Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1876-01-22
HANGED inn Graveyard.

At Carson. New, December 20, Pete
Burt was found hanging on post with
ir the gateway of the cemetery, with
the placarded figures COL on his breast.
Several weeks ago there, was much in
cendiarism here, and a reward of 81, 900
was offered by the insurance agents tor
a detection Burt and John Dettling
were arrested, and Burt was allowed to
testify for the State against hiscompan-
ion, who vas convicted and sentenced
to five years of imprisonment Two
, other participants in the crime helped
to swear Dettling into prison, and so
save themvslves. Burt and two others
received several warnings to leave the
city. Later several more fires were
kindled. The plan of operations cor
responded so well with the plan which
Burt and his companions had, by all
their own testimony, adopted on for
mer occasion, that the attention of the
Vigilance Committee was at once di-
rected to them, and they received Fl
nal notice to quit the city or lake the
consequences. Two needed the warn
ing, but Burt said he had no money.
Money was offered to him, but he de-
c!ined, saying that if he was to be ia
ken out OF town they would have to
pack him out.
The discovery of Burt's suspended
body was made by funeral party that
arrived al the cemetery. The dead
mans head was within eighteen inches
of the fatal cross beams; his feet, which
were covered with his boots, were with
in two or three feet of the ground his
arms were pinioned behind him, and his
legs were tied together. He was fully
dressed, save that he was without q hat,
and across his breast was pinned sheet
of white letter paper with the igures
'60l" traced upon it-that being the
title taken by the Vigilance Committee.
An inquest to day brought out all that
is publicly known ofthe lynching. Burt
had been sleeping nights in the Curry
fire companys house. ....-..
81 slept in the house last night said
one witness, Sand Bnrt was there, too.
ln the night l was aroused blythe sound
of footsteps, and | noticed that the light
which usually shone brightly through 3
crack between the partition of my bed
room and the stone wall of the building,
was dim. ] opened the door of my
room and saw man standing at the
door. He seemed to have very long
beard. | then heard a voice which
seemed to say, Pete, get up; we want
you. The voice was disguised or muf-
fed. My impression was that he was
one OF the bodiums. I then put my
head entirely out, and saw a man by the
hose cart, and at the rear Of the room
were FIVE or six other men. They had
a hidden light. They exposed this
light, aud It's rays fell upon the faces of
two Of them I did not know who
they were, as their faces wcre disguised
with something hanging over them. l
saw they were not there for the purpose
of injuring the engine, and turned in
quick. ] had been in bed half min
ute or more when voice in disguised
ton, cried ont name which / could not
rightly understand, but i thought it
said, 'Petc, we want you, aud no fool
ishncss about it, either A moment Ia
ter l heard footsteps starting for the
front door, Judging by the sound. As
they passed ont they turned the lamp
up and went away quietly. After 4
lapse Of five or ten minutes / got up
and opened my door and looked out /
saw that the lamp was too high and
that the front door was open. then
turned the lamp down and shut the
door Everything looked quiet about
the house. then went back to bed,
struck a match, looked at the clock in
my room, and it was then fifteen min
utes to two O'Clock. - 5.. -..
Burt was tweuty-six years old. He
came here from New York about year
ago, and has deservedly very lad rep
utation.