NEGRO BURNT ON PYRE

Greymouth Evening Star, 25 March 1929, Page 8

NEGRO BURNT ON PYRE

TORTURED FOR SEVEN HOURS.

ROME (Mississippi, Jan. 14. A negro who had murdered a white maxi and abducted his daughter, 18 years of age, was burned to death by a mob here last evening. Miss Laura Mae Keeler, a Woman planter only sft in height, showed remarkable courage in effecting the capture of the man.’ When informed that the fugitive was hiding on her premises, and would surrender to hex’ alone, she seized a revolver, entered the hut where the negro was concealed, disarmed him, and started to the gaol with him. They were intercepted on the road, however, by a mob, which had formed with astonishing rapidity. The negro admitted his guilt, and thus absolved two other blacks who were suspected of complicity in the crime.

The mob, at whose mercy the man remained, for seven hours, improvised a pyre of timber and made him fast to it with chains. Then, after firing- a number of bullets at him and mutilating his body, the crowd poured petrol over him and the timber and applied a lighted torch. He apparently suffered a slo.w death. With almost his last breath he cursed the crowd, then numbering about 2000. The crime for which the negro was lynched was a peculiarly odious one, having been committed against a white man who had offended him, and a white girl who w as tom from the side of. her dying father at the rifle’s point. The negro threatened, to kill her also if she did not obey him. ~