The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1900-11-22
WAS BURNED At STAKE
Vengeance Wreaked Upon Colored
Youth in WiIds Of Colorado.
HAD CAUSED A WHITE GIRLS DEATH.
Doomed cuIprt Taken From a Train by
Vigilance Committee and, Upon Request Of
His Victims Father, cremated Upon Pyre
Of Railroad Tles'.The Exeeutioners Mum
bercd About 800 Citizens Of Lincoln County.

Limon, Col. (SpeciaD Chained to a
railroad rail set firmly in the ground
on the exact spot where his fiendish
crime was committed, Preston Porter
Jr., or, as he was familiarly known,
John Porter paid terrible penalty for
his deed. II was 622 o'clock when the
father of the murdered girl touched the
match to the fuel which had been piled
around the negro, and 20 minutes later
last convulsive shudder told that life
was extinct.
What agony The doomed boy suffer
ed while the flames shriveled up his
flesh could only be guessed from the
terrible contortions OF his face and thc
cries he gave from dime to time The
ecuiiOners, who numbered about 300
cicizens of Lincoln county. had not the
least semblancc of the ordinary mob.
Their every act was deliberate, and
during all the preparations. as wei as
throughout the sufferings of the negro,
hardly an unnecessary word was
spoken. Grimly they stood in a circle
about the fire until the body was en-
tirely consumed and then quietly they
took their way back to Limon. whence
they departed for their homes shortly
afterward.
Preston Porter did not seem to
realize the awful punishment that he
was destined 20 undergo. As he had
exhibited Indifference TO. the enOrmity
of his crime, so he seemed to lack all
understanding of it's terrible conse-
quences. For more than an hour, while
preparations for his execution were
in progress he stood mute and sullen
among the avengers. When everything
was ready he walked to the stake with
firm step, pausing as he reached the
circle of broken boards, 10 kneel in
prayer He was allowed to take his
time. He arose and placed his back to
the iron stake and half a dozen mon
wound chains about his body and
limbs.
Kerosene oil was applied to the
wood, and after brief pause Richard
w. Frost the father of little Louise
Frost. whose cruelty mutilated body
was found one week ago on that very
spot, applied a match. For a moment
but little flickering flame arose.
Then the oil blazed up, sparks few into
the air and the wood began to crackle.
Almost instantly the negros trousers
caught fire. Even though the flesh
must have been scorched, he did not ut
ter a sound. The flames crept slowly
upward on his clothing; the sparks
flew up in a cloud of pale smoke. Por-
ter turned his head and frightful eX-
preston changed his face.
With a sudden convulsive tugging
he stretched his head as far from the
rapidly increasing flames as possible
and utted a cry of pain. "Oh! my
God! let me go, men! I've got some
thing more tO tell you. Please let me
go. o my God, my Cod
In terrible screeches these words.
the first he had uttered aloud, came
from the negro. A terrible tugging
at the chains, a succession of awful
groans and screams, the negro's
agony was az last breaking down his
sullen composure. Not an oath cs-
capped him, but he begged and pleaded
to be shot
Suddenly the rope holding his hands
burned through Then arms, head and
shoulders slipped through the chains
For an instant the body stood erect,
the arms were raised in supplication
while burning pieces OF clothing drop
ped from them. The body then fell
away from the fire, the head lower
than the feet, still fastened to the rail.
This was not expected, and for a few
minutes those stolid men were discOn-
certed; they feared that the only re-
naming chain would give way.
II this had occurred the partly burn
cd human being would have dashed
among them in his blazing garments.
And not many would have cared to
capture him again. But the chain held
fast. The body was then in such posi-
tion that only the legs were in the fire.
The cries Of the wretch were redoubled,
and he again begged to be shot. Some
wanted to throw him over into the fire,
others tried to dash oil upon him.
Boards We're carried and a large pile
made over the PROSTATE body. They
soon We're ignited, and the terrible heat
and Lack of air quickly rendered. the
victim unconscious, bringing death a
few moments later. This terrible
ceremony, out upon the rolling prairie
concluded the second tragedy upon
that spot, the terrible avenglng of the
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