Townsend Paid the Penalty

Title

Source Type

Newspapers

Publisher

Natchez Democrat

Publication Place

Natchez, MS

Publication Date

10/03/1900

Transcript

TOWNSEND PAID THE PENALTY. Wetwinpks, Ala., Oct. 3-Wintield Townsend, alias Floyd, n negro was burned at the stake in the little town of Eclectic, 15 miles from this place a half hour after midnight this morn. ink The negro's crime was au at. tempted crime on Mrs Lonnie Harrington, whose husband set fire to the brands which reduced Townsend's body to ashes. Yesterday afternoon about 2 o'clock the negro, n nephew of the negro Floyd who was hung in the Wetump. ka jail week before last, attempted to commit the crime. The negro came to the house and told Mrs. Harrington that her husband had sent bm to get 20 cents from her. She told him she 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 time He ran to the house in time to see the negro escape. As soon as Mrs. Harrington was restored to consciousness, Nichols gave the alarm. The nows spread rapidly, All the stores at Eclectic were instantly closed: the ginneries and sawmills shut down: the people left their wagons in the road, and their plows in the field and Kathered for n pursuit of the negro. The crowd divided, some scouring the woods near the scene of the crime and others went to the penitentiary for bloodbounds 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- and The dogs stood finally at n 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 mea were in the little village. The negro who 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 flung over the limit of a big oak tree and a hundred men stood ready to lend a hand 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. Townsend, before being bound, con- fessed the crime and said he was also implicated with Alex Floyd, who was hung n couple of weeks ago for a similar offense. He said he and Floyd had planned for other crimes of like character but that Floyd being hung put a stop to them.

Sources for

See all items with this value Jake Floyd