The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-08-08
Dragged to the Woods Near By, While
Screaming with Terror, and
Chained to an Iron Pipe.
BRUSH WOOD PILED ABOUT HIM
MATCH APPLIED AND OIL Used TO
HASTEN THE FLAME.
Pleas for Mercy Soon Changed by the
Doomed Negro to Anathemas-
Body Reduced to Ashes.


izing screams and his eyes bulging from his
head John Wesley Pennington, a negro.
was burned at the stake near Enterprise.
ks-, Slre a crowd of five hundred en-
ragged and determined citizens of Coffee
county this morning. The mob was COM
posed OF both whites and blacks and.
though the suffering wretch pleaded for
mercy and frantically endeavored to break
the chains that tightly bound him, not a
trace of sympathy was shown on the faces
that peered at him through the flames.
Pennington had committed a brutal
sault upon Mrs. ]. C. Davis. the wife of
one of the most prominent farmers of Cof
fee county. and confessed his guilt. The
crime was committed yesterday afternoon
while Mrs. Davis was gathering vegetables
in her garden. She was STOPPING over,
plucking tomatoes when Pennington slipped
up from behind her and threw her to the
ground. He choked the fear-stricken wom-
an into insensibility, crimilally assaulted
her and fed through the woods near by.
AS soon as she regained her senses Mrs.
Davis crawled 10 the house and told her
husband what had happened large posse
was quickly organized with bloodhounds
and they chased the negro until early this
morning, when he was captured in
swamp. Pennington was bound hand and
foot and taken back - the Davis home for
Identification. Word of the assault on Mrs.
Davis had been sent by runners for miles
around Enterprise and every farmer in
the neighborhood had joined in the search.
Some OF them were too late TO join the pur-
suing party and went TO the Davis home
and quietly awaited their return.
There is not a telegraph office in Coffee
county. but the messenger travelled fast,
and when the posse arrived this morning
with Pennington there were at least five
hundred persons gathered near the Davis
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 meet
ing of 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. but with cries of terror the
trembling man was dragged from the house
gathered.
Evidently expecting a confession, sew
eral OF the citizens had already driven an
iron pipe in the ground, and as the men ap-
preached with Pennington both whites and
blacks were piling brushwood around the
stake. The negro saw his doom, and with
a scream OF terror fell tc the ground in
faint He was quickly revived and dragged
TO the stake. while the crowd stood silently
by. The frightened man was limp and had
TO be held up while the chains were fas-
tened around his neck and body.
When all was ready the cry was given
and the crowd stood back. A match was
applied to the pile, and with oil TO feed on
the tiny fame soon burst into a roaring
fire- The terrified negro again pleaded for
mercy in the most agonzing tones. and
prayed to God that those around him might
perish. lie then called on the Maker for
forgiveness. and the flames leaped up
and encircled his neck unearthly Shrek
was heard. and The mans eyes had almost
fire had gained such headway that nothing
could be seen except a wriggling motion in
the center OF the circle of fire. A deathIy
silence followed. and in a few minutes the
flames had sufficiently subsidized to see that
Pennington's head had fallen forward and
was quickly consumed. and all OF Penning-
ton that remained was pile OF. ashes. The
crowd then quietly dispersed