St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-10-30
BURNED at THE Stake.
Swift Vengeance Overtakes n
NEGRO Murderer in Texas.

Swift Vengeance Overtakes n
Negro Murderer in Texas.
KILGORE, Tex, Oct 29.-At a
point about four miles from Tyler
was enacted yesterday one of those
horrible tragedies, the recital of
which causes the hearer to shudder,
and calls for quick and certain ven
geance. A Mrs. Bell, who had been
visiting her mother a short distance
from home, was on her return, and
was met and murdered by a negro
named Jim King. The condition of
the body told of a cruelty that has
only been equaled by Jack the Rip
per-" A posse was quickly organized,
led by Deputy Smith, of Tyler, who,
with lanterns in hand and aided by
a hound, tracked the negro to within
four miles of this place, where they
found him asleep in a Gotten pen.
The posse started for Tyler with
him, but the rapidly gathering crowd
of excited citizens made it very
doubtful whether he would reach
there alive. The negro denied his
guilt, but said he would never reach
Tyler alive
TYLER, Tex, Oct. 29.-The negro
who so brutally murdered Mrs. Bell
was captured this morning about 4
o'clock three miles from KiIgore. He
offered no resistance. Soon after the
officers had him handcuffed a mob of
some 200 men, heavily armed, arrived
on the scene and demanded the imme-
diate surrender Of the prisoner. which
was readily given. The mob then left
for the scene of the murder, where
they arrived this afternoon at
o'clock. The crowd continued to
gather at the scene of the horrible
crime until nearly 1900 citizens of Ty-
Ter and vicinity were there. A few
moments before the fiend was brought
to the place meeting was held and a
committee was appointed to investi-
gate his identity, which was done In
few moments an officer approached
from over the hill, followed by 300 de-
termined and well-armed men. When
near the scene the officers were over
powered and disarmed, and the negro,
whose name was Henry Hilliard, was
brought before the committee He
made a full confession, then wrote a
note to his wife and gave it to the
sheriff. The note read as follows: "T
am arrested by Wig Smith You
know what they will do with me. If
1 don't see you any more, good bye
Henry"
After his confession and thorough
identity vote was taken as to the
mode of punishment. 1t was agreed
to burn him in the public square In
Tyler. At o'clock the head of the pro-
cession entered the main plaza of
Tyler, where no less than 1000 people
were assembled. Large crowds of
ladies and children were congregated
on the awnings surrounding the plaza.
Wagons, carriages, streets and buildings
were converted into grand stands and
were thronged at 4:30 o'clock A scaf-
fold 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 given an opportunity
to speak. His words were al first in
audible, but when he offered up his
last prayer he could be heard for sew
eral blocks. He was then lashed to an
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 brute in sheets of fire. He begged
for mercy and it was meted out to him .
just as he was merciful to the woman
whose soul he had sent to heaven at
the same hour yesterday. The fire
burned out, but in few moments was
started again. From the time the
match was applied until the negro's
death was exactly fifty minutes.
The 1. & G. N. south-bound train was
crowded with people from the towns
north. Hundreds of negroes witnessed
the execution and representative ne
groes expressed their endorsement of
the: punishment. The officers were
powerless and the sheriff wired to the
governor but his message was too late
All business houses and factories
closed and the big Cotton Belt shops
were deserted.