Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1893-02-11
TORTURED AND ROASTED
AFyenzied Mob Takes Awful Vengeance o
RavishaY Naoro Cnotth

Ravlshsr Negro Smith.
PARIS, Tex, Feb. 3.--The agreement
of the mob TO let the law take ita
course, as stated In these dispatches
last night, was evidently subterfuge.
The painted savages of the plains, the
darkest devils Of darkest Africa never
took more horrible vengeance than the
formally peaceful and civilized citizens
If Paris wreaked on Henry Smith, the
negro demon. The most conservative
men were frenzied. The gentlest of
womankind smiled at the awful death
tgonies of the inhuman monster.
Among the thousands gathered round
here was not protest against the
awful punishment inflicted on the
-avisher and murderer OF baby Myrtle
Vance.
The history of the crime is as fol-
ows: Thursday last Smith picked mp
!ittle Myrtle Vance, aged 81 years, near
her fathers residence, and carrying her
TO pasture near the outskirts of the
city, first viciously assaulted the limo.
rent babe. and after satisfying his
hendish passion, took one little limb in
each hand aud literally 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 victim. Friday morning Smith
went to the house OF his wife and
forced her to cook him breakfast.
After eating 1t he left town.
The child's remains were found FRI
day afternoon, and when the news Of
the atrocious crime spread the whole
town turned out in the chase.
Smith was captured near Hope, Ark.
and brought back. The train was met
by surging mass OF humanity, 10000
strong. The negro was placed upon a
carnival float in mockery Of king
upon throne and, followed by an inn
mense crowd, was escorted through the
city SO that all might see the human
monster.
When the procession had marched
through the principal streets 1t halted
IN the open prairie about 800 yards
from the Texas and Pacific depot Here
Smith was placed on scaffold g feet
square and 10 feet high, securely
bound. within view OF all beholders.
Here he was tortured for Atty
minutes by red hot iron
brands thrust against his CULVER
ing body. Commencing at his
feet brands were placed against him
inch by inch until they were thrust
against his face. Words to describe
The awful torture inflicted upon the
victim 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 plight. At last, when
he was told that he must die the most
awful death by slow torture that the
human mind could conceive, he begged
Cor protection. Ho was willing 20 5e
shot, and wanted Marshal Shanklin, OF
Paris, TO do II, but was told that he
was to be burned To death. His agony
was awful. lie writhed and pleaded,
being in mental and bodily pain In an
ticipation OF his fate.
Scarcely had the train reached Paris
than the torture commenced. His
clothes were torn of piecemeal and
scattered in the crowd, people catching
shreds and putting them away as me-
mentos
The child's father, her brother and
two uncles then gathered about the ne
gro as he was fastened to the torture
platform and thrust hot irons into his
guivering flesh. IL was horrible, the
man dying by slow torture in the midst
If smoke from his own flesh. Every
groan from the wretch every contor-
ton of his body, was cheered by the
thickly packed crowd Of 10000 people.
The mass Of beings was 800 yards in
diameter, the scaffold being in the GEN.
ter.
After burning his feet and legs hot
irons We're rolled up and down Smiths
stomach, back and arms. Then his
eyes We're burned out and irons were
thrust down his throat.
The men of the Vance family having
wreaked vengeance. the crowd piled all
kinds of combnstible stuff around the
scaffold, poured oil on it and set it
Atire. The negro rolled and wriggled
md tossed out of the mass only to be
pushed back by the people nearest him.
He tossed out again and was roped and
pulled back. Hundreds of people
:nrned away, but the majority OF the
EAST crowd looked calmly on.