The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-08-08
THE AWFUL PENALTY
opo,s HORRIBLE. DEATH AT EN-
TERPRIsE, ALA.
suBNED AT STAKE FOR RAPE
rrssED HIS CRIME, BUT RE-
WV CEIVED NO MERCY.

wesley Pennington Assaulted
Mrs. ID. c. Davis of Coffee County In
ia. Garden-Pursued and Captur-
ia WAS Identified by the Vic-
.,n, and Promptly CONFERENCE.-THE
-. for Mercy Were Unheeded
-. lie was Hurried TO the stake
49,. whites and Blacks Joined
IN PiIins Up the Fuel.
birmingham, Ala, Aug. John
u-aslev Pennington, a negro, was burn
= a. the stake near Enterprise, Ala,
ttis morning, before crowd of 800 en-
sanod citizens of Coffee county. The
.,Ssmblage was composed of both
rn,tes and blacks, and although the
negro plead for mercy and frantically
..daovo,ed TO break the chains that
lightly bound him, not trace of SYM
nstbv was shown on the hardened faces
that peered at him through the flames.
bennington had committed an assault
anon Mrs. ]. C. Davis, the wife of a
Drominent farmer, of Coffee county
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
called to the house and told her hus.
hand what had happened. A large posse
was quickly organized and with blood
hounds they chased the negro until
early in the morning, when he was
captured in a swamp. Pennington was
hound hand and foot and taken back
10 the Davis home for identification.
Word Of the assault had been sent by
MINERS for miles around Enterprise
and every farmer in the neighborhood
left his plow to join in the search. Some
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-
ee county, but the message Travelled
rapidly and when the posse arrived
this morning with Pennington there
we're at least 500 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
waited the result of the meeting be-
tween Pennington and Mrs. Davis.
Admitted His Crime.
Mrs Davis Immediately recognized
him and the negro broke down and
Eept He admitted having eommitted
the assault and plead for mercy With
cries of terror the trembling negro was
dragged from the house and into the
Evidently expecting the confession,
several of the citizens had driven a
stake in the ground and as the men ap-
preached with Pennington, both whites
and blacks were piling brushwood
around the iron pipe. The negro saw
his doom and with scream of terror
iell to the ground in a faint.~H He was
quickly revived and dragged to the
stake while the crowd stood silently
oy. The frightened negro was limp and
mad to be held up while the chains
we're fastened around his neck and
p9dy When all was ready the cry was
gwen and the crowd stood back. A
match was applied to the pile and with
OIL TO feed upon, the tiny flame soon
uurSt INTO roaring fire. The terrified
negro again plead for mercy in agoniz-
ing tones, and prayed that those
around him might perish. He then
esiied upon his Maker for forgiveness.
deathly silence enveloped the awful
%ehe and in a few minutes the flames
mad done their work.