The morning call., 1893-02-02
BURNED HIM ALIVE.
Awful Work of an Aveng=
ing Mob.
NO MERCY SHOWN A FIEND.
Thousands Gather to See a Man
Soaked i'm Kerosene, Tortured
and Burned to a Crisp.
NO MERCY SHOWN A FIEND.
Special to THE MoRNINe CALL

crime by death al the stake
Ever since the perpetTation Of the crime,
this city and the entire surrounding country
has been in a Wild frenzy of excitement.
When the news came last night that he had
been captured at Hope Ark, and Identified,
the city went wild with joy over the appre-
henslon OF the brute. Hundreds of people
poured in from the adjoining country, and
word was passed from lip to lip that the
punishment of the fend should be death by
FIRE. The whisky-shops closed, unruly mobs
were dispersed, the schools were dismissed
by proclamation from the Mayor. and every
thing was done in business-like manner.
The 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 inquisition
has there been such frightful fate meted
out to any man.
The history of the crime is as follows:
|. On Thursday last Smith picked up little
Myrtle Vance, aged 81 years. near the
house OF her father. Policeman Henry
. Vance, and carrying her TO pasture near
the outskirts of the city. first yiciously as
saulted the innocent babe and deliberately
took one little limb in each hand and liter
ally tore her in twain. Then, covering her
body with leaves and brush, he lay down
and slept calmly through the night by the
side of his victim
On Friday morning Smith went 10 the
house Of his wife and forced her TO cook
him breakfast, and after eating he left the
town. The child's remains were found on
Friday afternoon, and when the news OF the
atrocious crime spread the whole town
turned out in chase The railroads put up
bulletins, offering free Transportation 10 all
who would join in search. Posses went ont
in every direction, and not stone was left
untarned. Smith was tracked to Detroit
on foot, where he jumped on freight train
and left for his old home in Arkansas.
Yesterday be was captured near Hope,
Ark, and was fully identified. This morn
ing he was brought through Texarkana,
where 800 people awaited the train. anxious
to see the man who should receive the fate
OF Ed Coy. At the place speeches were
made by prominent Paris citizens. who
asked that the prisoner be not mOested by
Texarkana people. but that a guard be
allowed to deliver him up to the outraged
and indignant citizens OF Paris.
Along the road the train gathered strength
from various towns, the people crowdng
upon the platforms and the tops of the
coaches 10 see the lynching and the negro
who was soon to be delivered to an infuri-
ated mob
Arriving here at 70 O'Clock, the train was
met BY surging mass OF humanity 10000
strong. The negro was placed upon a car
nival float in nockery Of king upon his
throne and, followed by an immense crowd.
was escorted through the city so that all
might see him.
When the procession had marched through
the principal streets it halted in the open
prairie about 800 yards from the Texas and
Pacific depot, and here Smith was placed
upon scaffold six feet square and ten feet
high. securely bound, within the view Of all
beholders. He was tortured for fifty min
utes by red-hot brands thrust against his
qulyerng body. Commencing at his feet
the brands were placed against him Inch by
inch until they were thrust against his face.
Words TO describe the awful torture in
flicted upon Smith cannot be found. The
story appalls one with its awful terror. The
negro. for long time after starting on his
journey to Paris, did not realize his plight.
At lsst when he was told that lie must die
the most awful death by slow torture that
the human mind could conceive, he begged
for protection. He was willing to be shot
and wanted Marshal Shankln of Paris to do
ii, but he was told that he must be burned
to death. His agony was awful. He
writhed and pleaded in mental and bodily
pain in anticipation.
Scarcely had the train reached Paris be-
fore the torture commenced. His clothes
were torn off piecemeal and scattered in
the crowd, the people catching shreds and
putting them away as mementOes The
child's father, her brother and two unces
then gathered about the negro as he was
fastened TO the torture platform and thrust
hot irons into his quivering flesh. 1t was
horrible. this sight OF man dying by slow
torture in the midst of the smoke from his
own burning flesh. Every groan from the
wretch, every cOntortiOn OF his body was
cheered by the thickly packed crowd The
mass of beings was GOO yards in diameter,
the scafTold being In the center.
After burning his feet and legs the hot
irons were rolled up and down Smiths
stomach, back and arms. Then his eyes
were burned cut and the irons thrust down
his throat.
The men of the Vance family having
wreaked their vengeance the crowd piled all
kinds Of combustible stuff around the scat
fold, poured coal oil on it and set IL on fire.
The negro rolled and wrggled and tossed
out Of the mass only TO be pushed back by
the people nearest to him. lie tossed out
again and was roped and pulled back.
Hundreds Of people turned away, but the
majority OF the vast crowd looked calmly
on. People were here from every part of
this section. Every train that came in was
loaded to lis utmost capacity, and there
were demands at many points for special
trains to bring people here to see the unpar-
alleled punishment If fiend for an un-
paralieed crime.
In less time than it takes TO rela te it the
tortured man was burned TO q crisp, and in
little while thereafter nothing was left of
the whole funeral pile but pieces of char
coal, which were carried away by curiosity
seekers.
1t is stated that Smiths reason for the
crime was that when drunk and dis0rderly
once he was arrested by Officer Vance, who
was compelled to use q club on him, and for
this the negro swore vengeance and several
times assaulted Vance. The climax of his
fendlshness came on Thursday. when he
committed the awful crime for which he has
paid the last penalty.
Vance is prostrated with grief, and his
wife lies at deaths door from nervous pros
tration.
When the news OF the burning went over
the country like wildfre, at every country
town anvils doomed forth the announce
ment.
WILL BE PROSECUTED.
Governor Hogg Will See That the