Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-09-29
NEGROBURNED
FOR ASSAULT
At STAKE
MURDERER CLARK is BETRAY-
ED TO THE LAW BY HIS WIFE,
CONFESSES AND is CREMAT-
ED BY MOB.

CORINTH, Miss, Sept. 2S.-Tom Clark.
alias Will Gibson, colored. was put to
death near this city, BY fire. this after
noon for assault on aud murder of AIRS.
Minnie WHITEHEAD, which occurred at her
home, in Corinth, on August 20. about
noon.
The victim was highly respected white
lady, and, having no children, was alone
when assaulted. The negro approached
the house, and looking through the win
dow into the ladys bedroom saw her
dressing. About this time she saw him..
He told her that he was sent to borrow
saw The lady stepped out and opened
hall door, holding in her hand pistol.
She told the negro to- get the saw ana
leave He advanced upon her and she
held the pistol on him and backed through
the house into the yard, where she
screamed. The negro caught her and
carried her into the house, where ne
choked her and assaulted her, leaving
her for dead. He went through the house
and got about so cents and razor in an
other room. He heard the woman strug-
Cling and returned and cut her throat.
He took the pistol and made his escape,
hiding in field.
His Wife Informed on Him.
Last sunday w III 0idIh . WALc 6ON
drunk, for which he whipped her. She
kept quiet until yesterday afternoon,
when, smarting under the indignity, she
told a negro man that Clark was the muir
derer of Mrs. Whitfield, who reported to
the officers and the negro was arrested.
He had told his wife where the pistol was
! hidden, and 1t was found there and when
he was confronted with this and other
| evidences, he broke down and confessed
to the crime.
Clark was arrested and on yesterday
brought before a committee of twelve in
Corinth. The negro finally confessed to
the murder and also told of other crimes
that he had committed. He said that sew
eral years ago he killed two men on an
excursion train in Mississippi. He told
of an outrage perpetrated by himself up
on negro woman and also of the theft
of $500 from a physician at French
Camp, Miss Clark said that he had new
er been suspected Of having committed
any of these crimes and had covered up
his tracks in a way to deceive the officers
o. the law
After hearing the confession, the COM
mittee decided that the negro should be
hanged from telegraph pole in the
street Clark said he deserved death but
asked that the execution be delayed until
today so he could have farewell inter-
view with his mother and brother who
lived In Memphis. The request was
granted and the two relatives were tele-
graphed for, but 1t was learned that they
were in, Mississippi.
Burned at the Stake.
At 3 o'clock the prisoner. heavily mana
cled, was taken from the Jail by posse
of armed men, and followed by a large
and excited crowd of men and boys, was
led to the east gate of the negro cemetery,
49,
the city. Fagots and wood had been
piled high around the stake and the negro
was securely fastened to the iron rod.
Clark was asked If he cared to make a
statement. He again said that he de-
served the fate prepared for him and
asked that a letter be delivered to his
mother and brother. He appealed to his
brother to raise his children properly, adj
monishing them to beware of evil COM
panions.
Finally all was in readiness and the
word was given to fire the funeral pile,
The husband and brother of Clark's vic
tim stepped forward and applied torches
and in a moment the flames leaped for
ward, enveloping the trembling negro in
smoke and fire. The clothing of the DOOM
ed man was soon ignited and as the
flames grew hotter the skin began to
parch The negro moaned piteously at
this juncture and the agonizing look upon
his face told of the awful torture he was
undergoing Finally his head fell forward
upon the breast and in a few moments
all wasN over.
The flames were fed by the crowd until
the body was burned to a crisp. Then
the gathering in an orderly manner dis
persed and the town soon assumed it's
normal condition
The committee of twelve and many Of
the. representative citizens of Corinth Wig
orously opposed burning the negro and
argued that he should be hanged J. H.
Henning, of Birmingham, Ala, brother
of Mrs. Whitfield, would not consent to
this proposition and insisted that Clark
should be burned.