New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-02
n1rRNEDALINE ATTHE STAKE
,,,mF PUNISHMENT ME1ED OUT By A
TEXAS MOB.
,xns OF CITIZENS JOIN TOGETHER TO
TORTURE MD KILL NEGRO ACCUSED

OF MURDER
-. Toy Feb l.-Whcn the news was re-
i.'.a here Yesterday that Henry Smith. who
U.,.od and killed little Myrtle Vance, a week
hod been captured at Hope Ark, the whole
's" hscame excited business was suspended and
w" .,,,e population took 70 the streets 4 large
~ .r started immediately on a special train for
',l,pa 70 meet the deputies and make sure
!, reeping Smith. Tcleerams poured in from
.,. in the surrounding country asking when
rrA would get here and what time his exc
.a,on would take place. as the scnders wanted
n present The fate of Smith was decided
W, AZ a mass-mecting 1t was agreed that he
LA be taken 70 tie scene of his crime ard
,r,oed at a stake. \ TELEGRAM from Hope re-
lived early this morning. stating that Smith
t,d confessed hi> crime. added TO the eNcitemont.
All the morning trains brought hundreds 10
,,s e.y and tie country roads were alive with
n.nle coming in with wagons and on horseback
4, noon to-day. when tie Texas and Pacific
,,a6 from the north arrived, it is estimated that
the crowd surrounding the depot numbered nearly
10000 people
The guards having Smith in charge reached
pxarkana with their prisoner at o'clock. 4 mob
II 1000 persons had -athercd around the railway
rs,ion. The guards surrounded Smith, and with
rOwd to a train in waiting to bring them here.
The mob swarmcd about the COACH on the plat
FIRMS and upon the roof of the coach. They d.
handed that the sheriff compel Smith to appear
a, one of the windows In order 70 satisfy the
curiosity of the crowd, and in the belief that his
appearance might appeosc the excited people,
Deputy Sheriff Shanlilin ordered the negro TO
,how himself His head had hardly protrudcd
al >N.i,n n - pfi,.r
made savage lunae at him with n biz knife.
The negro quickly sank back into the corner of
lis seat. The deputy sheriAs and guards then
,rew their rcvolvcrS and sworc thcv woIld Kill
he first person who made violent demonstration
Dward the prisoner.
The mob suenly withdrew a short distance
f,Om the - IN and asked for another view of
the negro Deputy Sheriff Shankln again COM
nscdel the negro 10 show himself, which he dld,
remaining in full view of the crowd for about
three minutes. District Attorney Birmingham
then mounted the platform of the coach and
made an imprisoned appeal to the mob, asking
them TO respect the law and leave the authorities
,o deol with thc man He was followed by
DEPUTY Sheriff Shahkin, who also asked tho
mob TO allow them 10 take their prisoner TO TIC
scene of the crime The leaders, after a short
consultation. agreed 10 let the train proceed;
They gave three cheers for the deputies who hdd
captured Smith. y guard OF seventy y-hHc GU
ypns of Paris accompanied the tram 10 resist mop
violence.
When the train arrived here a rush was made
for the coach in which the negro was colllhcl.
The deputy sheriiis and the gu2rl OF cl,iz.hs
drew their nvolyeTs and attempted 10 prevent the
mob from taking their prisoner 1llc guard was
quickly overpowered. however, and a rope was
thrown about Smiths neck. lie was dragged
from the train and hurried 10 the scene OF ms
missiles, struck by fists and otherwise maltreaicd.
Then he was placed upon scalold sN Lcet
the view Of all beholdcrs. Here the victim was
tortured for fifty minutes by redhot iron brands
thrust against his quivcrlng body. Bcglhhihs
at the feet the brands were placed against MN
inch by inch until they were thrust against th"
face. Then being apparently dead, Kerosene was
poured upon him and 'cottonsecd hulls wcro
placed beneath him and set ON FIRE.
The story of Smiths crime Is as follows; +; On
Thursday last the big and burly negro pcked
up little Myrtle Vance, aecd three and onr-half
years. near the house of her father, Henry
aay her fears, carried her through the central
part of the city TO Gibbons pasture. Inst WITHIN
the corporate limits. Arriving at the pasture he.
with inhumanity too terrible TO relate; Hrst
viciously assaulted the innocent DaDc, ana 'li,h
took one little limb in each hand an1 Literally
tore her in twain Then covering the, body with
leaves and brush he lay down and slept calmly
through the night bV the side Of his victim
About o'clock Friday morning Smith awak-
ened. went 70 the house of his wife and com,
pelled her TO cook him breakfast Shc askrd
him what had become OF that Whltc cnllu ne
replied: IL amt seen no white child, and don !
have nothing to DO with d white folks.
After deliberately eating his breakfast ne wcno
away and not seen any more uiltll MS cap
ture As soon as il was learned upon recovery
Of the body that the crime was so atroclous, the
whole town turned out in the chase. Ihc raIi-
roads put up bulletins offering free transpofla-
ton TO those who wOnld Join IN the scarch. POSSES
went out in every direction and not stone WAS
left unturned Smith was traced 10 Detroit on
foot where he jumped on freight tram ara
went TO his old home in Hampstead county.
Ark To this county lie tracked and yes
terday captured at Glow, a flag station on the
Arkansas and Louisiana Railway, about twenty
miles north of Hope.