Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1893-02-10
Burnt at the Stake.

DIA III GU NA4O AgNN~~@Cs
A dispatch from Paris, Texas, says ::
"a mob of angry men and women, num-
bering Thousands, wreaked the most
frighfol vengeance of lynch law on
Wednesday Of last week, apon Terry
Smith, burly colored man, who assault.
ed and cruelty murdered little foarNear-
old Myrtle Vance on Thursday of the
week before They took tho prson,r
from tho guards, dragged him by rope
about his neck to the scene Of his crime,
subjected him to every conceivable tor
ture, and burned the piiiable wreica at
the stake.
All the morning trains had brought peo-
pie by tie hundreds 10 the city, white and
colored alike, to wait the arrival of the
guards who were bringing the pri.oae
back from Toxalkana, where he had boon
captured. The country for miles around
had become wildly excited over the
atrocious crime aud the hunt for the
murderer.
When the news came Tuesday night
that he had been caught and iden'ihed
by members of the Paris searching party
the people seemed crazy with joy and
thirsted for his life. b. trains and wag-
ons, on horse AMI afoot, people poured
into the city. The mayer ordered the
lionor stores closed, unruly MODS dis
persed and schools dismissed. Plans for
the lynching bee were systematic and
business like.
Smith had on Thursday picked up the
little girl near her fathers policeman
Henry vance, honso, and quoting her
with candy, carried her through the
central portion of the city to Gibbon't
pastnres. Several people questioned him
but tn each he SAID he was carrying bel
TO a doctor At the pasture, after %
saulting the poor child he took ono little
leg in each hand and 'erally tore her il
twain.
Than covering TIE body with leave
and brush. he lay down and slept calGll
beside his victim throughout the night
He went home, GOT breakfast and dis
appeared. That day a mass meeting wa
called at the court house, and search par
ties were sent out to fad the child. lie
mangled body was found, and the Vho''
town Joined in pursuit Of tho one 0L
had murdered her.
He was caught on Tuesday at Glow, 81
the Arkansas and Tcxaikaua Railroad
twenty miles rorth Of Hope. lie deu'e'
the crime. but blood stains were on hi
clothing. and later lie confessed Mex
morning he was brought to TeXalhana
where 5000 people had gathered eager f
get at him. The Paris searching par.
begged that he be not molestcd. Ih
news Travelled fast Eytrl whrro a'on.
! the lire as the train bore &c -retcl fl
Paris morbid crowds gathered to gaz
upon him.
At the depot at Paris were 10000 Pc
pie. The deputy sheriff, put mp sior
of pistols, but we're brashcd aside and
rush made for the car. A rope was iArori
about Smiths neck and he was dr'-ee
from the car. He was taken to rut
float and horne through tho city streets
that the people might gaze on him.
At the open prairie, 300 yards from th
Texas anil Pacific depot, the sca.io.
waited him. It was six feet square m.
ten feet high and well within the sight %
all. There for fifty minutes the madden
ed mob tortured him with Giaho,ira
cunning that savages only arc suppose
to show. Red-hot IRONS were thrust froa
every side into bis body. Ills Shrek
added vigor to his prosecutors.
First the hot IRONS branded his feet au
inch by inch they cropt NJ to bis face -
The man was unconscious when az las
kerosene was poured over him and cotton
seed bulls placed beneath him. \ tore
get tho pyre on fire and all was qnicA'
consumed. Cuuosity-'eek,rs have carrie
away all that was left even TO the ashe
Smith, some say, committed the oiim
to revenge himself ON Vance, who be
arrested him once " hen drunk and cin'
bed him. Vance is Frustrated wi.
grief aud bis wife is dangerously III w.t.
the shock.