Burned at the Stake

Title

Burned at the Stake

Source Type

Newspapers

Publisher

The Wilmington Messenger

Publication Place

Wilmington, NC

Publication Date

10/03/1900

Transcript

Wallace Townsend, alias Floyd, a negro, was burned at the stake in the little town of Eclectic, 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 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 where the negro's tracks disappeared and an exciting chase ended. The dogs stopped fin- ally at a 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 the crime. There he was confronted by his victim, who positively identified him. Word was sent to the other searching par- ties 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 preparations for death were quickly made. A rope was flung Lover 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 victim. 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 [1] ar hour the negro was reduced to ashes. Townsend, before being bound, con- fessed the crime and said he was also implicated with Alex. Floyd, who was hung a couple of weeks ago for an at- tempted 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. Montgomery, Ala., Oct. 2 The negro, Wallace Townsend\made a confession implicating several other negroes in his crime. As this is the second white woman assaulted there within the month it is now believed by the people of that 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 bur- glary and as threats of lynching were made the negro, Virgil Miller, was brought here tonight and placed in the Montgomery county jail. The Montgomery sheriff had a wild drive of four- teen miles through the country and had he been thirty minutes later in reaching here a crowd of men who came by 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 Jake 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.

Sources for

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