The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-10-30
PUBLIC SQUARE.
A Texas Negro Was Bound to a Stake
and Burned Alive.
CONFESSED RAPE AND MURDER.
Many Thousands Saw Him Pay
3he Awful Penalty.

TYLER, Tex, Oct S0.-At point about
four miles from here, Mrs. Bell. who had
been visiting her mother short distance
from home, was, on her return, met by
negro named Henry Hilliard. What oc.
Cured can only be told by the negro him
self and tse evidence given by the dead
body of the woman.
The ground shows that she had strug'
gled for her honor, and the condition OF
the body told OF cruelty that has rarely
been eoualled by Jack the Ripper After
outraging the body the negro deliber.
ately cut her throat, and then taking
his knife, ripped up her body. A posse
was quickly organized, led by DEPUTY
Sheriff Smith OF Tyler, who with Ian.
terms in hand and aided by hound,
tracked the negro TO within foui
miles Of this place, where they found him
fast asleep in cotton pen. The negro's
clothing was stained with blood which he
had attempted to wash out. The posse
started back 10 Tyler with the negro.
The negro was captured about o'clock
yesterday morning three miles from Kill
gore. He offered no resistance. Soon after
the officers had him handcuffed, mob OF
some 200 men, heavily armed, arrived on
the scene and demanded the immediate
surrender Of the prisoner, which was
readily given.
The mob then left for the scene of the
murder, where they arrived yesterday
afternoon at 3 o'clock. The crowd con.
tinued TO gather at tho scene OF the hor.
rible crime until nearly 1000 citizens Of
Tyler aud vicinity were there. A few
moments before the fiend was brought ia
the place meeting was held and com.
mittee was appointed to investigate his
identity. Witnesses were summoned and
closely interrogatei. The result was o
thorough Identification.
In few moments an officer approached
from over the hill, followed by 300 deter.
mined and well-armed men. When near
the scene the officers were overpowered
and disarmed, and the negro, Hilliard,
brought before the committee.
Confessed His Crime.
He made full confession, in substance
rs follows: / was coming down the road
and saw Mrs. Bell in the road. She was
scared Of me, and knew that IL j passed
her. she would say tried to rape her, and
concluded that i would rape her and
then kill her. cut her throat, and cut her
in another place and left"
He wrote a note TO his wife and gave IL
to the sheriff. II read as follows: II am
arrested by Wig Smith. You know
what they will do with inc. II don't SEE
you any more, goodby. Henry"
After his confession and thorough iden.
tification, a vote was taken as TO what the
mode of punishment would be- 1t was
agreed to burn him, and 1t was agreed
that he should suffer the penalty in tho
public square. The line of march was
taken up toward Tyler, and at 4 o'clock
the head of the line entered the main
plaza, where no less than 7eee people
were assembled. A large crowd OF women
and children were congregated on the
awnings surrounding the public plaza
Wagons, carriages, trees and building
were converted into grandstands and were
thronged at 4:30 o'clock.
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 position. The
negro was then given an opportunity to
speak, but his words were inaudibe, but
when he offered up his last prayer his
words could be heard for several blochs
He was then lashed to the iron rail that
extended through the platform, Mr. Bell,
the husband of the murdered woman, Sp.
piled the match and the flames shot up.
ward, enveloping the brute in sheets Of
Are.
He begged for mercy. 1t was denied
him, the assertion being that he would be
punished for the murder Of the woman. II
was determined to burn him mt once, but
the fire was quenched after the last piece
Of wood was burned. In O few moments
the fire was started again. From the time
the match was applied until his death was
exactly 30 minutes.
The / and G. N. south bound train was
crowded with people from the towns north.
Hundreds Of negroes witnessed the execu.
tion, 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 and fac
tories closed and the big cotton-belt shops
were deserted.