The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1893-02-07

column Of one hundred mounted men,
formed by twos, slowly fled into
Georgetown from the north, armed
with the inevitable rife and bowie
knife. All knew the work they had
come upon. The column was headed
by John s. Jones and Robert VIII
liams, . brother OF the murdered
women. They filed once around the
court house and dismounted. They
then demanded of the jailor, old Bill
Rutledge, the negro man Sam. Rut-
ledge offered to give up the key, but
was told mo, We want you to bring
the Niger" which he did and turned
him over to them. Sam was told
they had come to burn him, and they
at once started to the woods with him
where
0rAKE HAD BEEN TRIMMED
and the ground prepared for the oc-
casion about three quarters Of q mile
from town. By the time the crowd
got to the place, the trees surround
ing looked like an immense orchard
bearing heavily. living fruit. Every
negro man in the county was there
and many from adjoining counties,
and they climbed the trees to the top
most limbs to get good view Of the
sight. The fruit would sometimes get
too ripe and would come tumbling to
the ground, striking the limbs in its
fall, bruising badly some mans Niger.
Sam was taken directly to the stake,
and a thousand knives cleaned in the
sunshine, a. he was bound by chains
at the head and feet to the stake. He
still seemed to think they wouldn't
burn fifteen hundred dollars up. The
funeral pile was built around MIN by
negroes, and consisted Of the slaves
from hogsheads and shavings from
the carpenter shops, stacked within Il
circle around him Of about six feet.
Finally all being made ready, upon
the command Of Jones, Robt. VIII
liams and Doctor Riley.
APPLIED THE TORCH
to the pile, and the negro commenced
wriggling.
As it grew hotter for him and his
feet began to burn, he told DIR. Riley
to come closer and he would tell all.
The doctor warding of the heat with
his hat, approached a. near "a he
could. The negro gasped out ''it was
old marster and young master. too.
when a sudden suction of the wind
ENvELOPED HIM N FLAMES.
and he dropped, only being held up
by the chain around his neck. No, Il
shrek or cry did he send forth. a. be
probably swallowed the flames As he
ga<ped forth, the last words of his con-
fessiOu.
A serious accident took place during
the burning. A large leaning tree
had became 20 overfreighted with
human beings as to break it down.
catching three or four men in it, fail.
In place of anybody getting off. more
got on, and were crushing the life out
of the helpless ones underneath.
Old Anderson Powell, better
known here is General Pow
ell, and who is still living in
this city, took in the situation at once
and hallooed at the top of his voice
they were killing FIVE or six men, and
succeeded in getting them off the tree.
when those underneath were taken
out more dead than alive, one or TWO
badly crippled.
After the negro was burned to 4
crisp, Jones said: "Iou nigger> of
Georgetown, either white or black.
can take him. We will now go and
ges Shepherd France and burn him,
too" The whole crowd surged ~
wards town, where young France was
supposed to be. but he had made his
escape.
The France family was given ~
many days to leave the country, ana
when the time expired they were
gone.
Mr.. Raines became deranged. and
after spending some time in an asylum.
was cured. The BAZoo doe, not
know whether he is now alive ar dead.
He resided in Missouri for many
years after the above awful affair.
OTHER BrRNING>.
The St. Louis Republic also fur
nishes the history of two eases where
negros were burned a. follows:
ST. Louis was once the scene OF u
tragedy similar 10 the one enacted in
Texarkana Ark. on February 10Th
1892 and will probably he remember.