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A Fearful Death

A Fearful Death image
Parent Issue
Day
20
Month
April
Year
1877
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

A special f rom Conyers, Ga., states that the jail at tliat place was buined today and three negro prisoners perislied in the flamea. The door to the jail was on the second floor, the first story being a solid dungeon wliich opened from the top by a trap door. Bofore the fire was discovered it had bitrned away the steps and cut oif all communication with the prisoners. There was no engine in tlie town, and the fire had its own way. ïhe heat was so intense that it was impossible to approach the buüöiug. At length an axe was forced Üirough an aperture to the prisoners, and they commenccd to out through the heavy logs that made the dungeon walls. The ñames, however, swept downward rapidly, and soou Imrned through the upper floor and sent a shower of embers and lurid blaze on the wretehed men bolow. In this horrid illumination they could be plninly seen by the crowd outside. Crazed with pain and fear they capercd about like mad men, dashing theniselves against the walls and sercaming in the rnost fearful manner. ïheir attempts to cut through the walls, while furious, had no intelligent direction. They liacked about wildly, frequently fighting liko brute for the possession of the ax. At length the wholc upper floor gave way, and the three wretehed men, clutching the outer logs, stretched their hands to the crowd outside and were lost in a blinding sheet of ñame. The prisoners talked with the crowd during the progresa of the firo, and said they had he'ard i match struck up stairs au ïiour before the fire was visible and supposed it was the jailer. It was oertainly incendiary, andis believed to have been done by friends of the prisoners. It commenced at the door on the second story. The pri&oners were put ín jail just a day and a half before the fire occiarred. and were sentenced to a few

Article

Subjects
Michigan Argus
Old News