Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-11-20
Assaulted and Murdered a 1l-Year-Old
Child in Colorado.
WAS TIEDAND SATURATED WITH KEROSENE
Stocal Until the Flames Began to Scorch the Flesh
and Then Begged For Mercy--Coroner Can Find No
Remains to Sit ONO Women Witness
the Execution

Z Limon, Colo, Nov. 17.-On the ex-
act spot where ten days ago Louise
Frost, IL years of age was assaulted
and murdered, Preston Porter, her ns-
gro murderer, was last evening chain
ed to railroad rail and burned 10
death by 300 neighbors of the little
girl. The father of the little victim
directed the cremation and applied
the match.
Twenty minutes after the shudder-
ing, sullen negro had been chained,
the oil-saturated wood piled high
around him and fire started, all that
remained of Preston Porter was hid
ecu, shapeless cinder. The terrible
crime against helpless child had
been terribly punished and the quiet,
orderly crowd departed for home.
& What agony the doomed boy suffer.
ed while the flames shriveled up his
flesh could only be guessed from tho
t6EIlpl6 COALOILlOAo VI A1S 1ClSO eIAO
the cries he gave from time to time.
The executioners, who numbered
about 800 citizens of Lincoln county,
had not the least semblance Of the or
binary mob. Their every act was de-
1iberate and during all the prepare
tons as well as thruout the suffer
ings Of the negro hardly an unneces-
sary word was spoken. Grimly they
stood in circle about the fire until
the body was entirely consumed, and
then quietly they took their way back
to Limon, whence they departed for
their homes shortly afterward.
Indifferent to His Fate.
B Preston Porter did not see INTO rea-
lie the awful punishment that he
was destined to undergo. AS he had
exhibited indifference to the enormity
Of his crime, SO he seemed to lack all
understanding of its terrible conse
quences.
rations for his execution were in pro
gress, 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 plac,
ed his back to the iron stake, and half
dozen men 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 the match. For a mo
ment but a little Pickering flame
arose. Then the oil blazed I'D. sparks
few into the air and the wood began
to crackle.
Begs for More Time.
Almost instantly the negros trous
ers caught fire. Even tho the flesh
must have been scorched he did not
utter sound. The flames crept slow.
~ upward on his clothing, the sparks
few up in cloud of pale smoke Por.
ter turned his head and a frightful ex.
preston changed his face. With a
sudden convulsiye Juggling he stretch,
ed his head as far from the rapidly
increasing flames as possible and ut,
tered cry of pain. "Oh, my God, let
me go, men. I've got something more
to tell you. Please let me go. Oh, nv
God, my God.
In terrible screeches these words
the first he had uttered aloud, came
from the negro A terrible Juggling
at the chains, succession of awful
groans and screams, the negro's az
ony was at last breaking down his
asullen composure. Not an oath as
capped him, but he begged and pleaded
to be shot. Suddenly the rope hold
ing his hands burned thru. Their
arms. head and shoulders slipped
thru the chains.
Feared He Might Escape.
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 fel
away from the fire, the head lowe,
than the feet, still fastened to the rail
This was not expected, and for an in
slant these stolid men were discon
3certed; thew feared that the only re
naming chain would give way. i
this had occurred the partly burned
human being would have dashed
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