The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-06-10
Burning Negro at the Stake In
THE SCENE WITNESSED BY THnIR rHOUsAH
ANDrwO THOUSAND eLAyRa. '


ANDrw0 THOUSAND SLAVES.
From the Marion (Miss Republican, May %.
Some time since We pu ,lshed an account Of the
der Of Miss Thornton, an intsrsstng young girl RED
and detection of the negro, his immediate punishn
was seriously contemplated BY the people Of Sun!
citizens delivered him into the custody Of the proper
Aeers, and he was committed to prison.
Al the late Of the circuit court Of sunptsr ceunS
charge Of his duty, moved for charge q verne to
Green county The Judge, IS the motion va. sustained
On wednssdsy last the citizens Of South sa.pssr Is.
sembled en- nasse At Mr. william McEroys, and unani-
mousy passed series OF resolutions reect.g seriously
upon the conduct Of the Judge and after having pledged
themselves to sustain each other. portion q them
BY force from the 5aii where he was confined.
On Friday last, after due PREPARATION they carried him
TO the spot where he so cru. murdered his innocent
victim, and burnt him alive 1T the stake.
About three thousand persons present, whs wit
messed, with various emotions the dreadful spectacle
ness scene lac IT, The pyrs was composed Of several
cords Of light wood in the centr,of which green
willow stake, selected in consequence OF its ndssrre
on top of the pile Of light wood the criminal
placed, and securely chained TO the stake. whils in
this situation he confessed his guilt stating that he had
NO acoomphcetbat he sctuated by lust alsne-thA
he had attempted 70 violate her person. but had failed
by beating the poor innocent creature with stump
that while he was doing this she mpored him to carry
her home to her father and that she would conceal the
violence he had inflicted He then left, but soon
turned and after again beating her. he concealed the
body in the very hole where the stake planted to
which he suffered
After this confession Was made the match was APP
Piled, and in . few moments the devourng flames were
envelopng the doomed Dgro his fearful cries resounded
through the air while the surrounding negroes who
messed his dreadful agony and horrible eontorons sent
up an involuntary ho~l Of horror. His sudsrings,
the flames had enveloped him entirely, reveal
ing now and then they 6tfully swayed, hithsr
and thither, his black and burning CARCASS, like demon
Of the fire. grinnng if in hsllish triumph 1t his tor
mentors. Soon all over, nothing left but the
burning flesh and chArred skeleton Of this human devil
who could thu deliberately perpetrate SO fsul crime.
Tue horrid outrage fearfuy avenged, and though
the heavens ressDg with the stencil Of burning
aesh yet Justice was stsa.d the law Of retaliation was
inflicted nearly it could be- while the example made
Of this wretch had no DOUBT sautary effect upon the
two thousand slaves who witnessed his execution.
We far from approving Of the naicton Of mob law,
yet IN aggravated cases like this populsr ebultsn viii
manifest ITSELF and in OF the enormity Of the
wretchs offence, as public journ ast, cannot ap
prove yet We have neither time inclination to con-
sure the conduct Of TIE peos Of South Sumpter Jus.
tcs Inflicted by them and thousand deaths Of the
kind were too good for devil like negro Dave