Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1900-11-22
MOB BURNS "A NEGRO.
PRESTON PORTER PAYS WITH
LIFE. FOR HIS CRIME.
Pyre Blazes on the Spot Where MS
Girl Victim Died-The Father o.
Louise Erost Puts the Match to the
Cu1prit's Bier.

Preston Porter, Jr., the negro who con-
fassed the assault and murder of ll-year-
old Louise Frost was burned to death
at Limon. Colo, in the very place Where
the crime was committed.
This frightful punishment was meted
ont by 4 mob of 800 men, who made no
effort TO conceal their purpose. No at
tempt was made by officials to stop the
awful proceedings. The sheriff surfen-
dered his prisoner without offering SER
Gus resistance, after deliberately leadins
him to the place where it had been pup
licly announced vigilance col1lniiltee
would await his coming.
Porter was removed during the night
from the city jail in Denver to the county
JAIL He was taken out shoftly ai.eI
noon by Sheriff Jones, placed in closed
carriage and driven rapidly to Magnoha,
small station east of Denver. Ihere
no was delivered to Sheriff Freeman or
Lincoln County, who was on the tram
bound for Hugo.
The train bearing the negro, in custody
Of Sheriff Freeman and his deputies, ar
rived in Linon at 3:45 p. III. The cars
were crowded with newspaper reporters
and people who were curious to see the
negro executed Il. W. Frost, the MUIR
dered girls father, was one OF the pas
sengers. When the train stopped sixteen
men who had been selected by the Vlg-
lance committee entered the tram ana
demanded the prisoner from the sherlH.
Their every action was marked Dy calm
ness and determination. Ihe sherlH
Welded and the train was then allowed to
proceed. At Lake Station, about three
miles from Limon, the party left the traln
and began preparations for the deed or
vengeance.
The doomed negro was chained to
railroad rail that had been set firmly IN
the ground, and about this the fuel was
placed. Porter did not seem to realize
the awful punishment he was destined to
undergo.
While every man looked on with bated
breath r. w. Frost, the dead girls faith
er, set fire to the mass Of combustible ma
terial, and the flames commenced to
crackle. Almost instantly the negroes
trousers caught fire. Even though the
flesh must have been scorched, he did not
utter a sound. The flames crept slowly
upward ON his clothing; the sparks flew
I'D in cloud Of pale smoke. Porter turn
ed his head, and a frightful expression
changed his face. With sudden convuf
sve Juggling, he stretched his head as far
from the rapidly increasing flames as he
could and uttered 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'
In terrible screeches these words, the
first he had uttered aloud, came from the
negro Tugging at the chains, he gave
out succession Of awful groans land
screams Not an oath escaped him, but
he begged and pleaded to be shot. In the
negro's struggles one of the ropes binding
him was broken and he fell partially out
of the fire. Some wanted to throw him
over into the fire; others tried to dash oil
upon him. Boards were carried and a
large pile made over the PROSTATE body.
They soon were ignited and the terrible
heat and lack of air quickly rendered the
victim unconscious, bringing death few
moments later.