Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1902-10-04
|RO FIEND BRURNEO AT the STAKE
-ornth, Miss, After Confessing to the Bruta,
Murder of Mrs. Whitfield,
ngs and Persuasons OF the Citizens to Hang the Negro
.rore1 by the Mob-Fve Thousand People Witness III.
Lynching--Lst of Tom Clarks rlany Crimes

negro Gibson, who was pulled IN bv
the rope about his neck, and punched
up from the rear with the barrels of
shotguns. Then Mich Mccain also
mounted the scafrold, and in n lond
voice he announced, The Etbiopian
wants to say something"
Gibson was stood up on the seat
ioId and securely bound to the cross.
beams OF iron by heavy chains. Then
wire was also wrapped about him and
the iron, and in this condition he was
tod to 90 ahead aud make his final
TAX. Gibson, speaking with a culver
in his voice, said:
Ladies and Gentlemen-I am uD
mere this evening for this crime on
me, and am guilty Of the crime.
ask everybody to forgive me if they
can. My heart has been troubled
ever since the death Of Mrs. Whitfield.
and | deserve the punishment | am
going to get Oh, my God, the time
has come and l hope will be able to
meet you in heaven. Oh, God, | have
prayed all night and all day long.
ask the Lord to be with me on this
stand this evening and | thank Thee
with all my heart"
Ready for Execution.
The scene was now becoming one of
appalling interest. All the figures
were in place for the final event.
which was to usher mans life into
eternity in one of the most heartrend.
Ing ways possible, while thousands of
human beings were standing about
waiting to witness the death agenies.
John Timberlake mounted the plat.
form beside the negro, ana calling for
order, he stated that before the crowd
stood one of the worst daredeylls that
ever disgraced Alcorn county and he
knew that all negro men who were
In the crowd Of sightseers would tes
tlfy that he was receiving his Just re-
ward for the crime he had committed
He then thanked the negro preacher
who was present at the Jail and made
such feryent prayer the night be,
fore.
Mr. Tlmberlake announced that II
was determined to burn the negro,
and that Harry Hennlng, a brother of
the murdered woman would cot fro
to the immense Dile Of wood which
would end the existence Of the nopro
brute. This announcement was re.
ceiyed with a cheer from the crowd
Henning mounted the platform and
said: Ladies and gentlemen Iwant
to show you all that can burn him
with as much COld-blOOded nerve as he
murdered my sister" and with that he
touched the match to the pile and
sprung down to the ground.
The sight now beggared description.
1t was one of absolute horror even to
the most cruel. The terrible agony
on the face of the negro cannot be de-
scribed in cold words, and the yet
more horrible cries of agony and fear
were something to be remembered to
ones dying day. 1t was a sight Of a
llIetlme ana one Oh those Wnlch, Wlen |
once seen, can never be forgotten
Death Agony of Captive.
As the flames caught at the nine
wood hacked in about his feet Glib. |
son gave ono nervous start as n TO
tear himself away from the chains |
that bonnd him to 50 horrible a fate.
II woe IN NO avail however as the
Iinks would mot mart and no manner
of tugging on his part would help the
matter any. The action. though, was |
involuntary and was caused by mortal
agony.
Victim Prayed Rapidly.
Az tbo fire came closer and began
- as rooJ [nV a. ny hi. % Goet ana AMI c,othipr his
o,ao " lcou ~, ~ ona ",3 ,o,Is wero boartrendinr
TIe nraved with every breath, faster
n,', nio pl"s eoctor or "nti, @ be conld not sneak
"mt omt ony L%S' ,nora G and tben only the con.
I-t out si' gi.tna In @ ~ bis foca and mouth
oon5a u,It'o ho W.. soon n,s ,rbo muscles Of his
I IoIiu ,I,'t,i,o,o,d u9 scJ" ro,irn1ed nc though
nouy ,t,itom oWito'' ooonae o,lG and as each aame
rno. ~ =" nt,''Ii, hn W. wonid scream out again
snG' up i'' "0"'' - '''
anu "s''H' -,,.. a., ,f,o o+
me n!"'on ,,l,'' was piai' o"5 ~ 9.19 o,rIock
Just 800 0ciocN, anu az -, .oeo 10 who Who
he was pronounced ue"q ~ ~ VA cu01v ooosnG
watched hllH W IioSelg ey, Iro ,,os ,, oo1ing ont
70 hio'e' anq '''T T,,,o "a qash on bis lower
OF MS mouth l n9 ne'n arjI, ~ -',9 ond bod
limbs was cooked 10 a &c oiIsp 8oroo "n0 boot l
turned Whlte unues H., 'Io "a. Het tbo tC arns r
anu, anu as ~ o%p' eoop ~ work n little and
could be seen 10 "o'N " ii'''' 1''O
cease' n..os 4ho oriroos