Mr. Burmey's two sons, Peter and John, were the ringleaders in this
execution, and the pair of them hardly ever saw a sober day from one month
to another; and at the execution of Dan, Peter was so drunk that he came
nigh sharing the same fate. It was not a year after the roasting of Dan
that the two brothers were thrashing wheat in the barn, which stood about
a quarter of a mile from the house, and being in March, and an uncommon
windy day, they had taken their demijohn full of brandy in order to keep
the cold out of their bones, as it was their belief that a dram or two had
that effect; so they were drinking and thrashing and drinking again until
they reeled over dead drunk upon the floor. That same night the barn took
fire over them. The first thing that excited the alarm of my master's
negroes on Tillotson's plantation was a black smoke issuing from the barn.
Suddenly there was a rush from all parts of the plantation, but it was all
to no purpose, for scarcely had we got half way before we saw the flames
bursting out on every side of the barn, still we continued to run as fast
as we could. When we arrived we found the barn door shut and fastened
inside. This Mr. Peter and Mr. John had done to keep out the wind which
was very high. When old Mr. Burmey arrived with his daughter-in-law,
Peter's wife, the first thing demanded was, where is your masters?--oh, my
children! my children! while Mrs. Peter screamed, my husband! my husband!
oh, pa! oh, pa! The strength of the flames inside at length burst open the
barn door, when we beheld through the red flames the figures of the two
wretched brothers lying side by side dead drunk and helpless upon the
floor. The fire rapidly seized upon everything around. At this moment Mrs.
Peter Burmey rushed into the flames to save her husband, but just as she
attempted to enter, the beam over the door fell in upon her head, and
struck her back senseless and suffocated to the ground; but,
notwithstanding the most intense hatred to Burmey and his family, we
negroes rushed forward to rescue them--but all in vain. After getting