The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-08-08
PAID SEVERE PENALTY.
Negro Rape fiend Burned at Stake IN
Alabama.
ne PLEADED pITEOusLy FOR MERCY
Members Of His Race Helped Pile the
Faeots Around Him and No Tinee
of Sympathy Was Shown.

birmingham. Ala, August with
aecrising screams and his eyes bullying
from bis head, John Wesley Pennington,
a neero. was burned at the stake near
Enterprise, Ala, before a crowd of 800
enrngeJ and determined citizens of Coffee
coiirty this morning.
The assemblage was composed OF both
whites aud blacks and though the suf-
ferlns wretch pleaded for mercy and
fran;!c6lly endeavored TO break the chains
that tightly bound him, not trace OF
sympathy was shown on the faces that
peered at him through the flames. Penn
inlton had committed brutal assault
upua Mrs j. c. Davis, wife of one OF the
mug prominent farmers of Conee county,
and confessed his guilt.
evening while Mrs. Davis was gathering
vegetables In her garden. She was stoop'
ins over puckng tomatoes when Pennlng-
tot slipped Zip behind her and threw her
to the ground. He choked the fear
stncSen woman into insensibilitX, accom-
rlispcd his purpose and fed TO the woods
nearby AS soon as she regAined hef
senses Mrs Davis crawled to the house
AMI tod her husband what had happeneu,
a large posse was quickly organized ana
with bloodhounds they chased the negro
unt'I early I'm the morning, when he was
cnbiurcd in a swamp. Pennington was
bound hand and foot and taken BACK 60
of the assault on Mrs. Davis had been
sent by runners for miles around Enter
prise and every farmer In the neghb9r'
hood had left his plow to join In the
join the pursuers and went 10 the Davis
acme and quietly, awaited their return,
Iacre Is not, telegraph Office IN Conee
county. but the messengers quickly travel
Cd aud when the posse arrived this morn
W. with Pennington, there were Mt least
500 persons gathered near the Davis resi-
A GRO At
prisoner was seen by the crowd, but at
n signal the men Withdrew TO the woods
AMI quietly awaited the result Of the meet
Ing between Pennington and Mrs. Davis.
Mrs Davis Immediately recognized him
and she negro broke down and wept- he
admitted having committed the assault
and pleaded for mercy, but, with cries
II terror, the trembling man was dragged
from the house and into the woods, where
the crowd had gathered. Evidently eX
pecting the confession, several OF the ell
7nns lad already driven stake in the
ground and as the men appeared wiWh
Pennington both whites and blacks were
p.ling hrushwood around the iron pipe.
The regro saw his doom and with an awful
screum of terror, fell to the ground In
falnt He was quickly revived and drag,
gol 10 the stake while the crowd stood
silently by The frightened man was limp
were fastened around his neck and body.
When ali was ready the cry was given
sud tbc crowd stood back. A match was
alplel to the pile, and with oil to feed
upon The tiny flame soon burst into a roar
lug IRE The terrified negro again pleaded
for mercy in the most agOni2lng tones and
paved to God that those around him might
pestuA
il" then called upon the Maker, for for;
givrncss and as the flames leaped up and
encrclcd his neck. an unearthlN shrek was
heard and the mans eyes had almost
bnieel out Of the sockets BY this time
the fire had gained such Roadway that
nothing could be seen except wrigging
n'r'ion in the center Of a circle Of fire
deathly silence enveloped the awful sight
licicn,ll subsidized to see that Pennington's
head had fallen forward and hung limp
owe: the iron chain Tho body was quick
remained was n pile Of ashes.
The crowd then quietly dispersed