Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-10-30
SAVAGE REVENGE
Upon a Negro Miscreant in Gov.
Culberson's State.
LAURELs OF PARIS IN DANGER.


Tyler Comes Near Rivaling the Texas
Town That Distinguished Itself in the
Worlds Fair Year-Negro Slowly Roast
ed to Death in . Public Square Before
1000 People, Men, Women and Children
-Unspeskable Crime of Two Indians.
GALVESTON, Oct. GA special to The
News from Kilgore, Tex, says: At q
point about four miles from Tyler was en-
acted ono Of those horrible tragedies the
very recital of which causes the hearer to
shudder. A Mrs. Bell, who had been Wis
tting her mother a short distance from
home, was on her return and was met by
. negro named Henry Hilliard. What oc-
Cured can only be told by the negro
himself and the evidence given by the
body of the lady. The ground showed that
she had struggled for her honor and the
condition Of the body told of a cruelty
that has only been equalled by Jack the
Ripper" After outraging the woman the
neg,o deliberately cut her throat and then,
taking his knife, ripped up her body.
Gave Hin, Up Readily to tho Mob.
"A pussy "dS 4uAShAy OfStIlIZCu, AcAl ny
Deputy Smith, of Tyler who with Ian
terms in hand and aided by hound
tracked the negro to within four miles Of
this place, where they found him fast
asleep in a cotton pen. The negro's cloth
ing was covered with blood, which he had
attempted to wash out. Soon after the
officers had him handcuffed mob of some
sln hnnv-i1u t1,n
scene and demanded the immediate sur
render of the prisoner, which was readily
given. The mob then left for the scene of
the murder, where it duly arrived. The
crowd continued to gather at the scene
until nearly 1900 citizens of Tyler and
vicinity were there. A few moments be-
fore the fiend was brought to the place a
meeting was held and a committee was
appointed to investigate his identity. The
result was thorough identification.
Negro Makes Full Confession.
The negro made a full confession, in
substance as follows: II was coming
down the road and saw Mrs Bell in the
that if l passed her she would say tried
to rape her, and 1 concluded that 1 would
rape her and then kill her. 1 cut her
thrOat and cut her. in another place
and left" He wrote a note to his wife
and gave it to the sheriff. 1t read as fol.
lows: Il am arrested by Wig Smith
You know what they will do with me- If
don't see you any more good After
his confession and thorough identificationa
vote wEs taken as to the mode of punish
mcnt.
Agreed to Have y Great Show.
1t was unanimously agreed to burn him,
and it was agreed that he should suffer
the penalty on the public square At
Tyler no less than 1000 people were as
sembled. Large crowds of ladies and
children were congregated on the awnings
surrounding the public plaza Wagons,
carriages, trees and buildings were con-
verted into grand stands and were
throngel 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. His words were inaudible, but
when he offered up his last prayer his
words could be heard for several blocks.
Burned Him Slowly to Death.
He was then lashed to the iron rail that
extended through the platform Bell, the
husband of his victim, applied the match
and the flame shot upward, cnveloping
the brute in sheets of fire. He begged for
mercy and it was meted out to him Just
as he was mcrciful to the woman whose
soul he had sent to eternity. As fast as
the wood thrown around him was con-
sumed 1t was quickly replenishcd. From
the time the match was applied until he
was incinerated was exactly fifty minutes.
Natives All Took q Holiday,
The l. and G. n. sOuth-bound train was
crowded with people from the towns
north. Hundreds of negroes witnessed the
execution and representative negroes ex-
pressed their Endorsement of the punish
mcnt. The officers werc 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 deserted.