The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-21
BURNED ALIVE In REVENGE
NEGRO'S PENALTY FOR BURNING
A FAMILY TO DEATH.

| Mother and Four Children Set on Fire on
Wednesday at st. Anne, Miss, by Three
NeEroes-All the Victims Perish-Con-
fessed Leader Burned Mt the Same Place
by Nob-One Alleged Accomplish Is
capes and Another Is Finally spared.
MEMPHIS. Tenn. Oct. 20.-Two shocking
crimes have been committed at the little
village Of st. Anne. Miss. the last two
nights. one the natural sequence Of the
other. The first was the murder OF a
mother and four children by negroes. The
second was the burning at the stake OF tho
leader OF the black men by enragcd citizens OF
Mississippi At st. Anne lives j. H. Gambrell.
an aged and well-to-do farmer. His family
consisted OF himself. his wife. his daughters
Salle. aged Is. and Maud. IL. a son Haywood.
aged l., and baby boy. years old.
Before daylight on Thursday Mr.. Gambrell
left his home to take load OF cotton to Canton.
Shortly after he left the sleeping family was
awakened 10y party OF negroes. who seized
them. tied them tightly together with ropes
and placed them on the floor in
the middle Of one OF tho rooms
OF the Gambrel residence. They then
picked up Il feather bed. ripped open the tick
ing with corn knives and emptied its contents
upon the mother and children. They then
secured the kerosene can and a quantity Of
eottonseed oil. The rineleader informed the
helpless victims that 1t was their intention to
burn them alive.
The mother and the elder boy who had
fought desperately while being tied, now
begged piteousy that they and the others
might be spared from such death. only to be
jeered and laughed at by the demons Tho
hnwayar aH 70 for IA
but calmly awaited their fate
The oil was poured over the mot her and chill
dren and blazing pine knot touched to the
iniammable material. In a moment the writh-
ing victims were enveloped in fire. Soon death
came to their relief. the victims being stfed
by the thick black smoke OF the OIL The MUIR
derers then ransacked the house. obtaining
$lS6 in money.
Neighbors attracted to the scene soon dis
covered that wholesale murder had been COM
mitted. Suspicion pointed to Joe Letlore. a
negro. who lived a mile from the Gam brel
homo. posse started after him. but
he was captured several miles from
the scene OF the murder. At first
he denied all knowledge. but later confessed
that he and Bob and Anderson Smith, two
other negroes. had committed the crime mar
rating the details OF the most revolving tragedy
In the history Of the State. Later the accom-
plices OF Lefore were captured and brought to
the place. where he was held prisoner by the
mob.
Early this morning. with ropes around their
necks and hands manacled. the thrae men
were taken back to the black ned home OF the
Gambres and with Leflore chained to a stake
driven deep into the ground in the door yard
Pine knots were piled up around his feet. A
torch was applied and soon the flames were
licking away his life. Some one OF the mob,
appalled, by the shrleks OF Lefiore. sent bullet
into his body. fastening death.
Anderson Smith escaped while Joe Lef1ore
was being burned. and has not been recap
tured. His brother Bob was fastened to an
other stake. and light wood Ire built
around him. but he protested his innocence so
| strongly that the fire was raked away. some
believing him to be innocent. His legs how
ever, were so badly burned that even IL he
su rvlves he will be cripple. Lefore almost
with his last breath charged the Smiths with
being his accom- plices.