The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-10-30
Then Hurried to the City of Tyler
and Tied to an Iron Post in the
Middle Of the Public Square.
WOOD PILED ABOUT HIM
AND THE MATCH APPLIED BY THE
DEAD WOMAN'S HUSBAND.
Suffered for fifty Minutes Before
Death Came to His Relief-The Deed
Witnessed by Many People.

TYLER, Tex, Oct. 29-Henry King, ne
gro, who was charged with assaulting and
numbering a Mrs. Bell, white woman.
public square of this city this afternoon.
He was captured this morning about
o'clock, three miles from Kilgore. He Of
fered no resistance. Soon after the officers
had him handcuffed moD of two hundred
men, heavily armed, arrived on the scene
and demanded immediate surrender of the
prisoner, which was readily given. The
mob then left for the scene of the murder,
where it arrived this afternoon at O'Clock.
The crowd continued to gather at the scene
of the crime until nearly two thousand citi-
zens of Tyler and vicinity were there. A
few moments before the negro was brought
to the place a meeting was held and COM
identity. Witnesses were summoned and
closely interrogated. The result was thor
ough Identification. In a few minutes the
officers approached from over the hill. fol-
lowed by three hundred determined, we'll
armed men. When near the scene the Off
GERS were overpowered and disarmed. and
the negro, Henry King. brought before
the committee He made full confession.
in substance as follows:
81 was coming down the road and saw
Mrs. Bell in the road. She was scared of
me, and l knew that IL l passed her she
would say that tried to rape her, and
concluded that / would rape her and then
kill her. / cut her throat and cut her M
another place and then left
He wrote a note to his wife and gave it
to the sheriff. 1t read as follows:
IT am arrested by Wig Smith. You know
what they will do with me. If don't see
you any more. goodbye. HENRY"
After his confession and the thorough
identity vote was taken as to the mode
of punishment. Ii was unanimously agreed
to burn him, and it was agreed that he
should suffer his penalty on the public
square. The line of march was taken up
the line entered the main plaza, where no
less than seven thousand people were as
sembled. Large crowds of women and chill
dren were congregated on the awnings sur
rounding the public plaza. Wagons. car
riages. trees and buildings were converted
into grand stands and were thronged at
43O O'Clock 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 position. The negro was then
words were inaudible but when he offered
up his last prayer on earth he could be
heard for several blocks. He was then
dashed to the iron rail that extended
through the platform, Mr.. Bell, the husband
Of the murdered woman, applied the match
and the flames shot upward enveloping the
negro in sheets of fire. He begged for
mercy and it was meted out to him just as
he was merciful to the pure innocent wom-
an whose soul he had sent to heaven at
this hour yesterday. 1t was decided to
thrown around him was consumed IL was
replenished. From the time the match was
applied until he was ircinerated was ex-
actly fifty minutes.
The !. & G.. n. south-bound train was
crowded with people from the towns north.
Hundreds of negroes witnessed the execu-
their Endorsement of the punishment. The
officers were powerless and the sheriff wired
the Governor. but his message was too late.
All business houses and factories closed
and the big Cotton Belt shops were de-
serted.