The semi-weekly messenger., 1901-08-09
BURNED AT THE STAKE
A NEGRO PAYS THIS AWFUL PENAL TY|
FOR A HEIN0US CRIME.
QUICK JUSTICE WAS METED OUT
To the Negro Brute Who Criminany
Assaulted a White Woman by an
Infuriated Crowd of Whites and
! Blacks In Coffee County, AIa.-Run
Down by BIoodhounds and the
Crime Confessed. the Criminal Inn
mediately Suffers Death at the stake.

Birmingham, Ala, August with
agonizing screams and his eyes bulging
from his head, John Wesley Penning-
ton. a negro, was burned at the stake
near Enterprise, Ala, this morning be-
fore a crowd of 500 enraged citizens OF
Coffee county. The assemblage was
composed of both whites and black and
although the negro pleaded for mercy
and frantically endeavored to break
the chains that lightly bound him, not
a trace of sympathy was shown on the
hardened faces that peered at him
through the flames.
Pennington had committed an as
sault upon Mrs. J. c. Davis, the wife
of a prominent farmer, of Coffee coun-
ty. and had confessed his guilt.
The crime was committed yesterday
afternoon while Mrs. Davis was gather
ing vegetables in her garden. AS soon
as she regained her senses, Mrs. Davis
crawled to the house and told her huS-
band what had happened. A large
posse was quickly organized and with
bloodhounds they chased the negro
until early morning when he was cap
tured in swamp. Pennington was
bound hand and foot and taken back
for Identification.
Word of the assault had been sent
by runners for miles around Enterprise
and every farmer in the neighborhood
left his ploW to join in the search.
Some of them were too late to join the
pursuing party and went to the Davis
home to await their return.
There is not a. telegraph office in COf-
fee county, but the message Travelled
rapidly and when the posse arrived this
morning with Pennington there were at
least 500 persons gathered near the Da-
Wis residence.
a great shout went up when the
prisoner was seen by the crowd, but at
a signal the men withdrew to the woods
and quietly awaited the result of the
meeting between Pennington and Mrs.
Davis.
Mrs. Davis Immediately recognized
him and the negro broke down and
wept. He admitted having committed
the assault and pleaded for mercy.
With cries of terror the trembling
man was dragged from the house and
into the woods where the crowd had
gathered.
Evidently expecting the confession,
several of the citizens had driven an
iron stake in the ground and as the men
approached with Pennington, both
whites and blacks were piling brush
wood around the iron pipe
The negro saw his doom, and with a
scream of terror fell to the ground in a
faint. He was quickly revived and
dragged to the stake, while the crowd
stood silently by. The frightened mar
was limp and had to be helped up while
the chains wers fastened arouG-
neck and body.
When all was ready the cry was giver
and the crowd stood back. A match
was applied to the pile, and with oil tc
feed upon. the tiny flame soon burst
into q roaring fire.
The terrified negro again pleaded fol
mercy in agOniZing tones and prayed
to God that those around him NIGH
perish. He then called upon his Maker
for forgiveness. A deathly silence wa:
preserved during the awful scene, anC
in a few minutes the flames had done
their work