Justice Sure And Swift

Case(s)
Source Type: Newspaper
Publisher: Reading Times
Place of publication: Reading, PA
Date of publication: Aug 2, 1884 12:00 am
Source URL: View Source
Transcript:

JUSTICE SURE AND SWIFT. a Leecherons Negro’s Horrible Torture by – Alabama Mob. ANNISTON, Ala., July 81.-On Tuesday, the 13 year-old daughter of . well-known citizen of Tuscaloosa, who lives on the outskirts of this city, went into town for the purpose of taking a music lesson. On her return home in the evening, she met Andy Burke, a colored man, who asked her some questions- which she was answering, when a sheet of music fell out of her book. As she stooped down to pick it up, Burks flung his arm around her waist, and lifting her up and holding her mouth closed with his other hand, and ran into a copse with her. As he ran the girl lost her hat. A gentleman riding by saw the hat on the road, and, seeing steps into the woods and hearing muffled screams, followed the track and sound. As soon as Burke saw that rescue bad come to the girl he released her and escaped. All night Tuesday and throughout Wednesday parties of men prosecuted a search, finding Burke yesterday. They took him before the girl, who identified him fully ; then he confessed his crime. He was put in the guardhouse, from which he was subsequently taken by the mob and shot and bung near the Presbyterian Church. His body lay there n until morning, when it was carted off and buried It is charged that when the negro was taken out he was first scalped, and then permitted to remain for some time in that condition. By this time the crowd had become fully committed to the policy of torture, and be was partially disemboweled All the time, it is said, the wretch begged most piteously for death. When the lynchers had satiated themselves with the criminal’s suffering be was strung up it o a tree, all who had revolvers firing bullets into his swinging body. It is said that the the natter will be thoroughly investigated by the order of the Governor to find out the truth of these rumors, and, if possible, to reach and punish the guilty parties.