St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-09-24
TERRIBLE DEATH-BEDSCENE.
A Dying Negro Criminals Last
Statement Causes Big Relig-
ions Revival


Statement Causes a Big Relig-
ious Revival.
st. Louis Globe-Democrat.
On Sunday morning Marion Hunt, a
colored man noted for his wickedneSS,
died, and there are few of the people of
his own color who do not believe that
he is now burning in sheol. Every lit
tie crowd that gathers on street cor
ner discusses it, and strong religious
wave has swept over the colored pop
ulation of the little city of Jefferson
vile in consequence. Hunt was about
thirty-tive years Of age, and during last
winter he taught colOred school in
Shelby county, Kentucky. When the
summer vacation came he found him
self i'll and he went to his Indiana
home. Here he dissipated almost con-
tinually, and for some time past it had
been known to his relatives that his
days were numbered. During all
his life he had almost rev.
eled in wickedneSs, and it is said
if he ever had good thought he never
expressed it. Every one knew OF his
wickednesS, and when he came to die
only little group of five or six besides
the undertaken, A. K. Tucker. stood
about his bedside. For several hours
before his death the dying mans mind
had been clear, and, seeing the end fast
approaching, some one suggested that he
had better try and make his peace with
God. Hunt laughed wildly at the idea,
and, with rude oath, he declared that
he would yet live TO put flowers on all
their graves. But the laugh seemed to
freeze on his lips, aud look of wild,
indescribable fear Oyerspread his feat
ureS. His eyes became CLASSY with
fright, and his yellow skin grew aShen.
Raising himself upon one elbOW,he held
out his hands and begged for some one
to save him. Then he sank back with
grOan of despair. In trembling voice
he told how the devil was waiting for
him; how he could see the burning pits
of the evil ones domain, and he felt
himself being drawn slowly to them as
if by strong current, Just across, near
his satanic majesty. lay hideOuS black
reptile, with protruding tongue, and at
his masters bidding would coil about
him and drag him to eternal torment.
The dying mans voice grew louder as
he proceeded, and ended in wild
shrek.
The people present were so terror
stricken they could not move, and every
WOIu SCtiuCu W Dim lIllO IllCll iiCttl 10.
Hunt gave vivid description of the
country he saw himself entering. Every
thing looked bright and dazzling; the
streets were pretty to look at, but they
were red-hot, and bubbling fountains
threw up molten lead. On every
hand people in torment rushed
frantically to and fro, wringing
their hands and screaming with
pain. The terrible recital was inter-
spersed with awful oaths, and his hear
ers shuddered at each successive out
burst of blaSphemy. Gradually his
voice grew faint. and as the death-rattle
sounded in his throat, he muttered
curse and stiffened out lifeless.
This broke the strange spell over the
frightened attendants, and in
minute the room was emptied of all
save the undertaken. They told
the story many times each before
they went to sleep, and in few hours
nearly every colored man in the West
end knew of the terrible scene, and
when the funeral took place the next
evening only the back followed the
body to the grave. 1t has made a strong
impression all around, and more than
two hundred persons in Jacksonville
have already joined church in conse-
quence.