The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-02-21
Hanging Was ''Too Good" for CoIored Man
Charged with Criminal Assault So He Was
Tiedto Tree and Oil Poured Over Him.
The Match Applied By the Woman Who
Is Alleged to Have Suffered Injury,
While 5000 People Looked on and Offered No
Protest-Horrible Scenes at Texarkana,
Where Civilization Seems to Be Lackiug.
WORSE THAN SAvAGEs.

Over u Colored Man and Burn Him.
TExARKANA. Ark, Feb. 20.-A human be-
ing burning at the stake was the scene wit
messed just outside this city to-day. Ed
Coy. colored man. was the victim. He
was burned to death In the presence of
thousands of people.
Last Saturday Coy crimInally assaulted
Mrs. Henry Jewell. the young wife of a re-
spectacle farmer. two miles south of this
town, since which time he has succeeded in
eIuding the officers until this morning.
when he was discovered at the home of Ed
Gaines. colored, four miles north of here.
He has mistress at the home of Gaines,
and 1t was she who gave HIM away fear
of the safety. perhaps. of herself and fami-
ly acting as the incentive. The posse in
search of Coy suspected that he was being
barbored by Gaines. and two or three
times this week put o rope around the lat
ter's neck to make him give information.
and assured him that death would Ger.
tainly be his portion should he fail to
notify the posse upon the first appearance
of Coy. This morning early the mistress of
Coy went to the house of white nelghbor,
A. b. Scott living near by, and told him
that Coy was at the house of Games Scott
at once sent message with the news post
haste to town, and a posse Immediately
went ont to arrest the negro. Meantime,
however, Coy had left Gaines's house. but
was apprehended and taken in charge by
Mr.. Scott and two sons. who held him until
the ARRIVAL of the men from town. The
latter Immediately brought their prisoner
in and. placing him in q carriage, con-
veyed him to the Jewell farm, where Mrs.
Jewell positively identified him beyond all
doubt as the man who assaulted her.
FIRST DECIDED TO HANG, HIM.
The trembling wretch was then returned
to town, placed in a room with q number
of guards. and heavy guard also place d
outside the building. it being resolved that
he should not be disposed of until the posse
that was still out should be called in, in
order that it might take part in the pro-
ceedInga All the posse was in by o'clock.
and the leaders. after consultation, decided
to hang the negro to telegraph pole on
Broad street. at the State line. the most
public place in the city. Coy was &C cord.
ingly marched to this point. with q vie W
to carrying out this programme. but when
the crowd saw the rope. and OWNED that
hanging had been decided upon, there were
thunders of protests.
Away with that rope; hanging is too
good for him. Burn him! burn himw
This was the shout that went up from
five thousand throats. The leaders soon
saw the futility of opposing 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
railroad track had been crossed.
Here is beautiful grass plot of three or
four acres, void of timbers or shrubbery
save one tree eighteen inches in diameter
anG broken off at the top. To this tree Coy
was hurried. and one man who still
favored hanging began climbing the tree.
In o fash o score of Winchesters were
leyeled at him and he was made to de-
scend. The announcement was then made
that the next man who should attempt to
climb the tree would be hanged upon it.
and that the negro was going to be burned
and that was all there was to it.
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 moment of silence
and then another shout went up. 1t was:
Let Mrs. Jewell apply the match"
LET Mrs. Jewell set him off,
MRS. JEWELL APPLIES THE MATCH.
Walking slowly and very pale. but col
lected, the woman emerged from the crowd.
Her appearance before them set the crowd
fairly wild, and such cheer went up as
almost shook the ground on which they
were standing. The crowd fell back at her
approach. making q pathway for her.
Leaning upon the arm of a male relative
on either side. she walked unhssitatingly
forward to where the negro stood plnioned.
struck parlor match with her own hand.
and with perfect deliberation fired the
negros clothes in two places.
In second the poor wretch was one
mass of consuming flames, but even in
death his wonderful nerve, exhibited ever
since his arrest. never forsook him, and
while suffering tortures Of fire. he actually
called TO the men IN the crowd, and In q
clear voice. requested of them: "Move
back so that the women can see." He re-
ferred to the negro women. q large number
of W hom witnessed the execution.
The negro made but little noise pending
his terrible fate. except to grosn and grunt.
and died in about twenty minutes after the
torch was applied.
A few minutes brefore he was taken out
TO meet his awful fate he was seen by q re-
porter. He did not seem at all nervous.
and protested his innocence saying at the
same time he felt sure he was about to be
put to death. He reiterated his denials of
uu,lt w lille struc Cling with the crowd on