Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-07-29
ARsYoIrrse sroRH.
Burned as the Stake for killing and
Cooking a Child.
ia A.. Il

SAVANNAH, Ga, July H.--One OF the
most horrible stories ever told comes from
Tatnall county. II is hard to believe that
there can be truth in it, and yet it Is
vouched for as authentic. As it has rea, he'd
here IL Is a story of cannibalism and tor
ture that almost defies the imagination.
A few days ago some OF the colored
people in the lower end of the county
held picnic. They had engaged M a
cook and general overseer of the culii, Try
department an old negro woman. Gent
preparations had been made for the fes-
tivities and the sport ran high. II WAS a
hungry band that gathered for dinner and
awaited the summons. II was served at
last and the merry makers fell to with a
will. Hardly had the edibles begun to
disappear when strange hush fell upon
the boisterous group. One Of them bad
been served with n piece Of meat that
chung TO small iointed bone. II did not
look like anything he had ever seen come
from nm oven or frying pan before and he
spoke of il 10 his neighbor. The other
looked at it attentively for moment.
ut is the finger of child, lie snid.
There was sensation which quit ky
spread into little panic when the news
OF the discovery began to be passed
around. A hasty examination of other
plates was made. More fingers were
found and pieces of meat that were evil
IDENTIFY human flesh were held up upon
forks and gazed at by the now thoroughly
excited negroes. They gazed at each
other in frightened way for moment
and then there was simultaneous break
for the cabin in which the old cook had
prepared the horrible meal. She met
them at the door brandishing long
knife. A wild light-that Of a maniac
CLEANED from her eyes. The crowd
paused as the knife was fourished over
their heads. All but one, a woman, who
rushed forward with a shrek;
MY child What have you done with
my child"
There was no answer from the old cook.
~ left 1t here in her charge" cried the
excited mother, appealing to the friends
about her. Where is it ? She has killed
itln
With fiendish yells the dusky army,
fred by her agonizing cries, bore down
upon the cook, and in spite OF her frantic
struggles, tore the knife from her grasp.
Some of them held her while others
searched the cabin. Evidences of the
murder were about them. There was
blood on the floor and q table was
-nleared with it. The living child was no.
where to be seen, but in its place was a
portion of little human body, which
had been taken from the oven. Pieces of
flesh had been carved from il.
The excitement among the searchers
was of the widest kind. They tore every
thing to pieces in the rickety cabin in
their fury. II was plain enough that the
old woman had murdered the child right
there in that room and had cooked half of
the body. Where was the other half |?
There were drops of blood across the
floor. Some one less excited than the
rest followed the tell-tale trail. II led to
barrel Just outside and behind the
shanty. A shout informed his companions
that the missing portion had been found.
They rushed out to find him pulling it
from the barrel, where it had been sailed
down as fish is sailed.
Then there was general cry for VEN
geance and the frenzied shouts rang
through tho trees. Some suggested lynch
ing, but there was no rope. Others wanted
to hack her in pieces with the same knife
that took the life of the little child. Still
another cried "Burn herl" and the cry
was taken up and repeated until all in the
excited crowd were crying ''Burn her!
burn herl" She fought like wild beast.
She crouohed and struggled and used her
teeth and hands. But her oaptors were
too many TO cope with successfully and
she was led out TO the slaughter.
Kicking and shrieking they dragged
her to tree and bound her tightly to it.
Then they hoaped brush around her and
fred it in o dozen places. A circle of fire
surrounded her and from the midst of it
she begged for mercy one moment and
ahrieked her imprecations the next and
around her stood the excited negroes,
watching the flames as they scorched her
flesh and seized upon her clothing and
enveloped her in a sheet Of ire. Il was
a scene too horrible TO paint, but not one
of them took their eyes from her until
she fell into the ashes ablackened corpse.
The woman was undoubtedly insane.
She was seized with sudden desire tc
kill the child and dill it. There was nc
attempt to conceal the crime. On tn,
contrary, her horrible performances are
most conclusive evidence that she was moi
in her right mind.