Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1900-11-22
NOBBURNS NEGRO At STAKE.
Slayer Of Little Girl Pays Awful
Penalty.
TWENTY MINUTES OF AGONY.
father OF Louise Frost IPuts the Torch
to Cuiprit's Bier-Nothing Left hut n
Few Charred Bones on the Desoiate
Prairie.

Limon, Colo, Nov. 19.-On the exact
spot where ten days ago Louise Frost.
II years of age, was assaulted and MUIR
dered, Preston Porter. her negro muir
derer, was last evening chained to
railroad rail and burned to death by
neighbors of the little girl. The IA
Their of the little victim directed the
cremation and applied the torch.
Porter was removed from Denver in
answer to a warrant from Lincoln
county which the local district at
torney said could not be ignored. The
governor was appealed to, but he was
out of town, as matter of convent
ence, some people say. but in reality
to try to prevail upon the district at
torney of Lincoln to consent to the
prisoner remaining in Denver until
the great excitement should be al
layed.
Handed Over to tho sheriff.
A warrant was sworn out during thu
night and served at the Arapahoe
county Jail the first thing yester-
day. The prisoner was driven to
Magnolia, a country station thirteen
miles from Denver. and there com
mitted to the care of Sheriff Freeman,
He arrived at Limon at O'Clock. A
mob was waiting. No delay ensuei,
for the vigilants broke their way
through the coach with the prisoner
and dashed him to the ground at the
door of the little station. Limon is
not a large place, and the entire force
did not exceed 100 men. but all were
armed with Winchesters to attest the.r
sincerity.
Porter realized his fate and begged
and swore at his captors. who 81 emily
dragged him to a wagon. He was
hurried to the scene Of Louise Frosts
death. A railroad rail had been
planted In the ground. Porter was
thrown against this fireproof staff and
dashed with chains. He begged pite-
ously for his life, praying to his Maker
and indulging in all forms Of appeals,
but they did not soften the hearts o.
the avengers. Broken scantling were
piled against the body of the writhing
negro and then the crowd drew back
Avenges rs child.
Old man Frost made his way to the
front, and with feeble and nervous
hands applied kerosene torch to the
brush that formed the groundwork oil
the pyre. The smoke curled upward.
The fire seized the clothing OF the vic
tim. 1t ate into his flesh. and as the
tongues Of flame penetrated the negro
cried out in his agony. "Oh. God. my
God, men, let me go, Wait" the des-
perate wretch shrieked. I've some
thing more to tell. Please give me
one more minute. You don't know
ALL"
The torturers stood silently by dur
ing the raving. Then one of the
ranchers cursed the dying man and
spoke for five minutes to say that the
end should be lesson to all ravishers
and negroes in the county. who would
be treated the same way unless they
changed their place OF residence.
The rope holding the head dropped
on the chest of the dying man. He
raised himself once more, and with
the death rattle in his throat, screamed
at his prosecutors: "Oh. God have
mercy on these men, on the little girl
and her father" These were the last
words. The body pitched forward to
the limit of the chains. the limbs re-
Taxed and death showed mercy, where
humanity had no heart.
The entire scene consumed one hour
and when the crowd dispersed there
was nothing left but few charred
bones on the desolate prairie, and a
little bunch Of ashes that the wind
had already begun to scatter to the
four corners of the universe.
Governor win Not Discuss 1t.
Denver, Colo, Nov. 19.-When asked
his opinion regarding the burning OF
the negro murderer, Preston Porter,
at Limon tonight, Gov. Thomas de-
clined to make any statement what
ever. Early in the week in an inter-
view the governor was quoted as say
ing that he had nothing to do with
the matter.
Mississippi Navigation Ends.