Year: 1859

A correspondent of the st. Louis Democrat,
writing from Marshall, Saline county, Missou-
ri, under date of July Goth, gives the follow
ing account of the burning OF one negro at the
stake and the hanging of two others:


"Some time ago, you will reeollect, negro
murdered gentleman named Hinton, near
Waverly in this county. He was caught after
a long search, and put in Jail. Yesterday he
was tried at this place and convicted of the
crime, and sentenced to be hung. While the
Sheriff was conveying him to prison he was
set upon by the crowd, and taken from that
officer. The mob then proceeded to the Jail
and took from thence two other negroes. One
of them had attempted the life of citizen of
this place, and the other had just committed
an outrage upon a young white girl. After
the mob got the negroes together, they pro-
ceeded to the outskirts of the town. and Sc
lecting proper place. chained the negro who
killed Hinton, to stake, got quantity OF dry
wood, piled it around him, and set it on fire
Then commenced scene, which, for its sick
ening horrors, has never been witnessed be-
fore in this, or perhaps any other place. ;,


Tho negro was stripped to his waist, and
barefooted. He looked the picture of despair
but there was no sympathy felt for him at
the moment. Presently the fire began to surge
up in flames around him, and its effects were
soon made visible in the futile attempts of the
poor wretch to move his feet. As the flames
gathered about his limbs and body he COM





for mercy-for death-for water! He seized
his chains-they were hot and burnt the flesh
off his hands. He would drop them and catch
at them again and again. Then he would re-
peat his cries. but all to no purpose. In a
few moments he was charred masS-boneS and
flesh alike burnt into powder. Many, very
many of the spectators, who did not realize
the full horrors of the scene, until it was too
late to change it, retired disgusted and sick
at the sight. May Marshall never wit
ness such another spectacle. The ends Of JUS
tice surely as fully accomplished by the
ordinary process of law as by the violence of
an excited populace. If the horrors OF the
day had ended here, it would have been well,
but the other negroes were taken and hung
justly, perhaps-but in violation of law and
good order. They exhibited no remorse. One
of them simply remarked, ssthat he hoped be-
fore they hung him they would let him see
the other boy burn! y


The outrage Iperperrated by the negro was
upon the daughter of highly respectable far
mer named Lamb, living near Marshall. 1t
appears that number of children had gone to
gather blackberries not far from the town,
where the negro, who belonged to one of the
neighboring farmers, was at work in the field.
According to the statement of the chileren, the
first they saw of him was when he rushed in
among them perfectly naked, and seized the
eldest of them, about thirteen years of age,





frightened and ran away, while the negro drag
ged his victim into thicket and committed
the iendish act. While he was dragging her
along, she told him she would tell his master
and her father upon him. He replied he was
a runaway and had no master. In the mean
time her little brother, who was one of the
party, FASTENED into the town and told his pa
rents the story. A party of men Immediately
started for the spot as directed, and found the
girl in convusions. After bathing her she re-
covered sufficiently to tell the occurrence.
They then went in pursuit of the negro, and
from her description of him, found him at
work in the field. He was Immediately arres-
ted, taken before justice, and confronted
with the girl. who had been conveyed to the
magistrates office. She recognized him i'm
mediately He was put in Jail, but the people
took him. with the others, and hung him as I
have stated. Mr. and Mrs. Lamb, it is stated,
are almost insane about the matter. The girl,
although much injured, will recover. There
must have been upwards of one thousand peo-
pie present, although many returned before
the affair was over. srt