Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1900-10-04
A NEGRO BURxED AT ruI STAKE.
WfnGeid Townsend. Taken by Mob
60 the scene OF His Crime, and
There Reduced TO Aahes.

Wetumpka. Ala. October 2-wIniield
/ Townsend. alias Floyd, a negro, was
burned at the stake In the little town
place. half hour after midnight thiR
morning. The negro's crime was an at
tempted assault upon Mrs. Lennie Har-
rington. whose husband set fire TO the
brands which reduced Townsend's body
10 ashes. Yesterday afternoon about /
O'Clock. the negro. q nephew OF negro
Floyd. who was hung In the wetumpka
Jail week before last, for attempted as
sault. attempted to assault Mrs. Har-
rinGton. Mrs. Harrington was engaged
at q cotton giu In Eclectic and lives one
mile out OF town. The negro came 10
the house end told Mrs Harrington
that her husband had sent him to get
twenty cents from her. She told him
she had no change. Then the negro LEFT.
but returned In about ten minutes The
woman's screams were heard by Bob
Nichols, another negro. who was pass
Ing 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 TO consciousness
Nichols gave the alarm.
The news spread rapidly All the
stores in Eclectic were closed ali the
gins and saw mills shut down; the peo.
pie left their wagons In the road ana
their plows IN the fields and gathered
for pursuit OF the negro. The crowd
divided. some securing the woods near
the scene of the crime and others went
TO the pen for blood hounds
The dogs were not brought 70 the
scene until nearly dark They were
taken where the negros tracks disap-
peared and an exciting chase cnsued
The dogs stopped finally at a tree IN
mont OF Odion's store. on the outskirts
OF the town. 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
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 II
o'clock crowd OF several hundred
were in the little village. The negro
was then taken To the edge OF tho VIII
iage and surrounded by the mob. ahlv-
sring with fear The preparations for
death were quickly arranged. a rope
was flung over the limb OF big oak
and a hundred men stood ready 10 lend
q 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 ballottng showed a majority OF
the crowd to favor death at the stake.
The stake was prepared and the negro
was bound to II 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 fQT
miles. The crowd looked on. deaf TO his
cries and In an hour the negro was re-
duced to ashes.
Townsend. before being bound oon-
fessed the crime, and said he was also
implicated with Alexander Floyd. who
was hung a couple OF weeks ago for
an attempted assault on Miss Kate
Pearson in the attempt at that time.
He said he and Floyd had planned for
other crimes of like character. but that
Floyd's being hung put a stop 10 them