Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1900-10-04
BURNED At THES7AKE
A Negroes Horrible Fate for At
tempted Rape in Alabama.
BODY SOON In ASHES.
The Negro Confessed the Crime and
Revealed Startling Information
That Led Ia the Arrest Of
Several Other Negroes.

Wetumka, Ala. Oct. ?. - Wallace
Townsend, alias Floyd, a negro. wa
burned at the stake ia the little town Of
Eclectic. five miles FROM this place
The negroes crime was an attempted
assault ON Mrs. Linnie Harrington
whose husband set fire 10 the brand
which reduced Townsend's body /,
ashes.
Monday afternoon about O'Clock IN,
negro. a nephew Of the negro Floyd whc
was hanged in the wetupka Jail weel
before last for attempted assault, a.
tempted to outrage Mrs. Harrington
MIR. Harrington was engaged at cotton
gin in Eclectic and lives one mile out Of
town. The negro came to the house aud
told Mrs Harrington that her husband
had sent him 10 got 20 cents from her.
She told him she had no change. The
negro left the house but returned in
about 10 minutes and made the assault.
The womAn's screams we're heard by
Bob Nichols, another negro, who was
passing along the road at the time. He
ran 20 the house In time to see the negro
escape IA soon as Mrs. Harrington
was restored 20 Consciousness, Nichols
gave the alarm.
The news spread rapidly. All the
stores at Electic were instantly closed:
the ginneries and saw mills shut down;
the people left their wagons in the road
and their plows in the field and gath.
cred for pursuit Of the negro. The
crowd divided, some securing the woods
near the scene Of the crime and others
went 20 the penitentiary for bloodhouns.
The dogs were not brought 20 the scent
until nearly dark. They were taken to
where the negro's tracks disappeared
and AN exciting chase ensued. The dogs
stopped finally at a tree in front Of
odion's store on the north outskirts Of
Eclectic. The crowd coming up soon
discovered the negro sitting on a limb
He was brought down at once and taken
to the scene OF his crime There ho was
confronted by his victim who positively
identified him.
Word was sent 10 the other searching
parties that the negro had been found
and about Il O'Clock a crowd OF several
hundred men was in the little village.
He was taken to the edge Of the village
and being surrounded by the mob shiv.
cred with fear The preparations for
death were quickly made A rope wa
flung over the limb Of big oak tree aud
a hundred men stood ready 20 lend a
hand.
Then halt was called and the man.
ner Of death discussed by the mob. To
decide the matter vote was taken and
the balloting showed a majority Of the
crowd favored death at the stake.
The stake was prepared and the negro
was bound 10 IL with chains. Pine knots
wero piled about him aud ths flames
were fired by the husband Of the negro's
victim. As they leaped 70 the wretch's
flesh his wild cries 10 God for mercy
could be- heard at a great distance The
crowd looked ON deaf 10 his cries aud
half an hour the negro was reduced to
ashes
The negro made a confession implicat.
ing seven other negroes In his crime. As
this Is the second white woman assault.
ed there within month, it is now be-.
lieyed by the people Of that section that
there is q conspiracy among the negroes.
One Of the negroes implicated In the
confession Of Townsend was in Jail NJ
Wetumpka charged with burglary and
aS threats Of lynohing were made. the
negro. Virgil Miller, was brought here
and placed In the Montgomery county
Jail. The deputy sheriff had a wild drive
Of 10 miles through the country aud had
he been 30 minutes later in reaching
here a crowd Of men who came by train
would have intercepted him.
Two other negroes who are implicated
In the crime were arrested by the dep
uty. They are Frank Floyd and Jake
Floyd. brothers Of the negro Zeb Floyd.
who was lynched near Wetumpka on
Sept. Q.
A singular coincidence is that Mrs
Harrington Is kinswoman OF Miss
Pearson, who was assaulted ON Sept. 3,
for which Zsb was lynched. Il Is be-.
heyed the conspiracy Is directed against
the members Of white family. Three
negroes arr now In iail In Montgomery
aud trouble may arise In protecting
them