Carlisle Evening Herald

Title

Source Type

Newspapers

Publisher

Carlisle Evening Herald

Publication Place

Carlisle, PA

Publication Date

10/03/1900

Transcript

BURNED AT THE STAKE An Alabama Negro Monster Meets a Monstrous Death. CONFESSED ATTEMPTED ASSAULT. Captured by a Mob and a Vote Taken on the Manner of Death-His Victim's Husband Lighted the Funeral Pye-Brute's Body Reduced to Ashes. Wetumpka, Ala., Oct. 3.-Winfield ownsend, alias Floyd, a negro, was burned at the stake in the little town of Electic, 15 miles from this place, a half hour after midnight yesterday morning. The crime with which he was charged was an attempted assault upon Mrs. Lonnie Harrington. Mr. Harrington was engaged at a cotton gin in Eclectic and lives one mile out of town. The negro went to the house Monday afternoon 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 ran to the house in time to see Floyd escape. As soon as Mrs. Harrington was brought back to consciousness Nichols gave the alarm. The news spread rapidly. All the tores in Eclectic were closed, all the gins and sawmills shut down, and the people left their wagons in the road and their plows in the field and gathred for a pursuit of the negro. The crowd divided, some scouring the 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 near dark. They were taken to where the negro’s tracks disappeared, 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 so 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 then taken to the edge of the village and surrounded by the mob. He shivered with fear as the preparations for death were quickly made. A rope was flung over the limb of a big oak, and a hundred 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 that matter a vote was taken, and the balloting showed a majority of the crowd to favor death at the stake. The stake was prepares and the negro was hound 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 victim. As they leaped to the wretch’s flesh hid wild cries upon God for mercy could be heard for half a mile. The crowd looked on, deaf to his cries, and in half an hour the negro was reduced to ashes. Townsend before being bound confessed the crime and said he was also implicated with Alexander Floys, his uncle, who was hung a couple of weeks ago for an attempted assaulted on Miss Kate Pearson, 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. Townsend also made a confession implicating seven other negroes in his crime. As this is the second white woman assaulted in the vicinity with in 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 last night for safe keeping. The deputy sheriff had a wild drive of 14 miles through the country and had he been 30 minutes later a crowd of men who left here by the train would have intercepted him. After reaching Montgomery two other negroes were arrested by the deputy. They are Frank Floyd and Jake Floyd, brothers of the negro Zeb Floyd, who was lynched at Wetumpka on Seo. 9. A singular coincidence is that Mrs. Harrington, who was assaulted Monday, is a kinswoman of Miss Pierson, who was assaulted on Sept. 3, for which Zeb Floyd was lynched.

Sources for

See all items with this value Jake Floyd