Negro Burned at the Stake

Title

Source Type

Newspapers

Publisher

The Charlotte Observer

Publication Place

Charlotte, N.C.

Publication Date

10/03/1900

Transcript

Tracked Tree Burn Him His Partner In the Plot Assault Women Hung Two Weeks He Admitted Having Participated That Crime Also Chained to Stake Burned to Ashes. Wetumpka, Ala. Oct. 2. Win- field Townsend, allas Floyd, negro, was burned at the stake la the little town of Eclectio 15 miles from this place, a half hour after midnight this morning. The negro's crime was an attempted aszault on Mrs. Lennie Harrington, whose husband set fire to the brands which reduce Townsend's body to ashes. Yesterday afternoon a negro, a nephew of the negro Floyd, who was hung In the Wetumpka jail week before last, for attempted outrage, attempted to out- a rage Mrs. Harrington. Mr. Harrington was engaged at a cót. 1on gin at Eelectic and lives one mile from town. The negro came to the house and told Mrs. Harrington that her husband had sent him to get 29 cents from her. She told him she had no change. Then the negro left. but 6 returned in about ten minutes. The no. main's screams were heard by Rob Nichols, another negro, who was pass- ing along the road at the time. He ran to the house in time to see the negro escape. As soon as Mrs. Harrington was restricted to consciousness Nichols gave the alarm. The news spread rapidly, All the stores at Electric were instantly the ghineries and NEW mills shut down; the people left their wagons in the road, and their plows in the field and gathered for a pursuit of the negro. The crowd divided, some scouring the woods near the scene of the crime and others went to the penitentary for blood hounds. The dogs were not brought to the scent until nearly dark. They were taken to where the negro's tracks dis- appeared and an exciting chase en- sued. The dogs stopped finally at a tree in front of Odion's store, on the north outskirts of Eclectic. 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 taken to the edge of the village, and, surrounded by the mob, shivered with fear. The preparations for death were quickly made. A rope was hung over the limb of a his oak and the 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 tied about him and the damas were tired by the husband of the negro's victim. As the flames reached to the wretch's flesh his wild cries upon God for mercy and help could be heard for miles. The crowd locked on, deal to his cries, and In an hour the negro was reduced to ashes, Townsend, before being bound. con- fessed the crime, and said he was also implicated with Alex. Floyd. who was hung a couple of weeks ago for an attempted assault on Miss Kate Pearson. t in the attempt 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. A CONSPIRACY. 0 e Townsend Implicates Seven Other Negroes e WHO Drive of a Deputy Sheriff-Mo Trouble Feared. n Wetumpka, Ala., Oct. 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 the negroes implicated in the confession of Townsend was in jail here, charged with burglary, and as threats of lynching were made he was sent to Montgomery to-night for safe-keeping. The deputy sheriff had a wild drive of 14 miles through the country and had he been 40 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 near here on September 9th. singular coincidence is that Mrs. Harrington who was assaulted yesterday is a kinswoman of Miss Pearson who was assaulted on September 3d. for which Zeb Floyd was lynched. More trouble may arise.

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