The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-02-21
THE NEGRo's CRIME.


public from Texarkana. Ark. says: Ed
day, assaulted Mrs. Henry Jewell, a respect
able farmers wife. with q five-mont tbs-old
child at the breast. at her home, three miles
southeast of this city. this afternoon an
swered for his awful crime by horrible
death by fire in the presence of six thou
sand people. He was burned at the stake.
When Mr.. Jewell left his home on Satur-
day last. after dinner, to come to town for
the transaction of some necessary business,
he left his young wife with her babe In her
arms In the best of health and spirits little
dreaming when he kissed her goodbye of
the terrible fate that awaited her during
his absence. Shortly after the husbands
departure, a negro appeared at the door
and asked the whereabouts of Mr.. Jewell,
and the unsuspecting woman informed him
that he had gone to town. The negro gave
his name as Davis and said that he had
some hogs to sell to Mr.. Jewell. While con-
versing with him the woman had good
opportunity to note the general personal ap-
pearance of the negro. After the latter
had gone Mrs. Jewell concluded TO
visit a nelghbor. half a mile distant. and
went out to lock the door. when the negro.
who was in hiding, sprang from his place
Of concealment. seized her by the throat
and assaulted her. He then dragged the
fainting woman into the barn, where he
kept her for about an hour. Finally he
took up his gun, left her and disappeared
in the woods.
When the husband returned homo he
lost no time in giving the alarm, and soon
scores of men were securing the country in
all directions. During the night two ne
groes. answering the general description
given by Mrs. Jewell. were put in Jail here,
but when taken before her she pronounced
them both innocent, and they were dis
charged. The search proceeded without
any relaxation. and soon it.was positively
learned that the name of the guilty negro
was Ed Coy. and that he had gone north,
towards Little Rock county, Arkansas.
Several posses at once went in pursuit in
that direction. and have been on his trail
ever since.
On Thursday q negro resembling Coy
was arrested and brought here over the
Texarkana Il Fort Smith railway, and 1T
the guilty person. After q close scrutiny
of his features. however, Mrs. Jewell pro-
nounced him not the man. although the
hat and suit of clothes he wore looked ex-
actly like those of her assailant. The pris-
oner explained this by saying that he and
Coy had been together on Sunday and Mon
day. and, at the latters request, they had
swapped clothes. Coy saying that they
were after him for some minor offense.
BLooDHoUNDs PUT on THE TRACK.
Thursday afternoon bioodhonnds were
night from Hot Springs. Friday morning
the dogs were taken out to the place near
where the negro was supposed to be, but
efforts to use them were greatly retarded
by q heavy rain. Last night prospects for
the negro's capture began to look gloomy,
indeed. it being announced that In all
probability he bad gotten out of
the country, as the trail bad been en-
tireIy lost. This morning. however, at
an early hour, message came to the
town from w. B. Scott. farmer living
at the house of Ed Givens, q negro, living
near him, and asking for men to come ont
and arrest hi IN. An armed posse went i'm
mediately, but before their arrival the ne
gro started down the road toward town.
and was intercepted by Scott and his sons
and held until the posse arrived. 1t also
appears that a posse beaded by Noah San
derson, which had been out all the week.
had again struck the trail this morning
and they, too. came upon the scene shortly
after the arrest.
He was taken to the residence of Henry
Jewell. and was promptly and fully identi-
fed. When taken into Mrs. JewelPs pres
ence, he said t o her:
Are these the clothes the man had ont"
mo. but you are the rascal that assaulted
me-" said she.
About fifty mounted guards then brought
the prisoner to town, arriving here about
o'clock. This afternoon at 2:30 o'clock q
crowd of several thousand people took Coy
marched with him, on through the little
city and to the Iron Mountain round-house.
A large stake to which had been fastened
some guy wires was what they wanted and
il was found here. Up to this they brought
securely bound. One of the mob advanced
with q can of coal oil. which had been Sc
cured from a neigh boring house and the
crowd then knew what fate was in store
for the negro. :
where's Mrs Jewell?" was the cry from
many throats.
Here" responded few voices on the
edge of the crowd.
Bring her forward" was ordered by q
man who seemed to be master of ceremo-
MES.
The woman made her way through the
crowd. which willingly made way for her.
and in q minute was In front of the fright
ened negro. Without word the spokes-
man placed in her hand q torch.
Mrs. Jewell looked at the negro. the torch
and the spokesman. and. falterlngly, turned
to the crowd.
mo. no; apply it," was the cry as the
woman w as seen to falter. The torch was
applied instantly by the woman, who I'M
mediately turned and made her way
through the CROWD.
The flames licked up around the negro's
legs. and he was soon enyeloped, all the
while yelling Justify. In seven minutes he
was dead, after the most excruciating
agony.
While the event is confessedly horrible
affair." ii is justified by large majority of
the people of this section. on the ground
that desperate disease requires an heroic
remedy, and that hanging was not as great
horror for the average negro as death by
fire.
During the reporters interview with
him this morning he said that he had been
on the run since last Saturday night. and
gave as his reason for leaving on that time
that he was told that the sheriff was after
him for gambling. Sunday morning Coy
went to Little River county. and Monday
returned to tie camp OH the TeXarkana
IL Fort Smith railroad. At night he went
MP to Texarkana to William Yancey's