard, after the shooter, Sidney Johnson. She claimed that he responded by beating her.^{(Shots Fired Through Window)}

Mrs. Smith claimed that, after she was beaten by Sidney Johnson, the group robbed her home.^{(Shots Fired Through Window)}

The lynch mob claimed to also be searching for African-American man named "Julius", who allegedly assisted in helping Sidney Johnson escape through a swamp.^{(Shots Fired Through Window)}

After the mob lynched Hayes, his wife spoke out in distress against the group, and threatened to have them arrested. The group then went after Hayes' wife, Mary.

Read the rest at: Mary Turner's lynching.

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