Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-09-29
Negro Criminal Confesses to At
rocious Crimcs-Is Lynched
By a Mob
1tiE HUSBAND APPLIES ToRcH
Fastened to an Iron Rod the Prisoner
Is Surrounded by Fagots and the
Moss Fired-Admits His Crime and
Declared He Deserved Death-suf.
fers Terrible Agony.

Corinth, Miss, Sept. 29.--Writhing In
the flames of burning fagots, piled high
by hundreds of citizens, Tom Clark.
alias Will Gibson, a young negro, was
burned at the stake here alta late hour
Sunday after having confessed to one
of the most atrocious crimes in the
history of north Mississippi. the as
sault and murder of Mrs. Carey White
field, on August 10 last.
Before the torch was applied Clark
stated that he deserved his fate. Last
August Mrs. whitetield, the wife Of a
we'll known citizen, was found dead In
her home Investigation showed that
the woman had been assaulted and her
head practically severed from her body,
a razor having been used in the bloody
work.
Several suspects were arrested, but IN
each case an alibi was proven. COM
mittee of twelve citizens We're named to
continue the search for the murderer
and these men have been very active
in their work On Monday last 1t be-
came known that Tom Clark, negro
living near here, had had trouble with
his wife and the latter threatened to
disclose the seer ct of a crime.
officers unprecedented the woman and
she told enough to warrant the belief
that Clark had murdered Mrs. Whit
field.
Clark was brought before the COM
mittee of twelve in Corinth and finally
confessed to the murder and also told
of other crimes that he had committed.
He said that several years ago he killed
two men on an excursion train in Mis-
sissippi. He told of an outrage perpe-
trated by himself upon a negro wom-
an.
Clark said he had covered up his
tracks in a way to deceive the oncers
of the law. After hearing the confess
sion the committee decided that the
negro should be hanged froma telegraph
pole in the street.
Clark said he deserved death. but
asked that the execution be delayed I'M
til Sunday so that he could have fare
well Interview with his mother and
brother who lived in Memphis The re-
quest was granted and the two relatives
were telegraphed for. but it was
learned that they We're in Mississippi.
Meanwhile the news of the negros'
arrest and confession spread rapidly
over the surrounding country and sun
days incoming trains brought hundreds
Of people into the city to witness the
execution. At 3 O'clock the prisoner.
heavily manacled, was taken from the
Jail by posse of armed men, and fol-
lowed by a large and excited crowd OF
men and boys, was led to the east gate
of the negro cemetery.
Fagots and wood had been piled high
around the iron stake, and the negro
was securely fastened to the iron rod.
Clark again said he deserved the fate
prepared for him, and asked that a let
ter be delivered to his mother and
brother.
He appealed to his brother to raise
his children properly, admonishlng
them to beware of evil company. Fin
ally all was In readiness and the word
was given to fire the funeral pile.
The husband and brother Of Clark's
victim stepped forward and applied
torches and in q moment the flames
leaped upward enveloping the trem-
bling negro in smoke and fire. The
clothing of the man was soon ignited
and as the flames grew hotter the skin
began to parch. The negro moaned
pfteously at this juncture and the agon-
izinE look upon his face told of the
awful torture he was undergoing.
Finally his head fell upon his breast
sand IN q few minutes all was over Tho
flames We're fed by the crowd until the
body was burned to crisp. Then the
gathering dispersed.