Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1900-11-24
Colorado Negro Ravisher Meets a
FrightfuI Fate at Town Of
limon.
DIES At SCENE OF HIS CRIME
Taken From The Sheriff by Citizens
and Put TO Death in Bar
barous Manner.
VICTIMS FATHER STARTS The FIRE
Porter Went TO the stake Reading the
Bible, Praying while Preparations
Were M~ade-Begged for Mercy
When Flames Reached Him.

| Iimon. Colo, Nov. acclaimed to q
rail set firmly In the ground on the ex-
act spot where his fiendlsh crime waa
committed. Preston Porter. Jr, or, as
he was Familiarity known, John Porter.
last evening paid a terrible penalty for
his deed.
II was 6:25 o'clock when the father or
the murdered girl touched the match
to the fuel which lad been piled
around the negro, and twenty minutes
later a last ~convulsive shudder told
hat life was extinct. 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 Oh
binary mob. Their every act was de-
liberate, and during all the prepara-
lions as well as throughout the suffer-
ings of the negro, hardly an unneces-
sary word was spoken. Grimly they
HlOOu III IL NINit dbpuN IAN - $3.50
the body was entirely consumed, and
then quietly took their way back to
Limon, whence they departed for their
homes shortly atterward.
Preston Porter did not seem to real
lie the awful punishment that he vas
destined to undergo. AS he Il eX-
hibited Indifference 10 the enormity of
his crime, so he seemed TO lack all un-
derstanding Of It's terrible conse-
quences.
Porter Kneels I'm Prayer.
Fol more than an hour, while prepa-
rations for his execution were In pro-
gress, he stood mute n sullen among
the When everything was
ready he walked 10 the stake with q
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 10
the iron stake and half a dozen men
wound chains about his body and
limbs.
Kerosene oil was applied to the wood,
and after a brief pause Richard w.
Frost, the father OF little Louise Frost,
whose cruelty mutilated body was
found one week ago on hat very spot,
applied a match. For q but q
little pickering flame arose. Then the
oil blazed up, sparks flew into the air
and the wood began to crackle. Almost
instantly the negro's trousers caught
fire. Even though the flesh must have
been scorched, he did not utter a sound.
The negro since his confession had
been devoting every moment OF day
light TO the perusal Of the bible given
him. by the Denver jai.er. Even while
waiting for his execution he sat by Il
bonfire reading from the gospel OF St
Luke. Just before he was tied TO the
stake, upon a request for souvenirs, the
how tore the leaves from the bible and
distributed them among his execution
ers.
The flames crept slowly upward on
his clothing, the sparks flew up In a
cloud of pale smoke. Porter turned his
head, and a frightful expression
hanged his face. With n sudden, con-
vulsive tugging he stretched his head
as far from the rapidly increasing
flames as possible, and uttered a cry or
pain.
Victims Awful Agony.
"Oh, my God, let me go, men. I've
got something 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 Juggling at the
chains. a succession of awful groans
and screams, the negro's agony was at
last breaking down Ms sullen compos-
ure.
Not an oath escaped him, but he
begged and pleaded to be shot. Sudden
~ the rope holding his hands burned
through. Then arms, head and shout
ders slipped through the chains. For
an instant the body stood erect. the
arms were raised in suppication, while
burning pieces OF clothing dropped from
them. The body then fell away from
the fire, the head lower than the feet,
still fastened to the rail. The body was
then in such n position 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
were carried, and n large pile made
over the PROSTATE body. They soon
were ignited, and the terrible heat and
lack of air rendered the victim uncon-
sclous, bringing death a few moments
later. This terrible ceremony out upon
the rolling prairie concluded the second
tragedy upon that spot, the terrible
%avenging of the first.
Through the entire affair but little
was said. AS they had calmly prepared
for the avenging, sc the people OF the
eastern part of the state carried out
their plan coolly and deliberately.
There was not a hitch in the entire pro-
ceeding. Not a weapon was drawn.
there was no angry discussion. After
the fire had burned low, they told each
other good night, and they went home.
They did not stop to discuss the affair.
Taken From the sheriff.
The train bearing the negro, III GUS
tody OF Sheriff Freeman and his depu-
ties, arrived In Limon at 3:45 p. m. The
ears were crowded with newspaper re-
porters and people who were curious TO
see the negro executed. r. w. Frost,
the murdered girls father, was one OF
he passengers. When the train
stopped sixteen men, who had been Sc
lected by the vigilance committee, en-
farnd thu train and dannnndnd fha mis-