The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-10-30
Burned at the Stake.

TYLER, Tex, Oct. 29.-The negro who
so brutality murdered Mrs. Bell was
captured this morning about o'clock
three miles from Kilgore. Soon after
the officers had him handcuffed a mob
Of some 200 men, heavily armed arrived
on the scene and demanded the immedi
ate surrender of the prisoner, which
was reluctantly given. The mob started
for the scene of the murder, where they
arrived this afternoon at 8 o'clock. The
crowd continued to gather at the scene
of the horrible crime until nearly 1000
citizens of Tyler and vicinity were
there. A few moments before the f1end
was brought to the place, a meeting
was held and a committee appointed to
investigate his identity Witnesses
were summoned and closely questioned
The result was a thorough identifica-
ton. In few minutes an officer ap
peared from over the hill followed by
geo determined and we'll armed men.
When near the scene the officers were
overpowered and disarmed and the ne
gro, Henry Hilliard, brought before the
committee. He made a. full confession
in substance as follows:
Il was coming down the road and
saw Mrs. Bell in the road. She was
scared of me and l knew that if l
passed her she would say l tried to
rape her and I concluded that l would
Rape Her ana Then Kill Her.
I cut her throat and cut her in another
place and then left"
He wrote a note to his wife and gave
it to the sheriff 1t reads as follows:
81 am arrested by Wig Smith. You
know what they win do with me. If I
don't see you any more good bye.
(Signed) HENRY"
After his confession and true identi-
fication vote was taken as to the
mode of punishment 1t was unan-
| imously agreed to burn him alive and
that he should suffer the penalty on
the public square. The line of march
was taken up toward Tyler and at
O'Clock the head of the line entered the
main street. whence no less than 1000
people were assembled. Large crowds
of ladies and children were congre-
gated on the awnings surrounding the
public plaza. Wagons carriages, trees
and public buildings were converted
into grand stands and were thronged
at 4:3O
A scaffold was erected in the center
of the square. Wagons laden with
kindling wood, coal oil and straw were
driven to the scene and placed in po-
sition. The negro was then given an
opportunity to speak, but his words
We're lnaudrble, but when he offered
UP his last prayer his words could be
heard for several blocks. He was then
Lashed to the Iron Rail
that extends through the platform,
and Mr.. Bell, the husband of the muir
dered woman, applied the match. The
flames shot upward, enveloping the
negro in sheets of fire. He begged for
mercy and it was melted out to him
Just as he was merciful to the woman
whose soul he had sent to her maker.
1t was determined to burn him at once
but the fire was quenched after the
last piece of wood was burned. In a
few minutes the fire was started again.
From the time the match was applied
until his death it was exactly fifty
minutes. The l. & G. N train was
crowded with people from towns north.
/ Hundreds of negroes witnessed the
execution and representative negroes
| expressed their endorsement of the
| punishment.
The officers were powerless, and the
sheriff wired the governor but his
message was too late. All business
houses were closed and the big Cotton
! Belt shops were deserted.