The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-11-21
BURNED AT
THE STAKE.
Negro Ravisher Horribly
Punished by White Men
IN Colorado.
Father of the Brutes Victim An.
plies Match.

this evening paid q terrible penalty for
bis deed. II was 6 % O'clock when the
father of the murdered girl touched tho
match to the fuel which had been piled
around the negro aud 10 20 minutes
later last oonvulsive shudder told
bet bis life was extinct. What aeonv
We doomed boy suffered while the flames
ehriveled up bis flesh could only be
guessed from the terrible oontortions
Of bis face and the cries be gave from
time to time. The executionsrs. who
numbered about 300 citizens of Lin coin
county. had oot the least semblance of
the ordinary mob. Their every act
was deliberate and duriog ell the pre-.
psratioes as we'll as tbrou g hout the suf.
feriogs of the negro hardly On unueoes.
sary word was spoken Grimly they
stood in circle about the FIRE until the
body was entirely consumed and then
quietly took their way back to Limou,
whencs they parted for their homes
shortly afterwards.
Preston Porter did not seem to real.
IL, the awful punishment that he was
destined to undergo As he had ex
hibited indifference to the euormity Of
bis crime. go he seemed to lack all un.
derstandipR of its terrible coose-
quences For more than an hour,
while preparations for bis execution
we're in progress, he stood mute and
sulleo among the avengers. When
everything was ready be walked to the
stake With firm step, paused as he
reached the circle of broken boards
to kneel iu prayer. He was
allowed to take bis time. He arose and
placed bis back to the iron stake aud
half dozen men wound chains about
bis body aud limbs. Kerosene oil was
applied to the wood aud after a brief
pause. Richard w. Frost, The father of
the little Frost girl, whose cruelty mu.
tilated body was found one week ago
on that very spot, applied the match.
For moment bat little aickering
flame arose. Then the oil blazed up,
sparks hew into the air and the wood
began to orackle. Almost instantly
the negro's trousers caught Ere.
Even though the aesh must have
been scorched, he did not utter sound.
The flames crept slowly upward on bis
clothing. the sparks flying up 10 .
cloud of pale smoke. Porter turn ed bis
head and tr.ghsful expression changed
bis face. With q sudden cvuvulsive
.ugging be stretched bis head as far
from the rapidly increasing flames .s
possible and uttered q cry of psiu,
Lob, my God. let me 60. men. I've
got someshioe more to tell you. Please
let me 60. Oh, my God. ny God"
In terrible screeches these words. the
6rst be had uttered aloud, came from
the negro. A terrible tuggiog at .he
chains, . succession Of awful groaus
and screams. the agony was at last
breaking down his sulleu composure.
Not au oath escaped. but be begged
and pleaded to be shot. Suddenly the
rope holdiog his hands burned through.
Then arms, head and shoulders slipped
through the chains For 90 ipstsut the
body stood erect, the arms we're raised
10 supplicatiou'w while burning pieces of
clothing dropped from them. The BODY
then fell away from the Ere, the head
lower than the feet. still fastened to the
rail. This was not expected, aud for q
few minutes those stolid men we're dis.
concerted they feared that the onlv
remaining chaio would give way. Ii
this bad occurred the partly burned
human being would have been dashed
among them 10 bis blasing garments.
And not many would have cared to
capture bin again. But the chain held
fast. The body Was then 10 such
position that ooIy the legs we're 10 the
Gre. The cries of the wretch we're
redoubled and be sgsio begged to be
shot. Some wanted to throw him into
the FIRE, others tried to dash oil upon
bin. Boards we're carried aud . large
pile made over the PROSTATE body.
They soon we're ignised and she terrible
heat and lack Of air quickly rendered
tho victim uncooscius. bringing death . |
few moments later. This terrible oere.
nony. out upon the rolling prairie,
concluded the secoud tragedy upon
that spot. the terrible svengiog of tho
frst
Through the entire affair but little
vas said As they calmly prepared for |
tho avenging, so the people Of the |
eastern part Of the State carried ost
their plan ooolly and deliberately.
There vas not . hitch in the entire /
proceedings Not weapon vas
drawn there WAS no angry discussion. !
After the Gre bad burned low they told !
each oshor good oight and they went
homo They did not stop to discuss