Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1855-06-21

From the Marion (Miss.) Repub.. of May 3D.
BURNING A NEGRO ALrvB.-Some
time since, we published an account Of
the murder Of Miss Thornton, an inter-
esting young gih residing near Castor,
Alabama Immediately after the mur-
der and detection of the negro, this i'm
mediate punishment was seriously con-
templated by the people of Sumpter
county, but after mature deliberation,
the law abiding citizens delivered him
unto the custody of the proper officers,
and he was committed to prison.
At the late term of the circuit court
of Sumpter county, the attorney appoin-
ted by the court, in the discharge of his
duty moved for change of venue to
Green county. The Judge, as the mo-
ton was sustained by the proper affida-
Wit. sustained the application.
On Wednesday last the citizens of
South Sumpter assembled en- masss at
Mr.. VIM. McElroy's, and unani-
mously passed series of resolutions,
rejecting seriously upon the conduct of
the Judge, and having pledged them
selves to sustain each other, portion
of them proceeded to Livingston, and
took the miserable criminal by force,
from the jail from where he was con-
| fined.
On Friday last after due preparation,
they carried him to the spot where he
so cruelty murdered his innocent victim,
and burnt him alive at the stake.
About three thousand persons were
present, who witnessed, with various
emotions, the dreadful spectacle. We
were present, but hope that we will
never again witness a scene like it. The
fire was composed of several cords of
light-wood, in the centre of which was
a green willow stake, selected in con-
sequence of its indistructibility by FIRE.
On the top of the pile of light-wood,
the criminal was placed and securely
chained to the stake. While in this sit
uation he confessed his guilt, stating
that he had no accomplice, that he was
actuated by lust alone, that he had at
tempted to violate her person, but had
failed, and to conceal the attempt, he
had cruelty murdered her by beating
the poor innocent creature with a stump,
that while he was doing this she i'm
plored him TO carry her home to her
father and that she would conceal the
violence he had inflicted. He then left
her, but soon returned, and after again
beating her, he concealed the body in
the very hole where the stake was plan
ted to which he suffered. .t
After this confession was made, the
match was applied, and in few mo-
ments the devouring flames were envel-
oping the doomed negro; his fearful
cries resounded through the air, while
the surrounding negroes who witnessed
his dreadful agony and horrible contor
tons. sent up an involuntary howl of
horror. His suferings though excru-
ciating, were short; in few minutes the
flames had subsided, revealing now and
then as they ftfully swayed, hither and
thither, his black and burning carcass
like demon of fire, grinning, as if in
hellish triumph at his tormentors.
Soon all was over, nothing was left
but the burning flesh and charred skele-
ton of this human devil who could thus
deliberately perpetrate so foul crime.
The horrid outrage was fearfully aveng
ed, and though the heavens we're reek-
ing with the stencil of burning flesh, yet
Justice was satisfied; the law of retalia
ton was inflicted as nearly as it could
be, while the example made of this
wretch had, no doubt, salutary effect
upon the two thousand slaves who wit
messed his execution.
We are far from approving of the in
Fiction of mob law, yet, in aggravated
cases like this, popular ebullition will
manifest itself, and in view of the enor-
nifty of the wretch's, we as a public
journalist, cannot approve, yet we have
neither time nor inclination to censure
theeonduct ofthe people of South Sump-
ter, Justice was inflicted by them, and a
thousand deaths of the kind were too
good for devil, like negro Dave.