Burned at the Stake

Title

Burned at the Stake

Source Type

Newspapers

Publisher

Chattanooga Daily Times

Publication Place

Chattanooga, TN

Publication Date

10/03/1900

Transcript

BURNED AT THE STAKE Alabama Negro Expiates His Awful Crime. HUSBAND OF WOMAN WHOM HE ASSAULTED Fired the Brands That Cremated the Wretch Whose Fate Was Decided by Ballot of Avengers. Wetumpka, Ala., Oct. 2.-Wallace Townsend, negro, was alias Floyd, a burned at the stake in the little of half Eclectic, hour fifteen place, town miles from this a after midnight this morning. The negro's crime was an assault on Mrs. Lonnie 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 Mrs. Harrington. Bloodhounds were placed on the negro’s trail. They were taken to the negro's tracks disappeared and an exciting chase ended. 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 on a limb. He was brought down at once and taken to the scene of the 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 and surrounded by the mob, shivering with fear, the preperations for death were quickly made. A rope was flung over a limb of a big oak sapling and men stood ready to lend a hand at the rope. A halt was called and the manner of death discussed by the mob. A GRUESOME BALLOT. To decide the matter a vote was taken and the balloting showed a majority of the crowd favored 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 vic tim. As they leaped to the wretch's flesh his wild cries upon God for mercy and help could be heard for a mile. The crowd looked on, deaf to his cries, and in an hour the negro was reduced to ashes. Townsend, before being bound, confesses the crime and said he was also implicated with Alex. Floyd, who was hung a couple of weeks ago for an attempted assault a of weeks ago for an attempted assault on Miss Kate Pearson. He and Floyd planned for other crimes of other character, but Floyd's being hung put a stop to them. FIENDISH CONSPIRACY Among Negroes to Assault White Women-Several Arrests and Almost a Lynching. Montgomery, Ala., Oct. 2 The negro, Wallace Townsend, burned in Elmore implicating county this negroes confession in his morning, made a several other crime. As this is the second white it is now believed by the people of that woman assaulted there within the month section that there is a conspiracy among the negroes, One of the negroes implicated in the confession of Townsend was in jail at Wetumpka, charged with burglary and threats of lynching were made the negro, Virgil Miller, was brought here tonight and the Montgomery placed in county jail. The Montgomery sheriff had a wild drive ing teen he been here miles thirty through country and of four- the had minutes later in reach train would have intercepted him. After reaching here, two other negroes who are implicated in the crime were arrested by the deputy. They are Frank Floyd and jakes Floyd, brothers of the negro, Zeb Floyd, who was lynched near Wetumpka on Sept. 9. A singular coincidence is that Mrs. Harrington, who was assaulted yesterday, is a kinswoman of Miss Harrison, who was assaulted on Sept. 3, and for which Zeb Floyd was lynched. It is believed the conspiracy is directed against the members of a white family. Three negroes are now in jail, in Montgomery and more trouble may arise.

Sources for

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