Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1892-02-27
HEARTLESs LYNcHERs.


Him to Tree and Dronch Him with
Kerosone--His Victim Applies the Torch
and He IL Burned to Death.
TExARKANA, Ark, Feb. 2o.-Five
thousand people stood on the public
street Saturday afternoon and with
sullen faces, unmoved by anything
savoring of pity, watched while Ed
Coy, a negro, was burned to death for
criminally assaulting Mrs. Henry
Jewell last Saturday. Mrs. Jewell
Is the young wife of a respectable
farmer living 2 miles south of town,
and since his crime Coy succeeded in
eluding the officers until Saturday
morning when he was discovered at
the home of Ed Gaines (colored) A
miles north of here. He had n mistress
at the home of Gaines, and it was she
who disclosed his hiding place.
After his capture by posse he was
co. eyed to the Jewell farm where
Mrs. Jewell, without hesitation, identi-
fed him beyond all doubt as the man
who assaulted her. The trembling
wretch was then returned to town and
placed in room with number of
guards. A heavy guard was also placed
outside the building, it being resolved
that he should not be disposed of until
all the posses that were still out should
be called in.
All the posses were in by o'clock,
and the leaders, after consultation,
decided to hang the negro to tele-
graph pole on Broad street, at the
state line, the most public place in the
city. Coy was accordingly marched to
this point with n view to carry out this
programme, but when the crowd saw
the rope and OWNED that hanging had
been decided upon there were thun-
ders of protests.
Away with the rope! Hanging is
| too good for him! Burn him burn
him!' was the shout that went up
| from 5000 throats. The leaders soon
saw the futility of opposing the wishes
of the mob, but begged that the deed
should take place out of town, and to
this the crowd agreed. Half trotting
and half running the crowd rushed
the doomed wretch along with them
east on Clinton street, thence south on
College Hill street until the Iron
Mountain railroad track had been
crossed Here there is a beautiful
grass plot of three or four acres void OF
timber or shubbery, save one tree, Is
inches in diameter and broken off al
the top.
Coy was strapped to the body of the
tree with iron fastenings and coal oil
was poured over his entire person in
liberal quantities. There was a mo
ment of silence and then another shout
went up:
Let Mrs. Jewell apply the match
Let Mrs. Jewell set him Off"
Walking slowly, very pale but col
1ected, the woman emerged from the
crowd. Her appearance before then
set the crowd wild and mighty
cheer went up that almost shool
the ground on which they were
standing The crowd fell bacl
at her approach, making a path
way for the brutal pegro's victim
who, leaning on the arm of NAL,
relative on either side, walked un
hesitatingly forward to where tn,
negro stood pinioned, struck parlo
match and with the utmost deliberatiol
fired the negro's clothes in two places
In second the poor wretch was on
| mdSS VI udueS, OuU even Unen MS won
derful nerve, exhibited ever since hi
arrest, never forsook him, and Will
suffering the tortures OF fire he actuall
called to the men of the assembly an
in clear voice requested of them
Move back so that the ladies can see.
He referred to the negro women,
large mum ber of whom witnessed tn
execution.
The flames shot high above his head
curling in waves about his body an
limbs. Coy set his teeth, and through
out the hideous ordeal made littl
noise, only uttering few groans. H
died in about twenty minutes afte
Mrs. Jewell set him on fire.
The excitement over the horribl
affair having largely subsidized, the pee
pie are coming to their sober senses
and general regret is expressed. Tha
Coy should have been hanged O
shot is generally admitted by every
body, but burning the poor wretch q
the stake was shock to civilization
The mob was mostly composed G
young railroad men who lost their rea
son in their thirst for revenge.