A Cruel Mob

Title

A Cruel Mob

Source Type

Newspapers

Publisher

The Sentinel

Publication Place

Carlisle, Pennsylvania

Publication Date

08/01/1884

Transcript

A CRUEL MOB. A COLORED MAN TORTURED UNTO DEATH A Negro Captured by an Infuriated Mob Who are Bent on Torturing Him Without Merey-Gettysburg's Great Day. -Distinguished Personages to be Present to Witness the Grand Military Display. A NEGRO'S HORBIBLE TORTURE BY A MOB. ANNISTON, Ala., July 31.-On Tuesday, the thirteen year-old daughter of a well- known citizen of Tuscaloosa, who lives on the outskirts of this city, 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 questions, which she was answering, when a sheet of music fell out of her book. As she stooped down to pick it up, Burke flung his arm around her waist, and lifting her up and holding her mouth closed with his other hand, ran into a copse with her. As he ran the girl lost her hat. A gentleman riding by saw the hat on the road, and, seeing steps into the woods and hearing muflled screams, followed the tracks 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 a search, finding Burke yesterday. They took him before the girl, who identified him fully ; then he confessed his crime. He was put in the guardhouse, from which he was sub sequently taken by the mob and shot and hung near the Presbyterian church. His body lay there until morning, when it was carried off and buried. It is charged that when the negro was taken out he was first scalped, and then permitted to remain for some time in that condition. By this time the crowd had become fully committed to the policy of torture, and he was partially disembowelled. All the time, it is said, the wretch begged most piteously for death. When the lynchers had satiated themselves with the criminal's suffering he was strung up to a tree, all who had revolvers firing bullets into his swinging body. 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 and punish the guilty parties.

Sources for

See all items with this value Andy Burke