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Avenging a Crime; or, Burned at the Stake
(1904) United States of America
B&W : Short film
Directed by (unknown)
Cast: (unknown)
Paley & Steiner production; distributed by [?] Lubin Manufacturing Company? / Cinematography by [?] William C. Paley? / © 19 November 1904 [H53418]. Released [?] November? 1904. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format.
Drama: Crime.
Synopsis: [From Lubin promotional materials] SCENE 1 - THE INCIDENT The picture opens showing two negroes playing a game of craps in front of a village tavern, when two others join them in the game. Then we see a big, strapping fellow come along, who also gets interested in the game, but he continues to lose game after game, until he hasn’t got a penny left. He gets very sulky over his hard luck and leaves the game in a very ugly mood. SCENE 2 - THE ROBBERY Here we see him walking down a path in the woods, when he sees a lady coming toward him, reading a book. Seeing a chance to make up for his loss by robbing her, he gets behind a tree and awaits her. As soon as she gets near he runs out, and, placing his hand over her mouth to stifle her cries, he attempts to get her pocketbook from her. There is a terrible struggle on the part of the woman. Getting desperate, he seizes her by her throat and strangles her. Seizing the pocketbook, he takes to the woods. Meantime, a little girl has been a witness to all, and has been hiding in the bushes. As soon as he is gone she runs out, and, kneeling beside the woman, wipes her face with her handkerchief and lifts up her head, when a man comes along on his wheel. Getting off, the little girl tells him what she saw. Hastily tearing off a leaf out of the book the woman has been reading he gives it to the little girl and tells her to take it to the nearest farm house. Then, seeing that the woman is beyond all aid, he goes on the hunt for the murderer. SCENE 3 - THE ALARM This shows the little girl running up to a farm house, nearly exhausted. Knocking on the door she hands the farmer the note, and also tells him what she saw. Reading the note, he cries out to the folks in the house that someone has been murdered. Taking down the horn, he summons the farm hands and neighbors, who get guns, etc., and start out on the hunt for the murderer, led by the little girl. SCENE 4 - RETURN OF THE BODY They are seen running up to the body and viewing it. They swear dire vengeance to the one who committed the deed. They take to the woods, while the women of the party take care of the body. SCENE 5 - THE CHASE The bicyclist is seen riding down the lane with terrific speed, the villagers following, crying vengeance — a typical Southern scene. SCENE 6 - STEALING THE HORSE The negro is seen sneaking out of the shrubbery toward a stable. He then proceeds to break open the stable door, and, stealing one of the horses, he mounts and rides away for his life, coming down a lane, pursued by the bicyclist, who fires shot after shot at him. He is seen to fall from the horse. Staggering to his feet, he takes to the bushes, with the bicyclist and the pursuers close on his trail. SCENE 7 - THROUGH THE WOODS Showing the crowd scouring the woods in search of the murderer. SCENE 8 - THE CAPTURE AT THE BARN Showing the jump for life and the terrible struggle for freedom. The negro is seen to enter a barn to hide, when the bicyclist is seen coming into the yard, and, looking around, enters the barn. The negro, upon being discovered, jumps from the upper loft of the barn, followed by the bicyclist. A terrible struggle then ensues, and the crowd, coming up, assists in the capture. He is securely bound and dragged from the scene, begging for mercy. FINAL - AT THE STAKE They are seen dragging him through the woods. Lashing him to a tree, they gather brushwood, and, stacking it around him, set it on fire. He is soon enveloped in flames, the angry mob fire shot after shot at him and the vengeance is complete.
Survival status: Print exists in the Library of Congress film archive (paper print collection) [35mm paper positive].
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 13 January 2025.
References: Musser-Emerge pp. 402, 598; Niver-Early p. 18 : Website-IMDb.
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