Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-02-02
TERRIBLE LYNCHlNG.
A TEXAS CRIMINAL DELIBERATELY
BURNEDAT THBSTAkE.
sopJeoted Beforehand, However, to Al
most Every Conceivable Torture--His
Inhuman Crime-IiIs Motive.
fBy telegraph to tho Dispatch. !

PARIS, Tx, February IA mob OF
men and women Numbering i2,OOO wreaked
the most frightful vengeance of lynch Law
to-day upon Henry Smith, burly negro,
who. with the fendishness of brute,
criminally assaulted aud cruelty murdered
little 4-year-old Myrtle Vance on Thurs
day. loo powerful to resist. they took
the prisoner from the guards, bringing
him here. dragged with a rope about ms
neck TO the scene of his crime, subjected
him 70 everv conceivable torture, ana
there burned the pltiabe wretch at the
stake.
THE Widest EXCITEMENT.
All the morning trains had brought peo;;
pie by the hundreds to this city. white and
black alike. tO await the arrival OF the
guards who were bringing the. prisoner
back from TeXarkana. where he had oeen
captured The country for miles around
had become wildly excited over the afro
clous crimo aud the hunt for the brute
murderer. When the news came last
night that he had been caught anu
identified bv members OF the Paris search
inr party. the people seemed crazy with
JOY and thirstne for hiS lie. 10y traiu5
and wagons, on horse and atOOt, they piled
into the city. The Mayor ordered the
LIQUOR stores closed, uuruly mobs DIS
persed. and che schools dismissed. Tue
plans for the lynchlng bee were systematic
and buslness-lIke.
THE TNHUMAy CRIME.
Henry Smith, big. burly negro. had on
Thursday picked up little 4-year old Myr-
tle Vance near her fathers Policeman
Henry Vance's) house. and quoting her
with candy, carried her through the CEN
tral portion of the city 10 GlDbon :
pasture. Several had seen him, but to
each be sad he was carrying her 10 doc-
tors. At the pasture, after assaulting the
poor child. he took one ittle leg IN each
hand and literally toro her in TWAIN. Then.
covering tine body with leaves and brusg.
he laid down and slept calmly beside bis
victim throughout the night. lie went
home. got breakfast. aud disappeared.
PURSUIT OF THE MrRDERTB.
That day mass-meeting was called at
the courthouse, and searching parties
were sent out 70 ind the enid. Ter
mangled body was found. and the whole
town Joined IN the pursuit OF the nend
who had murdered her. lie was
caught Yesterday ut Glow, on the
Arkansas and Louisiana railroad, twenty
miles north Of Hope. lie den'ed me t,hiee
crime but blOOdstalns were on hii
clothing, and later he confessed. IBIS
morning he was brought 10 IeNarkana.
where 1000 people hal gathered. eager To
Get at him, The Paris searching party
| begged that he should not be molested.
! Tho news Travelled fast. Everywhere along
the line, as the train bore the wretch 70
Paris morbid crowds gathered 10 gaze
upon him.
TIE PARIS Nor.
At the depot at Paris were 10000 people
The deputy sherlfs put up show OF pis-
| tols. but was brushed aside, and rush
about Smiths neck. and he was dragged
| from the car. He was taken to a
| rude float and borne through The
streets that the people might gaze on the
| monster. In the open prairie 3VO yarl
! from the Texas Pacific depot the scdnOld
awaited him. Il was feet square aud II
feet high, we'll within the sight OF all.
DIAHoLICAL TORTCREs.
There for fifty minutes the maddened
mob tortured hlm with a Glabohcal cur
nlng that savages only are supposed t'
show. Red-hOt irons were thrust IRON
ever side into his body. HIS shrleks added
vigor % his prosecutors. FIRST the no
irons branded his feet, and inch by incl
thcy crept up to his face. INT
man was unconscious when at las
kerosene was poured on him ald cot
ton-hulls placed beneath him. A torcl
set the pyre on fro. and oil vas quiekl.
consumed. Curiosity-seekersh have carrie'
away all that was left. even 10 the ashes.
SMITH SOUGHT REVENGE.
Smith. some say. committed the Grim
To revenge himself on Vance. who had a.
rested HIM once when drunk and cluOhe
him. Vance Is prostrated with grief Hn'
his wife Is dangerously Ill from the snoch