Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1901-08-16
BURNED AT THE STAKE.
Hob In Georgia Takes Revenge on
the CoIorcd Assni1nnt OF
White Woman.


Savannah, Ga, Aug. 12.-The negro
assailant of Mrs. j. j. Clark was cap
tured at Liberty City Friday by r. l..
Young, n section master of the Sea-
board air line. Friday night he was
taken to Ways Station and identified
by Mrs. Clark positively. While be-
ing removed from Ways to Bryan
county Jail the prisoner was taken
away from his captors by mob, and,
it is reported, was burned at the stake.
With his prisoner Mr.. Young reached
Ways Station at $40 o'clock, but
found no one in authority waiting to
receive him and take charge of the
negro. The negro up to this time had
stoldly denied all knowledge of the
assault upon Mrs. Clark. He was car
ried before his victim, and she posi-
lively identified him as the man who
had assaulted her. She said there
could be no doubt that the negro un-
der arrest was the guilty man, and
with this positive assurance Mr..
| Young started with his prisoner for
Bryan county jail He was not per-
mitted to reach his destination. Five
hundred yards from the place where
| the crime was committed mob of
| 400 or 500 men was collected. It's
| leader demanded the surrender of the
prisoner, and Mr.. Young had no al
| ternative but obedience to their de-
mand. He was ordered then to leave
| the vicinity, and he obeyed this COM
mand. A short time afterward he
| saw fire, the flames from which
ascended above the tops of the sur
rounding trees. He telegraphed that
he had no doubt that the negro was
burned at the stake.
Later the story of the burning of
the negro was confirmed. His positive
identification by his victim sealed his
fate A mob of 400 men clamored for
| his life, but the leaders of the mob.
numbering less than a dozen, carried
into execution the plans of vengeance
they had formed. The rest of the
mob was kept at a distance and was
not permitted to come within 100 yards
of the Place where Washington met
his death. This was at a spot n few
feet from the railway track and not
| 500 yards from the house in which the
ravisher committed the crime for
which he paid so dreadful penalty.
He walked to his death without trem-
or and met it without prayer or an
appeal for mercy. He admitted his
guilt of crimes incident to the princi-
pal one, which proved his guilt of that.
But to the end he stubbornly refused
to acknowle dge that he had assaulte d
Mrs. Clark. Along the side of the rail-
way track crowbar was driven into
the earth. To this Washington was
forced, and bound in sitting posi-
tion. His legs extended straight in
front of him on either side of the bar.
A chain held him fast around the waist,
while heavy rope encircled the bar
and his neck.
Washington's victim had been asked
by the leaders of the mob to apply
the torch to the pyre, but at this of.
flee her soul revolted and she refused
Her husband was selected in her
stead. Washington looked straight
into the eyes of Clark as the latter
stopped down to apply the match
The wood was rich, fat pine and was
saturated with kerosene oil. The
flames leaped hungrily towards
Washington's body. The man showed
no signs in his face of the agony he
must have suffered, and met deatf
without n groan, as seemingly hs
had faced it without fear. The lead
ers of the mob watched the work o.
the flames until Washington's heaC
fell back upon his shoulders and ht
died. For some minutes longer the,
waited around the spot, and then
without a shot having been fired
without noise and without undue ex
citement, they dispersed.