Horrible Outrage-A Negro Man Killed by White Men.
A most singular and brutal outrage was perpetrated on the person of an inoffensive negro named JOHN THOMPSON, well known as “Jack” in the neighborhood where he lived. The outrage resulted in his death. It occurred on Monday, at a porter house kept by a man named TUCKER, about three miles from Jersey City, on the plank roads leading to Newark. It was not, however, at the public house, on that road, known as Glen Dale, kept by another man named TUCKER.
This negro has been much addicted to drinking liquor and was believed to be near his grave from that cause. It appears that on Monday several persons, of whom one DANIEL KEENAN acted as ringleader, gave “Jack” liquor to drink until he was able to drink no more. They then poured some down his throat. After that they saturated his hair with camphene and set fire to it. Another man, who came in at the time, extinguished the flames. The negro was afterwards roughly handled by them, probably for the purpose of relieving him of the effects of the liquor. He died however, that night. Coroner SPEAR held an inquest upon the body yesterday, and the Jury rendered a verdict that the deceased came to his death by the excessive use of liquor, which was administered to him by DANIEL KEENAN and others. The Grand Jury being in session yesterday, the case was laid before them, and KEENAN was indicted.
