The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-01-22

hi. agony. .I have told o that ! am :
innocent. I can't tell you n more.
didn't dc tt
.He res: burn him. cried mob.
Take him where he committed tHs
murder suggested one
immediately the crowd. carrying tho
negro. who was thrown into q wagon.
pushed on toward Fourth stree1- Az
n quarter past s O'Clock AlexanoeI was
rough to the exact spot where fea.i
Forbes. the murdered girl. was found.
and a semf-efrcae was formed Alex
! ander was brought M in n wagon. win
a dozen men. The leader called Tor ST.
lence. The roar ceased. and A~lexanoer
was showed forward into fuh view OF
the crowd. A owl went up. WHICH
was quickly hushed. as the prisoner
raised his shackied hands and began 70
speak. Twice the crowd rowne MS
trembling voice.
You are going TO kill me, whatever
say" he said. but You men are
wrong. / want to tell you right now.
you have got the wrong man. oadn.
dc that. and some day you men VIII
run up against the man who did II
/ know it ain't any use to say so. for
you are going to kRl me. but i didn't
do it"
BOUND TO THE STAKE
The men standing behind Alexander
then showed him from the wagon. and
the roar from the crowd own every
other sound. The negro was quickly
driven down the embankment 20 =
pile OF wood. with his hands stu
shackled. to be bound to the stake.
Many OF the crowd carried rails and
boards. Several seized railroad Irons
and carried them to the rayfne. A
railroad iron was planted upright IN
the mud. This was made fast 10 cross
irons. firmly bound % the upright iron
with wire. Around the improvised
stake wood and boards We're piled. To
this the man was dragged. and chain
ed in a standing position TO the upright
railroad iron Chains and irons were
| wrapped about him. and wiki his
hands shackied, he was made fast TO
the post. Coal-oH was then poured
over him..
Before the match was applied. John.
| Forbes. father of the murdered girl.
stepped up to Alexander and said:
Are you guilty OF numbering my
daughter"
II don't know what YOU have me
here for" said Alexander.
Forbes heplied: For killing my girl
on this very spot"
Mr.. Forbes. If that's your name. You
have the wrong man." said the negro
Burn him. burn him." cried the
crowd"
Gentlemen. you have got lots Of
time" said Alexander. You are burn
ing an innocent man. You have h
advantage OF me. You gave me no
show. Can ] see my mother?'
Alexander again asked TO see his
mother. She was called for, but was
not in the crowd.
l. Alexander then said: viii you let
me shake lands with all my frfends?'
You have no friends in this crowd,
Il n - han c ~ -nI1 n 81 ha MAN
in charge of the negro. "If you have
anything to say, say 1t in a hurry"
| Coal-oil was then applied for the sec
ond time, while Alexander called 10
acquaintance in the crowd. and said
good-by to them. He talked nationally
until John Forbes. the father OF the
murdered girl. lighted the match.
Again Alexander was asked to make a
confession, but he replied that he had
| nothing to say.
AS the flames leaped about him Alex
ander turned a CHASTITY hue. and. clasp
ing his hands together, began to sway
to and fro, while the crowd yelled.
In five minu the negro was hanging
limp and lifeless by the chain that
ID him. AS soon as the crowd saw
that life was extinct IL began to slow
ly disperse. Hundreds, however. re-
manned to the last. Men kept piling on
wood all the time until about 7 O'Clock,
| When Tile HdfleS were allowed TO ole
down.
From 6 to s o'clock there was a con-
tinuous stream of people going from
and to the scene of the burning. La
ter. there was a wild scramble to obtain
relics.
HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED.
| After Alexander arrest he was
taken before Miss Roth. who identified
him.. Since then a mob has surround
ed the penftentiary day and night. To-
day Governor Stanley ordered two
companies of militia To be in readiness
to start for Leavenworth at a moments
notice.
| Governor Stanley ordered Warden
TomlinSon to refuse to turn exand
over TO the sheriff. unless he agreed in
writing to protect him.
GOVERNOR BLAMES SHERIFF.
Topeka. Kan. January Ex-Governor
Stanley condemns Sheriff Everhart, OF
Leavenworth, in unmeasured terms. He
says the sheriff should be made to
make retrfbution. He has offered $500
reward for the apprehension OF any one
implicated in the burning OF Alexander
today.