The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-02-27
For Repeatedly Assaulting Re-
spectacle Farmers
Wife.
His Victim Applies the Match in the
Presence of Six Thousand
People.
One Of the Most Revolving Affairs
in the Annals of
Crime.

Ed Coy, a negro brute who on last Satur-
day committed the fiendish crime of rape
IN the person of Mrs. Henry Jewell, a re-
spectacle farmers wife with a FIVE
months old child at her breast vt her
home three miles southeast of this city,
this afternoon answered for his awful
crime by a horrible death by fire. In the
presence Of G,0O0 people he was burned
to the stake. When Jewell left home
Saturday last after dinner to come to
town for the transaction of some neces-
sary business, he left his young wife
with her growing babe in her arms in
the best of health and spirits, never
dreaming when ne kissed her good bye
Of the terrible fate that awaited her dur
ing his absence. Shortly after the
husbands absence the negro appeared
at the door and asked the whereabouts
Of Jewell, and the unsuspecting woman
informed him that he had gone to town.
The negro gave his name as Davis and
that he had some hogs to sell to Jewell.
Considerable conversation was held
between them and the woman
thus had Il good opportunity while not
undcr excitement to note the general
personal appearance of the negro. AT
ter the negro had gone Mrs. Jewell con
cludcd to visit a neIghbor half a mile
distant and went out to lock the door
when the negro. who WAS in hiding,
sprang from his place of conccalment
and seized her by the throat and after a
desperate struggle succeeded in accom-
plishinG his dlabolical purpose. He
then dragged the fainting creature into
a barn where be kept her for about an
hour assaulting her repeatedly. Finally
when he was making ready to go he
tool up a gun which he carried and was
about to shoot, but finally yielded to
her pleadings. left her and dis
appeared in the woods. When
the husband returned home he
lost no time in giving the alarm and in
Il short time scores Of men were securing
the country in all directions. During
the night ten negroes answering the
general description given by Mrs. Jewell
were jailed here, but on being taken be
fore her she pronounced them innocent
and they were discharged. The search
continued without any relaxation and
soon it was positively learned tat the
name of the guilty negro was Ed. Coy
and that he had gone north towards the
Little river country. Blood hounds even
failed to discover the negro. This morn
ing. however. at an early hour It message
10 tom from ", y. Scott. Il farmer
five miles north Of town. saying
Coy was at the hUus" Of hi. Givcns.
ii negro living near him, and
for men 10 come out
and arrest him. An armed posse went
Immediately. but before their arrival the
negro started down the road toward
and was intercepted by Scott and
sODs and held until the posse arrived.
Ii also appears a posse headed by Noah
SandorsoM. which has been out all the
week. had again struck the trail this
morning, and they, too. came upon the
Sccno shortly after the arrest. About
mounted guard attended the prIs-
to town, arriving here about 9
O'Clock. Coy was immediately placed
under a heavy escort and taken before
victim. who unhesitatingly pro-
nOunced him the man. He was at Once
back to town and conducted to a
where a guard, both inside and
outside was placed over him. 1t was
that no action should be taken
until all the parties who were out should
The last Of these came in at
about > o'clock when Il consultation was
held IN the room 10y the leaders who de-
cidedo on hanging as the mode and Broad
street AS the place of death. Coy was
accordingly led out and marched to the
place Of execution. Arriving there some
one threw a rope but 5000 thrOats pres
cnt set up IA shout of ''burn him, burn
him." Some one at this %iuncturc fred IA
Winchester and the excitement became
indescribable. Finally the crowd forced
the men who held the negro to move
north on State line avenue. Prepare
were again begun to hang him.
Burn him. went up the cry again and
and it was clearly to be
seen that death by fire alone would
appease the wrath Of the surging multi
tude. At this juncture Charles M.
Il leading citizen, mounted an
elevation and besought the crowd that
if they were determined to burn the
wretch, for the sake of their wives and
children, to take him outside of the city.
This appeal had the desired effect and
the cry was turned to "Out of town with
him! Burn him! Burn himr' The
route TO the suburbs was then taken and
when Just owe the Iron Mountain rail
way track in front of q low, level open
ing a halt was made. A single stump
about ten feet high. seasoned and strong,
stood alone in the center of this spot,
and thither the wrctched negro was
dragged. Another man who favored
hanging BEGAN climbing the stump but
twenty levclled shotguns made him de-
in a jitfy. Without more ado the
negro was then made secure TO
the stump with iron fastenings
and kerosene was poured literally over
A shout went up, Let his victim
apply the match" Let Mrs. Jewell set
the fire." In response to the call Mrs.
Jewell emerged from the crowd and her
appearance was greeted with cheers
which almost shook the ground. Pale,
put determined, and supported on either
side by a man relative, the little woman
walked to the place Of execution where
Ter assailant stood pinioned, struck a
)arlor match and applied it to the
wretch in two places and stepped away.
IN a few moments the doomed darkey
vas a sheet Of flame, writhing and groan-
ng in his horrible agony. Death re-
ulted in about fifteen minutes.
The crowd which actually witnessed