Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-02-09
At !. 4: THE Il: STAKE.
CHASTITY Punishment Is Melted
Out for an Appalling
Crime.
Negro Fiend at the Mercy of
Ten Thousand Frantic
Persons.
His Quivering Flesh Burned
through and Through With
| Hot Irons,
While a Mass Of Men, Women and
Children Gaze With APP
prevail.
News Heralded by Booming An
vils-And This Is Civil
cation.

Zatl0n.
Paris, Tex, Feb. 1.-Henry Smith, the
negro raylSher Of fOur-year-OId Myrtle
Vance has expiated in part his awful
crime by death at the stake. Ever
since the preparation of his awful
crime, this city and entire surrounding
country has been in wild frenzy of
excitement
/ When the news came last night that
he had been captured at Hope, Arkan-
sas, 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 fiend should be death by fire. Whis-
key shops were closed, the unruly mobs
We're dispersed, the schools were dis
missed by proclamation from the mayer
and everything was done III business
like manner.
The law was laid aside and citizens
took in their own hands the inhuman
beast and burned him at the stake.
Never before since the days OF the Span
iSh inQuiSiuonS has there been such Il
terrible punishment melted out to any
man.
The history of the case is as follows:
Thursday last Smith picked up Little
Myrtle Vance, aged three and half
years, near her fathers, Policeman
Henry Vance's residence, and carrying
her TO pasture near the outskirts OF
the city first assaulted the innocent babe
but not satisfying his tiendish passion
took one OF her little limbs in each
hand and literally tore her in twain
Then covering the body with leaves
and brush he Lay down and slept calm
~ through the night by the side of his
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 child'S remains were found Fri
day afternoon and when the news OF
the arociOus crime spread, the whole
town turned out in a chase The rail
roads put up bulletins offering free trans
portaiOn to all who would join in the
search Posses went out in every di
rection and not a stone was left I'm
turned.
Smith was tracked to Detroit, where
he had gone on foot and there jumped
freight train and left for his old home
i'll Arkansas. Yesterday he was captured
near Hope, Arkansas and fully identi
fed
This morning he was brought through
TeXarkana where 5000 people awaited
the train anxious to see the man. A,
that place speeches were made by
prominent Paris citizens, who asked thai
the prisoner be not mOlested by TeXar
to deliver him up to the outraged and in
dignant citizens of Paris
Along the road the train gathered
strength from various towns, people
Of the coaches, anxious to see the lynch
ing and the negro who was soon to be
delivered to an Infatuated mob.
Arriving here at one o'clock, the train
,
10000 strong. The negro was placed
upon carnival float in mOckery Of a
king upon throne, and followed by an
immense crowd, and was escorted
| through the city so all might see the
mhuman monster. When the procession
had marched through the principal
streets, it halted in the open prairie
about 800 yards from the Texas Pacific
depot.
Here Smith was placed upon scaffold
six feet square and ten feet high, secure
ly bound, within view of all behOlders.
Here he was tortured fifty minutes by
red hot branding irons being thrust
against his quiyering body. Commenting
at the feet the brands We're placed
against him inch by inch until they were
! thrust against his face.
Words to describe the awful torture
inflicted upon Smith cannot be found.
The story appalls one with its fearful,
awful terror. The negro, for long
time after starting on his journey to
Paris, did not realize his awful plight.
At last, when told that he must die the
most awful death by slow torture that
human mind could conceive, he begged
for protection He was willing to be
shot, and wanted Marshal Shaklin, Of
Paris to do it, but was told he was to
be burned to death. His agony was
awful He writhed and pleaded nj
mental and bodily pain in anticipation.
Scarcely had the train reached Paris
than the torture commenced. His
clothes were torn, off piecemeal and
scattered in the crowd. the people catch
ing shrrdS and putting them away as
moment. The child's father, her
brother and two uucles then gathered
about the negro as he was fastened to
the torture platform and thrust hot irons
into his quivcring flesh.
1t was horrible. This man dying by
slow torture I'm the midst of the smoke
from his own burning flesh. Every
groan from the wretch, every cOntOr-