Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1893-02-10
BURNED AT THF STAKE.
The Avful Torture Innicted Upon .
Rfendish Negro I'm Texas.

| fiepdish crime OF a brutal colored man
and the appalling punishment OF the
perpetrator. About two weeks ago
a negro named Henry Smith picked
up little Myrtle Vance near the resi-
dence of her father, Policeman Henry
Vance, and, giving her candy. carried
her through the central portion OF the
city to Gibbons pasture, just within
| the corporation limits He was asked
by several persons what he was doing
with the child, who was but three
wears old. He replied that she was
! Mr.. Williams little girl and he was
carving her TO the doctor. Arriving
at the pasture, he assaulted the babe,
and then, taking one little leg In each
brawny hand, he literally tore her In
| twain.
1t was in revenge, because heI faith
! er had arrested him recently. Cover
| ing the body with leaves and brush
! he Law down and slept through the
night by the side of his victim.
About I o'clock on Friday morning
| Smith awakened, went to the house
OF his wife. and compelled her TO cook
/ him breakfast. She asked him what
| had become Of that white child. He
replied: Il amt seen no white child,
and don't have nothing 70 do with
white folks" He ate his breakfast
| and was not seen any more until his
capture.
About 9 o'clock on Friday a mass
meeting was called at the courthouse
and captains were appointed TO
search for the child. As soon as the
body was discovered the railroads put
up bulletins Offering free, Transports
| ton to those who would join in the
! search.
Posses went ont in every direction.
! Smith was tracked 10 Detroit on foot,
where he jumped on freight train
and left for his old home in Hemp
stead county, Ark. To this county
he was tracked and captured. he
denied every thing at first, but blood
stains revealed his crime. Then he
confessed.
When the telegram reach Paris from
County Attorney Sturgeon telling Of
the arrest of Smith at Ozon, Ark,
and asking for protection, a commit
tee OF twenty-five citizens left on
special for TeIarkana to meet Mr..
Sturgeon and escort the negro back.
These citizens took charge OF Smith
at s. 30 o'clock Wednesday morning.
A special car was placed at their dis
posal.
All along the route there were great
crowds. At TeIarkana a mob Of 1000
persons had gathered around the
railway station when the train arriN ed.
The guard. surrounded Smith, and
with cooked revolvers forced a pass
age through the crowd TO train in
waiting TO convey them 10 Paris.
The mob swarmed about the coach,
on the platforms, and upon the roof
of the coach. They demanded that
the Sheriff compel Smith TO appear
at one of the windows.
In order TO satisfy the curiosity of
the crowd and with the belief that
his appearance might appease them,
Deputy Sheriff Shanklin ordered the
negro TO show himself al the window.
The negro obeyed, and his head had
hardly protruded through the window
before a bystander made a savage
| lunge at him with big knife. The
negro quickly withdrew his head and
sank back into corner Of the seat.
The deputy sheriff. and guards then
drew their revolvers and swore they
]
a violent demonstration.
The mob withdrew short distance
from the train aud asked for another
view Of the negro. Deputy Sheriff
| Shanklin again ordered the negro TO
show himself. This he did, remain
ing in full view Of the crowd for about
three minutes. District Attorney
Birmingham then mounted the plat
! form OF the coach and made an i'm
passioned appeal TO the mob, asking
/ them to respect the law and leave the
authorities at Paris 10 deal with the
man.
He was followed by Deputy Sheriff
| Shanklin, who also asked the mob 10
allow them to take their prisoner 10
| the scene Of the crime. The leaders
! OF the mob, after a short consultation,
agreed to let the train proceed. They
| gave three cheers for the deputies
who had captured Smith, and a few
minutes later the train started for
Paris.
Smith seemed Indifferent to his fate
at first, and could not be brought 10
| understand that fearful vengeance
would come upon him. When be was
told that his death was inevitable.
| and would come by the most cruel
manner human ingenuity could de-
wise, he weakened and begged the
officers to save him.
He first asked TO be spared, and
| then sought any other death than
burning. He was told that this was
impossible, for the people last night
at mass meeting had determined on
his fate He said he wanted to be
shot. When asked il he was willing
to have Mr.. Vance shoot him, he said
/ he was not, and asked that Marshal
| Shanklin do that work.
He was told Mr.. Shsnklin could not
and would not kill him. His next
| choice of his executioner was Mayor
| Cate. He finally asked that Col. g.
NJ Ragland be allowed TO shoot him,
| but the cirizens insisted that he must
die at the stake.
When the train pulled up at the
| Texas Pacific station $1,000 persons
were there to receive him. Hundreds
of people had poured into the city
| from the adjoining country. The
word had been passed from lip to lip
| that death by fire was TO be the pen
/ atty.
Curious and svmpathizing alike
came on trains and wagons, on horse
and on foot, to see the sight. Wits
key shops were closed, unruly mobs
were dispersed, and schools were dis
missed by a proclamation from the
Mayor.
When the train stopped Hon. II. B.
| Birmingham OF the escort made brief
address. He said:
Fellow Citizens: There is not an
officer now on this train who has any
control over the prisoner, Henry
| Smith. Twenty-Five of your citizens
went in reply to kilograms from your
County Attorney to meet him and
see that the prisoner was protected
and delivered here without injury.
We have done that thing; we have
not deceived or misled you; we are
not officers, but merely citizens, we
have no authority to hold this prison
er against you or any one, and shall