River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1892-02-25
HEARILESS lYNChERS.
They Capture a Rsptst in Arkansas, Tie
Him TO Tree and Drench Him with
Kerosene-His Victim Applies the Torch
and He Is Burned to Death.

Ahry rapture a KSptst IN Arkansas, He
Him TO Tree and Drench Him with
Kerosene-His Victim Applies the Torch
and He Is Burned TO Death.
TExARKANA, Ark, Feb. 22.-Five
thousand people stood ON the public
street Saturday afternoon and with
sullen faces, unmoved by anything
savoring of pity, watched while Ed
| Coy, negro, was burned 10 death fer
criminally assaulting Mrs. Henry
Jewell last Saturday. Mrs. Jewell
is the young wife of 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) 4
miles north of here. He had mistress
at the home of Gaines, and it was she
who disclosed his hiding place.
After his capture by posse he was
conveyed 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 a room with a 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 a 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 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 ropel Hanging is
too good for him. Burn hint burn
him." was the shout that went up
from 5000 Threats 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 trottiug
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 Ct
timber or shubbery, save one tree, Il
inches in diameter and broken off at
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
/ lected, the woman emerged from the
crowd. Her appearance before them
set the crowd wild and a mighty
cheer went up that almost shook
the ground on which they were
standing The crowd fell back
at her approach. making a path
way for the brutal negro's victim,
who. leaning on the arm of a male
relative on either side, walked I'M
hesitatingly forward to where the
negro stood pinioned, struck a parlor
match and with the utmost delibera-
tion fred the negro's clothes in two
places.
In second the poor wretch was one
mass of flames, but even then his won
derful nerve, exhibited ever since his
arrest, never forsook him, and while
suffering tn fortunes of fire he actually
called to the 4. ~ of the assembly and
in clear voice requested of them:
Move back so that the ladies can see"
| He referred to the negro women, a
large number of whom witnessed the
execution.
The flames shot high above his head,
curling in waves about his body and
limbs. Coy set his teeth, and through
out the hideous ordeal made little
noise, only uttering few groans He
died in about twenty minutes after
Mrs. Jewell set him on fire.
The excitement over the horrible
affair having largely subsidized, the peo-
pie are coming to their sober senses,
and general regret is expressed. That
Coy should have been hanged or
shot is generally admitted by every
body, but burning the poor wretch at
the stake was a shock to civilization.