The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-02-02
Struggles of the Dying Negro While the Flames
Were Leaping About Him the Most HOr-
rible Scene Ever Witnessed.
Alleged to Have Confessed to Assaulting
and Killing a Little Girl.
Father of the Child the Leader in the Desire
for Revenge, and His Conduct Proved lie
Was Imbued with the Spirit of Demon.
TWO FIENDIsH DEEDS.
A Negro Assaults q Babe and II Burned at
the Stake by q Texas Mob.

Negro Assaults q Babe anu IL burned at
the Stake by q Texas Mob.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
PARIS, Tex, Feb. 1.-Henry Smith, the
negro who 80 brutally assaulted and MUIR
dered little Myrtle Vance on the night of
the Goth inst, was tortured TO death here
to-day in the presence of ten thousand peo-
ple Henry Vance. father of the dead child,
his fifteen-year-old son and his brother-in-
law acted as executioners Before reach
ing this city the negro made q
full confession, though he declared
that he had but an indefinite recollec-
tion Of the assault and murder.
and that whisky was responsible. He was
met at Texarkana by q delegation of citi-
zens from this place and brought back by
them, though nomInally he was in the GUS
tody of officers of the law. On his way he
was told that he would be shown no mercy.
and that his death would be by fire. Then
he weakened, and begged piteously to be
shot, asking that the executioner be some
one else besides his mortal enemy, Henry
Vance, whose child he had killed, more
from q spirit of revenge than from lust.
When the train pulled into the depot
here every hOuse-top and every vacant
space. as far as the eye could reach. was
lined with people. and in all the multitude
there was nobody to advocate mercy for
the wretch who was so terrified that he had
to be helped from the car. This caused o
delay, and the crowd became restless.
Hon. b. w. Bingham appeared on the plat
form and addressed the people, saying:
Fellow Citzens-There 10 not an officer
on the train who has any control over the
prisoner, Henry Smith. Twenty-Five of
your citizens went in reply to a telegram
from your county attorney to meet him and
see that the prisoner was protected and de-
that thing. We have not mlsled you.
We are not officers, but citizens
only. We have authority TO hold
this prisoner against you or any one
and shall make no effort TO do So AS citI-
Zens We merely wish to surrender the prls-
oner. We leave to you to do what is right
and proper in your sight. Whatever Is
done let 1t be done as the people of Lamar
county do eveIything-Orderly. quietly
and peaceably. We cannot, if we would,
has admitted his guilt In the presence of
twelve good andstrue men. This il ell we
can say"
To DISCHARGE SOLEMN DUTY.
Prior to the arrival of the train on some
manifestations of levity in the crowd, Hon.
j. c. Hodges made short address. saying
that the people of Lamar county and their
neighbors had assembled to discharge one
of the most solemn duties ever executed by
q people. whether In their own right or by
the arm of lew. Here The people. horriiied
at crime SO atroclous that the
human brain could hardly conceive
its enormIty, and only tho most
depraved could have executed IT, had re-
solved upon punishment commensurate
to the offense. They had gathered, not by
stealth, not by night. but in open day.
They had set aside the law of the statute.
and in the execution of their decree should
preserve that orderly. quiet and decorous
attitude due themselves and the occasion.
To such an extreme was the desire to
wreak vengeance on the doomed negro
gratIfeG that the entire civilized world
may stand aghast at the manner of his ex-
ecution. 1t was no spontaneous affair, but
had been carefully planned and was ex-
ecuted in its most appalling details in q
manner calculated to recall the days of the
inquisition. When the train bear
ing the condemned negro arrived,
not only every member of this
community wes in waiting at
the depot to receive him and attend his
execution, but there were thousands
gathered from all towns within radius of
hundred miles of Paris. Smiths appear
ance was greeted with wild cheers. There
wcs no effort to summarily dispose of him.
A slow. lingering death awaited him. which
for downright torture finds few parallels
In the history of the martyrs"
After being placed in wagon Smith,
trembling and livid with fear. was driven
to the place where death in awful form
awaited him. On q large cotton float q
box had been placed and on top of that q
chair. Hero Smith was placed and secure
ly bound. and then. surrounded by armed
men to prevent any outburst from
individuals. he was driven slowly
to the public square, around it
and ont to the place of death. Thou sands