The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-08-26
BURNT ALIVE
Woman's Assaillant Burned at Stake 10
Oklahoma by Iafuriated Nib
CONFESSED HIS GUILT

Thousands View Gruesome Spectacle
in Main Street of Purcell, Follow.
ing Capture Of Man Who Attack.
ed Farmers Wife and Sought to
Hide Crime by Firing House.
While 5000 men, women and chill
dren stood by shouting their approx
al, Peter Carter, negro, who had
previously been captured by three
members Of his own race and iden-
titled as the man who last Wednes-
day night attacked Mrs. MIME Sprag-
gins, wife of a farmer, was burned
to death on brush pile, in the main
street of Purcell, at five o'clock on
Thursday afternoon.
Deputy Sheriff Hayes and Under
Sheriff Farris, who attempted to res
cue the negro from the crowd, were
overpowered and locked in the Court
House.
Mrs. Spraggins was assaulted while
alone in her home, one mile south of
Purcell. After the deed the negro
set fire to the Spraggins home. Mrs.
Spraggin's husband saw the flames
while working in the fields and rush
ed into the house in time to rescue
his wife. She declared Carter, who
formerly worked on the Spraggin's
farm, had attacket her.
Officers went to Carter's home and
arrested him. He was turned over
to a constable, but on the way to
jail escaped. When 1t became known
that the negro was free, farmers OF
the neighborhood organized a posse
and an all-night search was made.
The negro was net found.
Thursday afternoon Hingley Hen
ry, a negro janitor, noticed a strange
negro riding, under box car near
the Oklahoma Central Railway sta
ton. With the aid of two other ne
groes, who had armed themselves,
the negro janitor pulled Carter from
beneath the car. He was then taken
to the main street of Purcell, where
a great crowd had gathered.
Turn that negro over to me, u
said a tall farmer, who suddenly
seemed ITO assume command of the
crowd.
The janitor and his two aides obey
ed. Carter was taken across the
street and in All instant many men
and boys were gathered. At this
iuncture Deputy Sheriff Hayes and
Under Sheriff Farris arrived and
pleaded with the mob to turn the
prisoner over to them. The Sheriff
and his assistant were locked up and
the negro was led out and placed or
an oil-soaked brush heap, built
around q telephone pole. He was
tied to the pole and the torch applied
Cheers came from the crowd as the
flames licked the victims face, ano
men and women in motor cars wat
ched him die. AS he was lashed te
the pole the negro shrieked for mer'
cy. After the flames died down the
crowd slowly dispersed. The negro's
body was burned to a crisp.
Mrs. Spraggins, who Is not ex
pected to live, said Carter entered
her home and struck her on the heae
with a revolver, beating her until she
was unconscious. An old mattress
was torn up and scattered over hel
body. After the negro had set tn
mattress on fire he fled. AS MIS-
spraggins was crawling from undel
the fire the negro then re-appearet
and again struck her with a pipe
breaking her jaw and beating he'
badly. Her husband, rushing to th'
house. rescued his wife, unconscious
In a few minutes more she woul'
have been dead.
The pile of wood and brush OF
which the negro's body was burned
was still smouldering at ten ocloci
Thursday night. The town was yer:
ouiet. The cheers of the crowd
when the first flames shot up, min
gled with the piercing cries or TN
negro, and after the fire had burn
ed for an hour and the body was noth
ing but a crisp, the crowd agall
cheered. Then it dispersed.
While the majority of those Wh'
gathered about to witness the blacI
mans death were men, there "er
many women in the crowd.
A remarkablee feature OF the al
fair was that while the crowd wa
determined upon the death OF the ne
GRO, It was far more quiet than us
nal under similar conditions. Not
shot was fired. The escape or IN
negro, following his arrest, seeme'
TO add to the fury of the searcher
for the black man.
Talk about town, following Tn
lynching, bears the message or III
negro that he was 1.-The right man.
As whispered from lip to lip come
brief confession, made as he was le
to his funeral pyre.