Burned at the Stake

Title

Burned at the Stake

Source Type

Newspapers

Publisher

The Bamberg Herald

Publication Place

Bamberg, S.C.

Publication Date

10/04/1900

Transcript

Burned at the Stake. WETUMKA, Ala., October 2.-Winfield Townsend, alias Floyd, a negro, was burned at the stake in the little town of Electic, fifteen miles from this place, a half hour after midnight this morning The negro's crime was an attempted assault on Mrs. Lonnie Harrington, whose husband set tire to the brands which reduced Townsend's body to ashes. Yesterday afternoon about 1 o'clock, the negro, who was a nephew of Floyd, the negro who was hanged in the Wetumka jail week before last for attempted assault, attempted to outrage Mrs. Harrington. Mr. Harrington was engaged at a cotton gin in Electric and lives one mile out of town. The negro came to the house and told Mrs. Harrington that her husband had sent him 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 news spread rapidly. All the stores at Electic were instantly closed; the ginneries and saw 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 penitentiary for bloodhounds. The dogs were not brought to the scene until nearly dark, They were taken to where the negro's track disappeared and an exciting chase ensued. The dogs stopped finally at a tree in front of Odion's store, on the north outskirts of Electic. The crowd coming up at this time, 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 searching 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, shivering with fear, and surrounded by the mob. The preparations for death were quickly made. 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 torch was applied 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 Aleck. Floyd, who was hanged a couple of weeks ago for an attempted assault on Miss Kate Pearson, in the attempt at that time. He said that he and Floyd had planned for other crimes of like character, but that Floyd's being hanged had put a stop to them. Townsend made a confession implicating seven other negroes in his crime. As this is the second white woman assaulted in this vicinity within the 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 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 were implicated in the crime were arrested by the deputy. They are Frank Floyd and Jake Floyd, brothers of the negro Zeb Floyd, who was lynched near Wetumpka, Sept. 9. A singular coincidence is that Mrs. Harrington, who was assaulted yesterday is a kinswoman of Miss Pearson, who was assaulted on Sept. 3, for which Zeb Floyd was lynched. More trouble may arise.

Sources for

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