The Canton times., 1902-10-03
In FIEND BRURNED AT The STAKE
E,rnth Miss, After Confessing to the Brutal
Murder of Mrs. Whitfield
ss and Persuasons OF the Citizens to Hang the Negro
n d nv the Mob--Five Thousand People Witness the
Ivnching- of Tom Cark's 1any Crimes

mn Miss, Sept. 26.-Under the
Ill., ai1o vault of the heavens and
D ooft warm summer sunshine,
81 s amphitheater as natural as
al manned by an architect, Mis-
!, vengeance took the place OF
Esinui \ Justice this afternoon, and
r. p( Gibson, the negro who con-
- - tbe crime of criminally as
- and numbering Mrs. Minnie
Eanld ~ on Friday afternoon, Au-
d at Corinth, Miss, was burned
! stake.
|bsd in store for them, and the
pnness of the awful vengeance
/ n out to Will Gibson, the negro
was all the more terrible to
! who witnessed 1t.
4 neople of Corinth themselves
hi at.a late hour on Saturday
that Gibson had been captured
|sad confessed to being the brute
assaulted and killed Mrs. Min
Whitfield of one of the most highly
,etad families of this section.
n was captured about 7 o'clock
e evening, but it was not until
II o'clock that he confessed to
rime for which he had been ar
|.
ring the morning the rumor be-.
current that a new confession
been made by the prisoner, in
be finally admitted that he had
nally assaulted Mrs. Whitfield,
hat it was done before the wo-
was dead. This rumor was con-
by those who had watched Glib
uring the early morning hours,
soon as this was known the in
ion of the gathering crowds
to be increased a hundred
Burning Was Decided On.
as at this time the first report
burning was spread about the
On all hands it was passed from
to mouth that the hanging
had been planned would be
d to a burning at the stake, and
'owds were hauling boxes and
the scene of the affair, which
AIMED to take place about half
outside of the city.
Move ON the Jail.
pity at 8 o'clock the organized
I citizens moved on the jail,
up from the rear along the
A large cotton wagon, contain
large wooden boxes drove up.1
lie Of the Jail, while Immediate
wing it were about twenty-five
horseback all armed. Fol-
these came twenty men, march
column of fours, armed with |
s. The entire procession
! up to the front of the Jail, |
very orderly manner, no loud |
3 or unnecessary noise being |
bout rne affair. |
egro was placed on the wagon |
procession was taken up to
1e of the (. burning. Several |
q people had assembled about
during the early part of the
n, intent on getting the first
the prisoner, and as soon as
ught a glimpse of him they
Itely fell into line. The
urged all around the wagon
the condemned man, extend
It a quarter of a mile in front
ut half a mile in the rear of
on. In this way they moved
I'm the town.
at Scene of Bnrning.
scene of the burning the pict-
I'd be hard to describe. The
S arranged naturally in the
an immense amphitheater, the
Ing in a sort of semi-circle
! little knoll, on which was
ne gallows on which the ne
2 was to be bound. The scat
built about twelve feet above
nd, affording every one pres /,
xcellent view of all the pro-
crowd gathered before the
rived, Mayor Henry mounted
old and calling for quiet in
d, he made a short address.
four weeks ago when Mrs.
was murdered in such a
manner, l promised the peo-
rlnth that when the criminal
oyered and proven the city
would not Interfere with the
Ing out Of the punishment
fully deserves. Last night
captured, and from his own
q there is no doubt of his
the people are now assem-
to deal out his punishment.
lmittee was appointed to look
finding Of the guilty man,
3 that committee has worked
faithfully, 1t met with little
They have acted as they
best at all times and have
DO their duty. l now ask
I quietly and in good order"
isoner Sees the scaffold.
FOR Henry finished speaking
q with the prisoner drove up
mt Of the scaffold. and again
noled crowds broke out in
Ellis. The very sight of the