The age-herald., 1900-10-03
Attempted to Outrage a Helpless
 White Woman.
FLAMES KINDLED BY THE HUSBAND
Was a Nephew of the Negro Floyd Who Was Lynched Two Weeks Ago for Sim
 liar Crime

Age-Herald Bureau, Hotel Mabson Mont gomery, October 2.-(Special.)-At o'clock this morning Wallace Townsend, a negro boy 16 years of age, was burned at the stake near Eclectic, in Fillmore County, for the offence of an attempted assault upon Mrs. G. s. Harrington.
 Three other negro boys, Frank and Jake Floyd and Virgil Miller, are in the Mont gomery jail under the charge of being &C., complices in the terrible crimes which have recently been perpetrated in Elmore County.
 The story of the crime for which Town send was burned shows 1t to be one of the blackest and most diabolical committed within the annals of the South. According to the testimony of one of the boys arrest ed, band of several had formed con- spiracy to assault practically all of the white women about Eclectic. As result of this conspiracy one has been hung, one burned, three are in jail and the sheriff of Fillmore is now in pursuit of four others, who will never reach jail if the white men of Fillmore get them before the officers. It was 10 O clock Monday morning when Wallace Townsend assaulted Mrs. Har- rington. The boy went into Mrs. Har- rington's room, she being alone, and se- creting himself behind the door, awaited her return. AS Mrs. Harrington entered through the door, the black rascal sprung upon her and seizins her by the throat he choked her until she became weak that she was easily under the control of her as- sailant. Mrs. Harrington shows plainly the signs of violence done her. Her throat was bruised until it bled and her mouth was badly torn. The fend took his fingers and holding one fin each corner of her mouth jerked it apart, tearing the lips badly into the checks When Town send had concluded his fiendish work he pledged Mrs. Harrington with threat of death that she would not divuge his name As the negro left the house MT. Nichols came up and to him Mrs. Harrington re- lated the terrible story, at the same time giving him gun to go in pursuit of the fleeing negro. Then siezed with fright for her own safety the lady begged Nichols to remain and protect her.
 News Spread Rapidly
 The news of the crime was rapidly spread. It was not many hours before mob of more than one hundred determined men was organized and they started in pursuit of the brute. There was no ques- ton as to the identity of the man wanted, as he was we'll known about the village. The mob followed him for eight miles, get ting an occasional trace When at point some eight miles from Wetumpka they were informed that Townsend had been seen in Wetumpka, and the trail was abandoned, the mob proceeding to the town.
 At Wetumpka 1t was ascertained that the negro had not been there, so the de- termined men went to the State Peniten- tiary and, securing six bloodhounds, re- turned to the spot where last the negro had been seen. It had grown dark by this hour, but the trusted hounds soon struck trail and more thrilling chase was never had across the hills of Fillmore. The flee ing negro made circuit after circuit, hoping to dodge the dogs, but to no avail.
 About Il o'clock the mob ascertained that the sheriff had gone into the country to get a negro and they waylaid him on his return. As the sheriff was returning with his prisoner he was suddenly held up and more than hundred guns were raised at him. The flashing of a match revealed that the negro in the custody of the sheriff
 
 lowed the dogs.
 About midnight, after pursuing the negro for six miles, the dogs bayed him within mile of Wetumpka. Townsend sought refuge in the top of a small tree. When the mob came up 1t required a pistol shot to bring the negro down. Very quietly the mob carried the prisoner back to Eclec- tic, distance of about fifteen miles The home of Mrs. Harrington was reached early in the morning and after the negro was fully identified as the man wanted he made complete confession. At the same time he implicated several others In the crime.
 Gruesome Suggestion
 About o'clock the mob grew impatient with their prisoner, and a suggestion from one of the leaders that the negro be burned at the stake met with ready accord. He was led into a graveyard and securely chained to a stake and score of fat pine knots were piled about him. It was left for the snraged husband to apply the match which meted out to the brute the terrible but slow punishment for his crime. The body burned into ashes, and the crowd dis persed quietly.
 The sheriff of the county ascertalned this afternoon that Townsend had implicated