Burning a Negro At The Stake In [Unintelligible]

Burning a Negro at the Stake in THE SCENE WITNESSED BY THREE THOUSAN AND TWO THOUSAND SLAVES. [From the Marion (Miss.) Republican, May 28. Some time since we published an account of the der of Miss Thornton, an interesting young girl, rest near Gasten, Alabama. Immediately after the mu and detection of the negro, his immediate punishm was seriously contemplated by the people of Summp county, but after mature deliberation the law abidi citizens delivered him into the custody of the proper ficers, and he was committed to prison. At the late term of the circuit court of Sumpter coun ty, the attorney appointed by the Court, in the dis- charge of his duty, moved for a change of venue to Green county. The Judge, as the motion was sustained by the proper affidavit sustained the application. On Wednesday last the citizens of South Sumpter as- sembled en masse at Mr. William McEtroy’s, and unani- mously passed a series of resolutions, reflecting seriously upon the conduct of the Judge, and after having pledged themselves to sustain each other, a portion of them proceeded to Livingston, and took the miserable criminal by force from the jail where he was confined. On Friday last, after due preparation, they carried him to the spot where he 80 cruelly murdered his innocent victim, and burnt him alive at the stake. About three thousand persons were present, who wit- nessed, with various emotions, the dreadful spectacle. We were present, but hope that we will never again wit- ness a scene like it. The pyre was composed of several cords of light wood. in the centre, of which was a green willow stake, selected in consequence of its indestructi- bility by fire. On the top of the pile of l’ght-wood the criminal was placed, and securely chained to the stake. While in this situation he confessed his guilt, stating that he had no acoomplice-tbat he was actuated by lust alone-tha he had attempted to violate her person, but had failed and to conceal the attempt he had cruelly murdered her by beating the poor innocent creature with a stump that while he was doing this she implored him to carry her home to her father, and that she would conceal the violence he had inflicted. He then left, but soon re- turned, and after again beating her, he concealed the body in the very hole where the stake was planted to which he suffered. After this confession was made the match was ap- plied, and in a few moments the devouring flames were enveloping the doomed nogro; his fearful cries resounded through the air, while the surrounding negroes who wit- nessed his dreadful agony and horrible contortions sent up an involuntary howl of horror. His sufferings, though excrutiating, were short; in a few minutes the flames had enveloped him entirely, reveal- ing now and then as they fitfully awayed, hither and thither, his black and burning carca3s, like a demon of the fire, grinning as if in hellish triumph at his tor- mentors. Soon all was over, nothing was left but the burning fiesh and charred skeleton of this human devil, who could thus deliberately perpetrate so foul a crime. The horrid outrage was fearfully avenged, and though the heavens were reeking with the stench of burning flesh, yet justice was satisfied; the law of retaliation was inflicted as nearly as it could be, while the example made of this wretch had, no doubt, a salutary effect upon the two thousand slaves who witnessed his execution. We are far from approving of the infliction of mob law, yet, in aggravated cases like this, popular ebulition will manifest itself, and in view of the enormity of the wretch’s offence, we, as a public journalist, cannot ap. prove, yet we have neither time nor inclination to con- sure, the conduct of the people of South Sumpter. Jus. tice was inflicted by them. and & thousand deaths of the kind were too good for a devil like negro Dave. Burning a Negro at the Stake in THE SCENE WITNESSED BY THREE THOUSAN AND TWO THOUSAND SLAVES. [From the Marion (Miss.) Republican, May 28. Some time since we published an account of the der of Miss Thornton, an interesting young girl, rest near Gasten, Alabama. Immediately after the mu and detection of the negro, his immediate punishm was seriously contemplated by the people of Summp county, but after mature deliberation the law abidi citizens delivered him into the custody of the proper ficers, and he was committed to prison. At the late term of the circuit court of Sumpter coun ty, the attorney appointed by the Court, in the dis- charge of his duty, moved for a change of venue to Green county. The Judge, as the motion was sustained by the proper affidavit sustained the application. On Wednesday last the citizens of South Sumpter as- sembled en masse at Mr. William McEtroy’s, and unani- mously passed a series of resolutions, reflecting seriously upon the conduct of the Judge, and after having pledged themselves to sustain each other, a portion of them proceeded to Livingston, and took the miserable criminal by force from the jail where he was confined. On Friday last, after due preparation, they carried him to the spot where he 80 cruelly murdered his innocent victim, and burnt him alive at the stake. About three thousand persons were present, who wit- nessed, with various emotions, the dreadful spectacle. We were present, but hope that we will never again wit- ness a scene like it. The pyre was composed of several cords of light wood. in the centre, of which was a green willow stake, selected in consequence of its indestructi- bility by fire. On the top of the pile of l’ght-wood the criminal was placed, and securely chained to the stake. While in this situation he confessed his guilt, stating that he had no acoomplice-tbat he was actuated by lust alone-tha he had attempted to violate her person, but had failed and to conceal the attempt he had cruelly murdered her by beating the poor innocent creature with a stump that while he was doing this she implored him to carry her home to her father, and that she would conceal the violence he had inflicted. He then left, but soon re- turned, and after again beating her, he concealed the body in the very hole where the stake was planted to which he suffered. After this confession was made the match was ap- plied, and in a few moments the devouring flames were enveloping the doomed nogro; his fearful cries resounded through the air, while the surrounding negroes who wit- nessed his dreadful agony and horrible contortions sent up an involuntary howl of horror. His sufferings, though excrutiating, were short; in a few minutes the flames had enveloped him entirely, reveal- ing now and then as they fitfully awayed, hither and thither, his black and burning carca3s, like a demon of the fire, grinning as if in hellish triumph at his tor- mentors. Soon all was over, nothing was left but the burning fiesh and charred skeleton of this human devil, who could thus deliberately perpetrate so foul a crime. The horrid outrage was fearfully avenged, and though the heavens were reeking with the stench of burning flesh, yet justice was satisfied; the law of retaliation was inflicted as nearly as it could be, while the example made of this wretch had, no doubt, a salutary effect upon the two thousand slaves who witnessed his execution. We are far from approving of the infliction of mob law, yet, in aggravated cases like this, popular ebulition will manifest itself, and in view of the enormity of the wretch’s offence, we, as a public journalist, cannot ap. prove, yet we have neither time nor inclination to con- sure, the conduct of the people of South Sumpter. Jus. tice was inflicted by them. and & thousand deaths of the kind were too good for a devil like negro Dave.