The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1886-01-06
BURNED AT TEE STARE,

Particulars Of tho Terrible Fate OF Alex
ander Notwithstanding Story of the Muir
dor and Assault Upon Miss Carrie boyer
and the Fate of the Murderer.
On Friday week, at Gainesville,
Clark county, Ala, n young lady nam
cd Carrie Boyer, seventeen years old,
was waylaid while on her way home
from q neighbours. She wass found
dying with u bullet hole in the back OF
her neck and with her skull crushed in.
a broken gunstock, with blood npon
it, was found lying in the road. The
Sunstock was recognized us belonging
to Alexander Reid, a negro living
near at hand. The barrel ofthc broken
gun was found in his house. 1t had
blood and hair upon it. Reid fled
when the avengers came to look for
him. Tho people of Clarke and adj
joining counties, both whites and blacks,
organized q hunt for the murderer.
The river banks had been secured and
every avenue of escape cut of. The
blacks were as eager as the whites to
catch tho murderer. Two negroes
captured him at the county line. When
captured a guard was placed over
Reid, who was placed in chains and
marched to Jamestown.
People along the road demanded
that Reid sh u be lnchcd, but the
guard replied that he must be taken to
the scene of his crime. The guard,
then numbering two hundred men,
reached Gainestown with the prisoner
at 8 O'Clock Sunday morning. The
prisoner maintained sullcn silence till
Sunday, when he confessed his guilt.
Then he said that he had not intended
to Kill the young lady, but that his gun
went off accidentally and wounded
her. Seeing that he was in for it any
how, he beat out her brains with the
stock of the gum. The crime, it will
be remembered was one of great afro
city. Reid assaulted the young lady
while she was walking home after
having visited u friend near Gaines
town. He concealed himself with his
gnn by the roadside and sprang on the
young lady as she passed through q
strip of woods. She resisted and was
too strong for him to carry out his
his fist and gun. The brave girl fought
her by striking her repeatedly after she
fell.
After the arrival Of Reid and the
guard at Jamestown it was evident
that but short shritt would be allowed
him. About = O'Clock in the afternoon
a crowd of five hundred persons, white
and black, took the prisoner out on the
road near the spot where the murder
had been committed and chained him
to q tree. Blacks and whites piled
lightwood about the miserable crimi-
nal, and when the pile was breast high
one among them applied the torch.
AS the flames shot upward the negro
gave shricks of agony. The crowd
seeing the smoke and flames cnvclop-
ing him, did not wish him to die 50
easily. They scattered the brands and
the nan was sccu writhing i'm ago'.y.
Once more a pile off lightwood was
constructed and the flames sprang up
briskly scorching the negro terribly.
Before they became fatal, however,
they were ugain subdued, and again
the doomed wretch was seen convulsed
with terror and pain. The third time tho
pile was lighted it was allowed to do
its work, and the body of Reid was
completely reduced to ashes. The
crowd then dispersed to their homes.
This is the second incident of the
kind in the same place. About seven
years ago a negro preacher who muir
dcred Al old lady and n little boy an d
assaulted q Young girl was in a similar
manner tied to the stake and roasted
to death.