The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1900-10-11
BURNED AT STAKE.
HORRIBLE CRIME OF A MOB DOWN
IN ALABAMA.
LEAVE WORK TO HUNT MAN
Wingfield Townsend. Alias Floyd, is Al
legged to Have Assaulted Mrs. Lonnie
Harrington, Near Eclectric, About
Fifteen Miles From Wetumpka-An.
other Negro Gave the Alarm.

Wetumpka, Ala Especially Winfield
townsend alias Floyd a negro, was
burned at the stake in the little town
or Eclectic, fifteen miles from this
place, half-hour after midnight. The
crime with which he was charged was
an attempted assault upon Mrs. Lon.
ME Harrington, whose husband set fire
to the brands which reduced Town
sends body to ashes
About one o'clock the negro, o
nephew of the negro Floyd, who was
hanged in the Wetumpka Jail week
before last for attempted assault, at
tempted to outrage Mrs. Harrington.
Mr.. Harrington was engaged at a
cotton gin in Eclectic, and lives one
mile out of town. The negro came to
the house and told Mrs. Harrington
that her husband had sent him to get
twenty cents from her. She told him
shc mad no change. Then the negro
left. but returned in about ten min
utes. The womans screams were
heard by Bob Nichols, another negro
who was passing along the road at the
time. He ran to the house in time
to see the negro escape. AS soon as
Mrs. Harrington was brought back tc
consciousness Nichols gave the alarm
The news spread rapidly All the
stores in Eclectic were closed; all the
gins and sawmills shut down; the peo.
PIE left their wagons in the road, and
their plows in the field, and gathered
tor a pursuit of the negro. The crowd
divided, some securing the woods near
the scene OF the crime and others went
to the penitentiary for bloodhounds.
The dogs were not brought to the
scene until nearly dark. They were
taken to where the negro's tracks dis
appeared, and an exciting chase en-
sued. The dogs stopped finally at a
tree in front of Odion's store, on the
outskirts of the town. The crowd COM
ing up soon discovered the negro sit
ting on limb He was brought down
at once and taken to the scene of his
crime. There he was confronted by
his victim, who positively identified
him. Word was sent to the other
searching parties that the negro had
been found, and about eleven o'clock
a crowd of several hundred was in the
little village The negro, shivering
with fear was then taken to the edge
of the village and surrounded by the
mob. The preparations for death were
quickly made. A rope was flung over
the limb of big oak and a hundred
stood ready to lend a hand at the rope
Then halt was called and the man.
ner of death discussed by the mob. To
decide the matter a vote was taken
and the ballot showed a majority of
the crowd to favor death at the stake
The stake was prepared, and the
negro bound to it with chains. Pine
knots were piled about him, and the
flames were fired by the husband of
the negro's victim. AS they leaped to
the wretchs flesh his wild cries upon
God for mercy and help could be heard
for miles. The crowd looked on deaf
to his cries, and in an hour the negro
was reduced to ashes.
Townsend before being bound con-
fessed the crime, and said he was also
implicated with Alexander Floyd, who
was hanged two weeks ago for an at
tempted assault on Miss Kate Pearson,
in the attempt at that time.