Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-02-13
BURNED AT THE STAKE.

The burning of LUTHER HoLBERr
and his wife at the stake at DoDDs-
WILLIE, MISSISSIPPI, Sunday Feb. 18th
1904 was unquestionably one of the
most fiendish outrages ever permitted in
any civilized country in the world
Were it not openly admitted to be a
fact, there would be some doubt as to
the reliability of the information
furnished. Couple this with the fact
that the woman had nothing to do with
the affair other than stand by her
husband to the last and you have an
atrocity, the like of which is a fitting
counterpart of the Middle Ages
1t is worse than the Spanish Inquisition
1t seems that HoLBERr was in OARR's
cabin on EAsTLAND's plantation. EAST
LAND, learning of it entered the cabin
and ordered HoLBERT to leave. WIN
TIERS colored man was also present.
Hot words followed and EAsTLAND, be.
ing armed was about to kill HoLBERr.
who fired first, fatally wounding EAST
LAND, the white man. HoIBERr's
bullet is said TO have killed CARR.
HoLBERr escaped. The remarkable
part about the matter was the Fidelity
of his wife. She determined to travel
with him. Although blood-hounds
were placed ON their trail, they made
their way through the cane brake and
swamps, travelling one hundred miles
on foot. No one will ever fully realize
their suffering. The devoted woman
encouraged her husband in his flight
and during those long weary, nights
slept with him as he staggered on to
some place of safety.
The prayers murmured in the midst
of those gloomy surroundings are all
over now. A party of blood thirsty
white men came upon them, after they
had been exhausted and were sleeping.
They were near SHEPHERDsTowN and
were immediately taken back to DoDDs-
VILE. Their capture was effected at
three O'Clock in the morning. The mob
HoLBERr had killed the white man in
an open fight. There was no faint of
assassination about it. He had not
| killed or assaulted n white woman. He
had been hunted across four counties
| in four days chase and two packs of
blood hounds had been mustered into
service. He was finally captured while
he slept.
MISSISSIPPI has its own laws and they
are administered by white men. The
right of suffage for the colored man has
been wiped out and the Supreme
Court of the United States has con-
CURED in its obliteration.
Was this not enough? Oh, no. HoL
BERT was to be denied the protection of
the laws and his faithful wife was 20
share with him the mob's fury. Depite
the solemn injunction of the CONSTITUTE
ion of the United States that "cruel anu
unusual punishment shall not be infiict-
ed" LEWIS HoLBERT, a colored man and
his wife were conducted to a stake,
almost within the shadow of the
colored church at that place.
1t is nee dless now to picture the
means and groans of this unfortunate
colored man and his wife. They pray
ed to Con and he gave them deliverance
even in the midst of this furnace OF
seething fire.
The fagots were piled up and the
demons set fire TO the pile AMI LEWIS
HoLBERT and his wife became martyrs
to the cause of self defense. Fire is q
terrible thing and yet these poor victims
stood it all while the flames consumed
their clothes, roasted and parboi.ei Their
flesh until tired nature could stand ne
more aud all was over.
Gov. VARDEMAN is in this state. He
evidently knew Of every unlawful steI
and yet he permitted an uneducated
man and woman, those who had no.
been subjected as he says to the blight
ing effect of an education to be bar
barously treated,
Think you that the colored people o.
that section feel satisfied over thes,
conditions? Think you that they hav,
love in their hearts for the fiends wht
perpetrated this outrage? No, no. TIL,
worm will yet turn. They prayed anC
no doubt are still praying.
This is hardly the way to check o
, stop these outrages. 1t behooves ever,
|, colored man to sell his life as dearly a
! possible, die game and go 'shoutin,
home to glory" Stand up like whit
men and be counted.
) Had Negro mob burned whit
r man and his wife at the stake, ever.
9 pulpit in the land Would be the hust