The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1893-02-03
DEATH By FIRE.
A CHILD RAVNHER'S AWFUL
FATE.
4 Negro Brute Tortured for Fifty Minutes by
ThruAing Eed-hOt Iron Brands Against
His Quiycrng Flesh.

PARIS. Tex Feb Henry Smith, the
negio ravsher of iyear-old Myrtle
Vance, has expiated in part for his awful
crime by death at the stake. Ever since
the preparation of the oeed this city
and the surrounding country have been
in a wild frenzy Of excitement. When |
the news came last night that he had |
been captured at Hope, Ark, and identl-
fed the city went wild with JOY over the
apprehension of the brute. Hundreds |
of people poured into the city from the !
adjoining country and word passed from
lip to lip that the punishment Of the
tend should be death by fire. Whisky
shops closed, unruly mobs were dis
perscd. schools were dismissed by proc
lamaton from the mayor. and everything
was Il, ne in busincss-lke manner.
Law vas 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
quislgion has there been such terrible
punishment metcd out TO any man.
The history of the crime is rs follows:
! Thursday last Smith picked up little
! Myrtle Vance, aged 81, years, near her
fathers policeman Henry Vance resi-
dence and. carrying her to pasture
near the outskirts Of the city. first vi
ciously assaulted the innocent babe and
after satisfying his tiendish passion took
one little limb in each hand and lit
terry tore her in TWAIN. Then. covering
the body with leaves and brush, he lay
down and slept calmly through the night
by the side of his little 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 chld's remains were found
Friday afternoon and when the news of
= the atrocious crime spread the whole
town united in the chase. Railroads
kept up bulletins Offering free transpor-
tation to all who would join in the
search. Posses went out III every direc-
ton and not "A stone was left unturncd
/ Smii. %ns traced tc Detroit on foot
= whc," ne jumped freight train and left
for his odd home in Arkansas. lester
E day he was captured near Hope, Ark.
= and was fully identified. This morning
he was brought through TeXarkana
where five thousand people awaited the
tran. anxious to see the man who should
receive the fate Of Ed. Coy. vt thd,
. place speeches were made by prominent
Paris citizens, who asked that the prls
oner be not molested by TeNarkana peo
pie, but that the guard be allowed t.
deliver him up to the outraged and III
dignant citizens of Paris.
Along the road the train gathereC
\ strength from various towns, the people
= crowding upon the platforms and tops
of coaches anxious TO see the lynchlnG
e : gnd the negro who WAS so soon to be lie
llvered up to an infuriated mob. Arriving
, | heIe at l. o'clock the train was met by ;
. sucging mass Of humanity ten thousant
: strong The negro was placed upon ;
I carnival float in mockery Of a king upOl
throne. and followed by an immens
crowd was escorted through the city s.
: that all might see the inhuman monster
When the procession had marche'
), through the principal streets /
- halted in an open rralric about tire
hundred yards from the Texas ~ Paciii
dt pot. Here Smith was placed upon
: sCalfold six feet square and ten feet high
y securely bound within view of all be
holders. He was tortured for fifty min
utes by red hot iron brands thrus
against his Guivering body. Commenc
:; ing at the feet the brands were place.
!" against him inch by inch until they wcr
thrust against his face Then kcrosen
was poured upon him. cotton seed hull
placed beneath him and set on fire
ii Words to describe his awful torture ca
not be found In less tine than il cake
+ relate it Smith was burned to a cris
and in little while nothing was left q
is t1e funeral pyre but pieces of charcoa
(. which before uightrall were carrie
c away by curiosity seekers
; 1t is stated that smiths motive fo
" the crime is that once while drunk an
l. ,iisordrrly he was arrested by Office
n Vance who was compelled 10 use Il clu
n On him For tins the negro sWorc yer
is raance and several times assaultc
# Vance The Gilman Of his iicndislnes
l. came Thursday when he committed III
awful crime for which he has paid tn
# last penalty.
IS Vance isprostratcd With grief ana I'l
q EiIc lies at deaths door frum ucrrud
n DTOetT3tlgD.