The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-02-21
Horrible Execution of an Ark.
ansas Negro Fiend.
FOR oUTRAeING A WOMAN.
His Victim Applies the Flame to the
Doomed Wretch's Clothing.
Six Hundred Approving Persons Hear
the Shrieks and See the Writings OF
the Dying Mantle Torture Lasts

ST. LOUIS, Feb. CA Republic special
from Texarkana says: Ed Coy, the negro
fiend who last Saturday fiendishly as
saulted Mrs. Henry Jewell, the wife of
respectable farmer living two miles south
west of the city, on small farm, this
afternoon answered for his awful crime,
being burned at the stake in the presence
of 600 people.
Jewell left his wife and babe alone
last Saturday while he came to town
on business. During the afternoon
the negro came TO the house, where
Mrs. Jewell, with only her s. 5-month-old
baby was, and seizing the lady choked her
into Inconsistencies and dragging her
out to barn some fifty yards away re-
peatedly assaulted her. In the terrible
struggle some of Mrs. JewelI's fingers
were completely bitten off and one arm
was broken. Her throat where she was
choked was also terribly blackened with
bruises. After the assault the brute was
about to kill his victim with a gun he
carried, but her promise to never tell what
had occurred induced him to spare her
life and leave her.
When Jewell returned home, no time
was lost in giving the alarm, and soon
scores of men were securing the country
in all directions. During the night two
negroes were arrested. but Mrs. Jewell de-
clared them innocent and they were dis
charged. Finally it was learned that the
guilty negro was Ed Coy, married man,
who lived eight miles, north of Texarkana
and had been cutting cordwood and work
ing on farms during the fall and winter,
latterly having been within half mile of
the Jewell farm. 1t was then discovered
that Coy had gone north toward the Little
river country. On Tuesday night last the
pursuers were only an hour behind the
fleeing negro, but he eluded them.
Search was vigorously prosecuted, but
without avail until early this morning,
when a message came from a farmer
named Scott, saying that Coy was at the
house of Ed Givens, negro living near
him, and asking for men TO come out and
arrest him. Before the posse reached the
place Coy had started away, but was in
tercepted by Scott and sons and held until
the posse arrived. Mrs. Jewell identified
him without hesitation. Coy was placed
in room and heavily guarded until the
last OF the searching parties returned to
town.
When all had come in the leaders held
consultation and decided to hang Coy.
He was accordingly led out and started
for Broad street, where it was intended to
hang him. Arrived there some one threw
up rope, but the mass of people set up
shout: "Burn him; burn him!" Finally
the crowd forced the men who held the
negro to move north on State Line avenue.
When near the postoffice some one, who
had hold of the rope. the moose of which
nt. tAsN
to climb telegraph pole. He was un-
tremendously dragged to the ground.
"Burn him, burn him." went up the cry
again and again, and it was clearly to be
seen that death by fire alone would ap-
pease the wrath of the people.
At this juncture Charles NJ. Reeves, a
leading citizen, mounted an elevation and
beseeched the crowd, for the sake of their
wives and children, If they were de-
termined to burn the wretch, to take him
outside of the city. The appeal had the
desired effect, and rush was made to a
suburb near the Iron Mountain track. A
single stump about ten feet high stood
alone in a clearing, and hither the
wretched negro was dragged. Another
man, who favored hanging, began climb
ing the stump. but twenty leveIed shot
guns impelled him to descend hurriedly.
The negro was then made secure to the
stump with wire fastenings and liberal
supply of kerosene oil poured over him.
Then q shout went up: "Let his victim
apply the match. Let Mrs. Jewell setthe
fire." In response to the call, Mrs. Jewell
emerged from the crowd, supported by
relatives. and walked to the place of
execution. Without a word the spokes-
man placed in her hand the match. She
looked at the negro and falteringly turned
to the crowd; NO. You apply it.
There was cry as the woman was seen
TO falter. She struck the match, applied
it to the clothing of the wretch in two
places and stepped away. In few
moments the doomed negro was a sheet of
flame, wrIthing and groaning in horrible
agony. Death resulted in about ten
minutes.
Only about twenty minutes before he
was led out the Republic correspondent
had an interview with him. He asserted
his innocence of the crime, but in such
manner as carried the conviction of guilt
with 1T. While the event is confessedly a
horrible affair, il is justified by a large
majority of the people of this section, on
the ground that desperate disease re-
quires desperate remedy, and that hang
ing has not as great a horror for the aver
age negro as death by fire.
Iowa Farmer Kills His wife's Lover.
DUBUQUE, Ia. Feb. 20-Dennis TavIor m