Burned at the Stake

Title

Burned at the Stake

Source Type

Newspapers

Publisher

The Wilmington Messenger

Publication Place

Wilmington, N.C.

Publication Date

10/03/1900

Transcript

BURNED AT THE STAKE NEGRO PAYS THIS TERRIBLE PENALTY FOR A HEINOUS CRIME AFTER CONFESSION OF GUILT He is Chained to a Stake, Pine Faggots Piled Around Him and the Torch Ap- plied by the Husband of His Victim. He Confesses Implication in a Similar Crime, for Which a Negro Was Lynched a Fortnight Ago, and Others Contemplated. Wetumpka, Ala., October 2.-Winfield Townsend, alias Floyd, a negro, was burned at the stake in the little town of Eclectic, fifteen miles from this place, a half hour after midnight this morning. The negro's crime was an at- tempted assault upon Mrs. Lennie Harrington, whose husband set fire to the brands which reduced Townsend's body to ashes. Yesterday afternoon about 1 o'clock the negro, a nephew of the negro Floyd who was hung in the Wetumpka jail week before last, for attempted assault, attempted to outrage engaged at a cotton gin in Eclectic negro Mrs. Harrington. Mr. Harrington was and lives one mile out of town. The Harrington came that her husband had sent him to the house and told Mrs. Harrington 20 cents from her. She told to get had no change. Then the negro left, but returned in about ten minutes. The woman's screams were heard by Bob Nichols, another negro who was passing along the road at the same time. He ran to the house in time to see the negro escape. As soon as Mrs. Harrington was brought back to consciousness Nichols gave the alarm. The news spread rapidly.All the, gins and saw mills shut down; the, stores in Eclectic were closed; all the, people left their wagons in the road, and their plows in the field and gathered for pursuit of the negro. The crowd divided some scouring the woods near the scene of the crime and-others went to the pen for bloodhounds. The dogs were not brought to the, scene until nearly dark. They were, taken to where the negro's tracks dis-, appeared and an exciting chase ensued., The dogs stopped finally at a tree in, front of Odion's store on the outskirts, of the town. The crowd coming up, soon discovered the negro sitting on a, limb., He was brought down at once and, taken to the scene of his crime. There, he was confronted by his victim who, positively identified him., Word was sent to the other search-, ing parties that the negro had been, found, and about 11 o'clock a crowd, of several hundred was in the little village. The negro was then taken to the, edge of the village and, surrounded, by the mob, shivered with fear. The, preparations for death were quickly, arranged., A rope was flung over the limb of a, big oak and a hundred men stood ready, to lend a hand at the rope., Then a halt was called and the manner of death discussed by the mob. To, decide the matter a vote was taken, and the balloting showed a majority, of the crowd to favor death at the, stake. The stake was prepared and the negro was bound to it with chains. Pine knots were piled about him and the flames were fired by the husband of the negro’s victim. As they leaped to the wretch’s flesh his wild cries upon God for mercy and help could be heard for miles. The crowd looked on, deaf to his cries and in an hour the negro was reduced to ashes. Townsend before being bound confessed the crime and said he was also implicated with Alexander Floyd, who was hung a couple of weeks ago for an attempted assault at that time. He said he and Floyd had planned for other crimes of like character but that Floyd’s being hung put a stop to them. Wetumpka, Ala., October 2. —Townsend made a confession implicating seven other negroes in his crime. As this is the second white woman assaulted in this vicinity within a month, it is believed there is a conspiracy among the negroes. One of Townsend was in jail here charged with burglary and as threats of lynching were made he was sent to Montgomery tonight for safe keeping. The deputy sheriff had a wild drive of fourteen miles through the country and had he been thirty minutes later a crowd of men who left here by train would have intercepted him. After reaching Montgomery two other negroes who are implicated in the crime were arrested by the deputy. They are Frank Floyd and Jake Floyd, brothers of the negro Floyd who was lynched as Wetumpka September 9th.

Sources for

See all items with this value Jake Floyd