The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1900-11-21
A MURDER is EXP|ATED.
Preston Porter Burned at the Stake
by a Mob in Colorado.
HE CRIES FOR MERCY.
Awful Torture Visited Upon a Negro
Fiend-Father of Dead Child
Applies the Torch.

Limon, Col, Nov. IA Iynching
more awful in details than any ever
known in the South took place in Colo
RADIO yesterday, when Preston Porter, a
negro, was burned to death for the MUIR
der of 13-year-old Louise Frost. Never
was vengeance melted out by a lawless
mob in more deliberate manner nor the
plan SO carefully arranged. The father
of Louise Frost was given the privilege
of applying the match to the Negroes flu
neral pyre, and as the blaze flashed up it
showed a silent and determined assem-
blage of men, who watched with grim
satisfaction the twenty minues of torture
that Porter endured before death came
to his relief. What agony the doomed
boy suffered while the flames shriveled
up his flesh could only be guessed from
the terrible contortions of his face and
the cries he gave from time to time.
The eXecutiOners, who numbered about
300 citizens of Lincoln county, had not
the least semblance Of the ordinary mob.
Their every act was deliberate and dur
ing all the preparations as we'll 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 entirely consumed
and then quietly took their way back to
their homes shortly afterward.
Chained to an Iron Stake.
Preston Porter did not seem to realize
the awful punishment that he was des-
tined to undergo For more than an
hour, while preparations for his eXecu-
ton were in progress. he stood mute and
sullen among the avengers. When every
thing was ready he walked to the stake
with a firm step, pausing as he reached
the circle of broken boards to kneel in
prayer. He was allowed to take his
time. He arose and placed his back to
the iron stake and half a dozen men
wound chains about his body and limbs.
Kerosene oil was applied to the wood
Frost, the father of little Louise Frost,
whose cruelty body was found
one week ago on that very spot, applied
match. For a moment but a little
Pickering flame arose. Then the oil
blazed up, sparks flew into the air and
the wood began to crackle. Almost in
stantly the negro's trousers caught fire.
Even though the flesh must have been
scorched, he did not utter a sound. The
flames crept slowly upward on his cloth
ing, the sparks flew up in a cloud of pale
smoke. Porter turned his head and a
frightful expression changed his face.
With a sudden convulsive Juggling he
stretched his head as far from the rap
flames as possible and ut
tered a cry Of pain. "Oh, my God, let
me go, men. I've got something more TO
tell you. Please let me go. Oh, my
God, my Godn'
Pleaded to be Shot.
In terrible screeches these words the
first he had uttered aloud, came from the
negro. A te-rio,e tugging at the chans.
nf fr1J
screams. the negro's agony was at least
breaking down his sullen composure.
Not an oath escaped 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
suppication while burning pieces of cloth
ing dropped from them. The body then
fell away from the fire, the head lower
than the feet, still fastened to the rail.
But the chain held fast. The body was
then in such a position that only the legs
were in the FIRE. The cries of the wretch
We're redoubled and he again begged 20
be shot. Some wanted to throw him
over into the fire, others tried to dash OF.
upon him. Boards were carried anu
large pile made over the PROSTATE body.
They soon were ignited and the terrible
hea. and lack of air quickly rendered the
victim unconscious, bringing death few
later.
There was not a hitch in the entire
Not a weapon was drawn.
there was no angry discussion. After
the fire had burned low the men babe
each other goodnight and went home.
Taken from the Sheriff.
The train bearing the negro in custody
Of Sheriff Freeman and his deputies ar
rived in Limon at 3:45 p. m. r. w.
Frost, the murdered girls father, was
one of the passengers. When the train
stopped sixteen men who had been Sc
ected by the vigilance committee entered
the train and demanded the prisoner
from the sheriff. Their every action was
marked by calmness and determination
The officer protected in the name of the
law and asked the men to allow him to
take his prisoner to the county jail at
Hugo, but his protests were disregarded.
One man carried rope, which had been
formed into hangman's neck The
method Of death was left to the outraged
father. He decided upon burning at the
stake. The train was then allowed to
proceed, and at Lake station, about three
miles from Limon and near the scene of
the negro's crime, the party left the
train and began preparations for the
deed of vengeance.