The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-02-02
Cruel Assault Upon and Brutal MUIR
dor Of a Four Year-Old
Girl.
In Revenge Upon Her Father, Who
Had Arrested the Fiend
Incarnate.
Around the Funeral Pilo were Gathered
Many Thousands of tho People of
the County.

by death at the stake. Ever since the per-
petretion of his awful crime this city aud
the entire surrounding country have been
in wild frenzy OF excitement. When the
news came last night that he had been cap
tured at Hope, Ark, and identified, the city
was wild with JOY over the apprehension Of
the brute. Hundreds of citizens poured
into the city from the adjoining country
and word passed from lip to lip that the
punishment of the fend should be death
by fire. The whisky shops wore closed.
unruly mobs were dispersed. schools dis
missed by proclamation from the mayor,
and everything done in business-like man
ner. Law was laid aside and the citizens
took into their own hands the inhuman
beast and burned him at the stake. Never
before since the days of the Spanish in qui-
sition has there been such a terrible pun
ishment meted out to any man.
The history of the crime is as follows:
Thursday last Smith picked up little Myr-
tie Vance, aged three and half years, nea
hsF fathers. Policeman Henry Vance,
residence, and carrying her to pasture
near the outskirts Of the city first viciopsly
assaulted the innocent babe, and after sat
isfying his fendish passion, took one little
limb in e.oh hand and literally tore her In
twain. After covering the body with
leaves and brush he lay down aud slept
ca.snly through the night by the side of his
victim. Friday morning Smith went to
the house of his wife and forced her to
cook him breakfast. After eating it he
left town. The chid's remains were found
Friday afternoon. and when news of the
atrocious crime spread the whole town
turned out in the chase. Railroads put up
bulletins Offering free transportation to all
who would join in the search. Posses went
out in every direction and not a stone was
left unturnsd.
Smith was tracked to Detroit on foot,
where he jumped q freight train and left
for his old home in Arkansas. Yesterday
he was captured near Hope Ark. and was
fully identified. This morning he was
brought tn ouah Texarkana. where 5000
people awaited the train, anxious to see the
man who should receive the fate of Ed Coy
Mt that place. Speeches were made by
prominent Paris citizens, who asked that
tho prisoner be not molested by Tsxarkana
people, but that the guard be allowed to de.
liver him up to the outraged and indignant
citizens of Paris. Along the road the train
gathered strength from various towns. peo-
pie crowdinR upon the platforms and tops
OF coaches, anxious to sec the lynching,
and the negro who was so soon to be deliv-
cred up to the infuriated mob.
Arriving here at IL O'Clock the train was
met by su'ginR mass of humanity, ten
thousand strong. The negro was placed
upon a carnival foat in mockery of
the king upon his throne. and followed by
an immense crowd, was escorted through
the CITY SO that all might see ths inhumnn
monster. When the procession had
marched through the principal streets it
halted in an open prairie about three hun
drsd yards from the Texas IL Pacific depot.
Here Smith was placed upon a scatfold six
feet square and ten feet high. securely
bound. within view of all beholders. Here
lie was tortured for fifty minutes by red
hot iron brands thrust against hisaquiver-
ing body. Commencing at his feet the
ba ands were placed against him inch by
inch until they were thrust against his face.
Then kerosene was poured upon him, cot
ton seed hulls placed beneath him and set
on fire. In less time than 1t takes to relate
it the tortured man WAS burnt to crisp.
and III a little while thereafter nothing was
left of the whole funeral pilo but pisces
of charcoal which before niRhtfall were
carried away by curiosity seekers.
1t is stated that Smiths motive for the
crime was TINT once, when drunk and dis
orderly, he was arrested by Officer Vance
who was compelled to use his club on him.
For this the negro swore vengeance and sey-
eral times assaulted Vance. The climax OF
his fiendishness came Thursdy, when he
committed the awful crime for which he
has paid the last penalty. Vance is pros
trased with grief and his wife lies at deaths
door from nervous pt tostration.
Words to describe the awful torture iu-
nicted upon smith cannot DO found. The
story appas ono with its fearful awful tor
ror. For long time after starting on the
journey to Paris Smith did not realize his
plight. At last, whom he was told he must
a ia Sltn vf,l Inv oil t.,rN
that the human mind could conceive. he
begged for protection. He WAS willing TO
be shot, and wanted Marshal franklin, of
Paris. to do it but WAS told he was TO be
burned to death. His agony was awful.
He writhed and pleaded i'll mental and
bodily pain in anticipation.
Scarcely had the srain reached Paris
than the torture commenced. His clothes
were torn of pieeemesl and scattered In
tho crowd people catching shreds and pus-
ting them away as momontoes. Tho chlid's
father, her brother and two uncles then
to the platform and thrust hot irons into |
his quiverinR flesh. 1t was horrible. this
man dying by slow torture in the midst of |
smoke from his own burning tleah. Eysfy |
groan from the wretch. every contortion of
his body, was ehoered 10y the thiokly |
packed crowd OF 10000 people. Tho mass
OF hsings WIS 600 yards in diameter, the
scnHold being iii the center.
After burning his feet and legs hot irons |
were rolled up and down Smiths stomach. |
back and arms. Then his eyes were burned |
out, and tho irons til ust down his throat. |
The men of the Vance family havi ng
wreaked their vengeance, the crowd piled |
all sorts OF oombustible stuff around the |
scatfold, poured oil on il and set it AFT o. |
Hc rolled, and wriggled and tossed ont of
the maaa. only to DO pushed back by the |
people nearest him. hc passed ont again, |
and was ,oped and pulled back. Hundreds
OF people turned away. but ma iority of |
the vast crowd looked calmly on.
People were here from every parb.of this |