The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-02-09
HODGES TALKS TO THE CROWD.

crowd, Hon. j. G.. Hodges made d
sh1r' address saying that the people
OF Lamar county and their moor
had ASSEM- bled TO discharge one OF the
must solemn duties ever executed ny
ueople, whether in iheirown midst
or by the arn OF the law. Here the
people, Mortified at crime 81 atr"cI
aus that human brain coulO
hardly Conceive lts enorm''9
and only the most depraVeo
could have extendei ii, had resolved
upon a punishment commehsui ale Il
the Offense. They had ga hered not ny
stealth, not by night, but by OpeI
day. They had set aside the law o.
statute and the execution OF their de-
cree should preserve that ORDERLY
quiet and decOriOu- attitude due them
selves and the occasion.
THE RIDE 70 DEATH.
On n largo cotton float a box had heel
placed and on top OF that a chalr
Here Smith was placed and securely
bouud. Then surrounded by armed
men to nrevent any Outbur-t from IN
dividunls he was driven slOwl Y TO PUB
e suuare, around it, and out To tue
Mace of death. Thousands followed
the doomed man in his ride OF despair
and the stTerta were lined with Otner
thousands watching ii pass. 1t was
solemn as befilted cOrtege OF the
dead. Limo and quiverinE in his Ter
rpr. his face drawn and distorted aud
ashen with the agony OF thought ana
horror of his impending doom, the nS-
ure OF Henry smith was an a"lu!
sight, but AT a thought OF pity th're
arose a vision OF that little innocent,
torn and outraged form that he had
wrought.
Out on the bare prairie where stood
scattering hos d'arc shrubs,
THE SCAFFOLD.
had been built and tour uprigbtg sup.
ported ten feet above ground plat
iurm ten feet square, rallied III except
Oh the sOuth size where stair AS
ceudet. In its center a strong post
was set aud braCed. On the other
81 e, as tho wagon approached, Henry
Vance the father Of Smiths victim.
a appeared ON the platform and asked
tue crowd, now densely packed for IA
hundred yards away, and Numbering
IL, 900 people, to be- quiled, that he
Tor awhile To get his ven
gtance and then he would turn him
over to any one that wanted hIm.
THE TORTURE.
The wagon now appeared, and
Smith was carried upon the platform
and stripped to the walsh and placed
against he stake, his legs aud arms
ma body were scureIy corded to 1t,
md he was deliver cd over to Vance
and IL eXpiate his crime.
\ tInner's furnace was brought on
lied with irons heated to a white heat.
Taking one Vance thrust tunder first
ne and then the other SIDE OF his vic.
l:n's teet, who, helpless, writned az
he flesh Scared and peeled from the
ZONES. Slowly, inch bY inch, up his
egs the iron was drawn and redraWn,
,uly the nervous jerk and twist OF the
muscles showing the agony endured
W hen his body Vas reached and the
ron was pressed TO the most tender
part of his body he broke the silence
or the tirs5 time and prolonged
SCREAM OF AGONY
'ent the air. slowly across and around
he body, slowly upward traced he
IONS, the withered SCARED fe h
marking the progr. So of the awful
punishment BY turns Smith prayed,
screamed, begged and cursed his
Orturers. When his face was reached
lis tongue was silenced by fire aud
henceiortb he only moaned or gave a
Try that echOed over the prai-
lie like the wall of wild
animal. Then his eyes were put out
md not a finger breadth OF his body
Deing unscatched. His exe"uti0ner-
rave way. They were Vaner, his
brother in law ann Vaner's son, boy
II Is years OF age. When they gave
'v-r Furnishing Smith they left the
platform.
THE BURNING.
Smith and the clothing about his
over limbs were then saturated with
iii, AZ was the platform; the place be.
Meath was filled with IOmhustibles
ana the whole saturated with oil and
ire simultaneously SCI to his feet and
he stack below. A cold sleeting ram
nad been falling since noon. Silhouet-
ed against the dark laden
'ky the platform doomed
bare and gaunt and above
IL. head dropped on breast, black ened
and scOrcned was the body, and so
till was il that all believed him dead.
slowly the flames crawIed up his
limbs and wrapped him in their
blush veil. A moment they burned,
hen n shudder shook MIN, the head
slowly raised and a broken, quaver-
ing cry broke the hreathless silence
and was echoed back 10y shouts and
cries from the mere thoughtleSs be-
low. Then the cords binding the arms
burned and he raised the crisp and
hlackened stumps to wipe the sighr-
legs sockets ut his eyes. The burned
the cords about his waist and he Top
pied forward upon tho platform and
lay there.
WRITING AND QUIvERING
in the greedy flames that burst
through the crevices One foot was
It'll fast and held on the bed of flame
With one supreme effort. the body
still animated by the supreme desi-e
Df csc ,pe. rolled over on its face. rOs
pom it's arms, reached up and caught
the railing nd with convulsive efforts
tore the bound leg loose and stood
reeling on the stumrs of its feet.
4 4 II ,,N