The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-10-03
He Had Attempted an Assault ON n
White Woman, hut Was Prevent
ed by Another Negro.
A LONG CHASE WITH HOUNDS
FUGITIVE FOUND In TREE NEAR
THE SCENE OF HIS CRIME.
Confessed that He Was Implicated
with Floyd, Hanged Two Weeks
Ago for a Similar Ofense.

WETUMPKA, Ala, Oct. 2.-Winfield
Townsend, alias Floyd. negro, was
burned at the stake in the little town Of
Eclectic, fifteen miles from this place. a
half hour after midnight this morning. The
negro's crime was an attempted assault on
Mrs. Lonnie Harrington, whose husband
set fire to the fuel which reduced Town
sends body to ashes.
Yesterday afternoon at 1 o'clock Town
send, who was a nephew of the negro
Floyd, who was hanged in the Wetumpka
Jail week before last for attempted as
sault, attempted TO assault Mrs. Harring-
ton. Mr.. Harrington was 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 20 cents from her. She told him she
had no change. Then the negro left, but
returned in about ten minutes. The wom-
ans screams were heard by Bob Nichols. a
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 restored TO consciousness
Nichols gave the alarm.
The news spread rapidly All the stores
at Eclectic were instantly closed; the gin
neries and sawmills shut down; the people
left their wagons In the road and their
plows in the field and gathered for pur-
suit of the negro. The crowd divided, some
securing the woods near the scene of the
crime and others going to the penitentiary
for bloodhounds. The dogs were not
brought to the scene until nearly dark
They were taken TO where the negro's
ensued.
The dogs stopped finally at a tree in
front of Odions store. on the north out
skirts 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 he
was confronted by his victim. who posi-
lively identified him. Word was sent to
the other searching parties that the negro
had been found. and about IL o'clock a
crowd of several hundred was in the little
village. The negro was taken TO the edge
of the village and preparations for his
death were quickly made. A rope was
| flung over the limb of big oak and hun
dred men stood ready to swing him up.
| Then a halt called and the manner
| of death discussed by the mob. A vote was
| taken and the balloting 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 start
ed by the husband OF Townsends intended
| victim. AS they leaped to the negro's flesh
| he uttered wild cries 10 God for mercy and
| help. The crowd looked on. deaf 10 his
cries. and in an hour the negro was reduced
| TO ashes.
Townsend. before being bound. confessed
the crime and said he was also implicated
| with Alex. Floyd, who was hanged two
weeks ago for an attempted assault on
Miss Kate Pearson. He said he and Floyd
had planned for other crimes Of like char
actera