Run Down By Dogs

Title

Run Down By Dogs

Source Type

Newspapers

Publisher

The Sandusky Star Journal

Publication Place

Sandusky, OH

Publication Date

10/03/1900

Transcript

RUN DOWN BY DOGS Chained to a Stake by a Mob and Roasted to Death. HORRIBLE FATE OF A YOUNG NEGRO Made a Futile Attempt at Criminal Assault Upon the Person of a Whit Woman, and the Whole Town Sus pended Business and Engaged in as Exciting Chase-Victim's Confession Wetumpka. Ala., Oct. 3.-Near th little town of 15 miles from here, a was Wallace Townsend, Eclectic, negro, burned at the stake. He attempted assault upon Mrs. Lonnie Harrington a white woman. Townsend, who was a nephew of the negro Floyd, who was hanged in Wetumpka , week attempted assault an before last for at to assault Mrs. Harrington. Mr. Harrington was at a cotton gin in Eclectic and lives one out town. came to the mile house of and told Mrs. The negro 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 The returned in about 10 minutes. woman's screams were heard by Bob Nichols, a negro, who was passing along the road at the time. He ran to the house in time to see the negro escape. As soon 2.S Mrs. Harrington was re- stored to consciousness the negro gave the alarm. The news spread rapidly All the stores at Eclectic were instant- ly closed; the ginneries and sawmills shut down; the people left their wag- ons in the road and their plows in the field and gathered for a pursuit of the negro. The crowd divided, some scour- ing near scene of the crime to the the and woods others going the peniten- tiary for bloodhounds. The dogs were taken to where the negro's tracks dis- appeared and an exciting chase ensued. The dogs stopped finally at a tree in front of Odion's store on the north out- skirts crowd up soon sitting of discovered Eclectic. The the negro coming on a limb. He was brought down at once and taken to the scene of his crime. victim, There who he positively confronted was by his identified him. Word was sent to the other searching parties that the negro had been found, and soon a crowd of sev- eral was in the The hundred little village. negro was taken to the edge of death village quickly and preparations made. rope the for his were A was flung over the limb of a big oak and 100 men stood ready to swing him up: Then a halt was called and the man- ner of death discussed by the mob. A vote was taken and the balloting showed a majority of the crowd to favor the stake. The stake was pared was to it and the negro bound pre- with chains. Pine knots were piled about the him husband and the of flames Townsend's were started by victim. uttered they wild leaped cries negro's mercy As to the flesh he to God for and his help. cries, The and crowd in on, negro looked deaf to an hour the was reduced to ashes. Townsend, before being bound, con- fessed the crime, and said he was also implicated with Alex Floyd, who was hanged two weeks ago for an attempt- ed assault on Miss Kate Pearson. He said he and Floyd had planned for other crimes of like character. Evidence Shows Conspiracy. Wallace Elmore Montgomery, Townsend, Ala., burned in negro Oct. 3,-The county, made a confession seven in his As other negroes implicating crime. Mrs. is the white woman there Harrington assaulted second within two weeks it is now believed by the people of that there is a that section conspir- acy among the negroes. One of the negroes implicated in the confession of Townsend was in jail at Wetumpka charged lynching with burglary, threats and as of were made the negro, Vir- gil was here and in The the Miller, Montgomery brought county jail. placed miles through country, of deputy sheriff had a wild drive 14 the and had he been 30 minutes later a crowd of men who cam by train would have intercepted him. Frank Floyd and Jake Floyd, brothers of the negro Zeb Floyd, wha was lynched near Wetumpka on Sept 9, and who are alleged to implicated in the latter's crime, were arrested.

Sources for

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