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'The case of Pierre Francois, executed December 1801, by order of Governor Picton, for Sorcery, Divination, Knowledge of the Black Art, poisoning by means of Charms, &c.
7th case. Sometime in December 1801, a negro slave belonging to a Mr Patrice, was carried before a commission (already noticed) illegally formed by Governor Picton, for the purpose of trying persons accused of sorcery, divination, and poisoning by means of charms, &c. This slave, Pierre Francois, was repeatedly examined upon these charges before this tribunal, when, in all instances, he uniformly and solemnly protested his innocence. During the different examinations, which secretly took place in the jail, where these ignorant and infamous commissioners met in one of the rooms, he was confined in the stocks. Without hearing any defence from the prisoner, he was ordered to fall down on his knees, and adjudged to be _burnt alive!_
He was then conducted to the chapel, where he was first heavily ironed, and after that heard prayers.
A little after three o'clock, pm, poor Pierre was conducted by a file of soldiers to the gallows, where they chained him to a stake, and covered his body with a shirt loaded with brimstone. Faggots begin placed round the stake, they were set on fire by the executioner. Another negro, who had just been executed, was ordered to be taken off the gallows, his head cut off, and placed alongside of Pierre, when both the living and the dead were consumed in the flames.
It is stated that the frequent burnings of this sort which took place, together with the smell of the brimstone, obliged many, who lived near the gallows, to leave [start p. 193] their houses. What may be deemed remarkable, is, that though the negroes rushed off with horror from these barbarous scenes, yet it was a matter of astonishment they did not instantly massacre the white population.'
No other cases are linked to this source.
