Horrible Treatment of a Black Ravisher By Georgia Lynchers Near Tuscaloosa

Title

Source Type

Newspapers

Publisher

Sioux City Journal

Publication Place

Sioux City Iowa

Publication Date

08/03/1884

Transcript

Horrible Treatment of a Black Ravisher By Georgia Lynchers Near Tuscaloosa. ATLANTA, Ga., Aug. 1. Reports have reached here of the punishment of a ravisher which are of even a more horrible character than the crime with which the victim was charged. On Tuesday morning the 13-year- old daughter of a well-known citizen of Tuscaloosa, who lives on the outskirts of the town, went into town for the purpose of taking a music lesson. On her return home in the evening she met Andy Burke, a colored man, who asked her some question, which she was answering, when a sheet of music fell out of her book. As she stooped down to pick it up Burke plunged his arm around her waist, lifting her up, and holding her mouth closed with his other hand, ran into the woods with her. As he ran the girl lost her hat. A gentleman riding by saw the hat in the road, and seeing steps in the woods and hearing muffed screams in that direction he followed steps and sound. As soon as Burke saw that rescue had come to the girl he released her and escaped. All night Tuesday and through Wednesday parties of men prosecuted the search, finding the fugitive yesterday. They took him before the girl, who identified him fully, when he confessed his crime. He was put in the guard-house, from which he was subsequently taken by a mob and shot and hung near the Presbyterian church, where his body lay until morning, when it was carted off and buried. But by far the worst part of the story remains to be told, which only legal investigation could sufficiently verify. It is charged that when the negro was taken out he was first emasculated. After letting him . suffer this for a while, a suggestion was made to scalp him, which was accordingly done. By this time the crowd became fully committed to the policy of torturing him, when he was partially disemboweled. All the time it is said the wretch begged most piteously for the final act which would put him out of pain. When the party had satiated itself with the criminal's sufferings, he was strung up to a tree. All of the party who had revolvers fired bullets into the swinging body, when it was cut down and left to be discovered by daylight. The details which rumor gives to the night's work are most horrible. It is said that the matter will be thoroughly investigated, by order of the governor, to find out the truth of these rumors, and if possible to reach the guilty parties, and visit upon them the punishment due their crime.

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