Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1855-06-28
From the New Orleins Delta, June :
Burning q Negro Slave.

A few week since, Miss Thornton, an inter
esting younggirl, residing near Castor, Ala,
was most brutally murdered by slave. Imme-
. diately after the murder, and detection of the
negro, his immediate punishment was seri-
ously contemplated by the people OF Sumpter
county, but after mature deliberation, the law
abiding citizens delivered him into the Gus.
tody of the proper officers, and he was COM
miticd to prison.
At the last term of Circuit Court of Sump-
Ter county, the Attorney appointed by the
Court in the discharge of his duty, moved
for change ofvenue to Green county. The
Judge, as the motion was sustained by -,
proper afIi davit, granted the applica.,op.
On Wednesday, the 23d u,...., the citizen,
of South SumPter 'a..ssembled en- mass. a
Mr. VIM. McE..iioy's and unanimously passed
series of resolutions, rejecting seriously
oPon the conduct ofthe Judge, and after
having pledged themselves to sustain each
other, portion Of them proceeded to Living.
ston, and took the miserable criminal by force
ir Din the Jail where he was confined.
On Friday following after due preparation,
, they carried him to the spot where he SO
| cruelty murdered his innocent victom, d burnt
him alive at the stake.
About three thousand persons were present,
who witnessed, with various emotions; me
dreadful spectacle.
1--WE were present. says the editors of the
MAJ lion (Miss) Republican, "but hope that we
will never witness scene like it. The pyre
was composed ofseveral- al-cords OF light wood in
the centre OF which was green willow stake
selected in consequence ofits ndestructbility
by fire.
'On the top of the pile Of light wood the
criminal was placed and securely chained Ito
the stake. While in this situation he con.
fessed his guilt, stating that he had no ac.
complice, that he was actuated by lust alone
that he had attempted to violate her person,
but had failed, and to conceal the attempt,
he had cruelty murdered her BY beating the
poor innocent creature with stump, that
while doing this she mplored him to carry
her home 10 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 oody in
the very hole where the stake was planted
to which he suffered.
"After this confession was made, the
match was applied, aad in a few moments
the devouring flames were enveloping the
doomed negro; his fearful cries resouldeC
through the air, while the surrounding ne
groes who witnessed his dreadful agony ant
horrible contortions, sent up an involuntary
howl of horror. His sufferings, though ex.
cruciatng, were short; in few minutes the
flames had enveloped him entirely, revealing
now and then, as they fitfully svayed hither
and thther, his black and burning carcass,
like demon of fire, grinning as if in hellish
triumph, at his termentors. Soon all was
over, nothing was left but the burning flesh
and charred skeleton of this human devil
who could thus deliberately perpetrate so
foul a crime. The horrible outrage was fear
fully avenged, and though the heavens were
reeking with the stencil OF burning flesh, yet
justice was satisfied; the law oc retaliation
was inflicted as nearly as it could be, while
the exomple made of this wretch had, no
doubt, a salutary effect upon the two thous-
and slaves who witnessed his execution"