The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1900-11-23
Colorado Citizens Ayenge Outrage
and Murder Of Little Girl.
ANGRY MOB SHOWED NO MERCY
Burning Culprit Begged Repeat
eddy to BE Shot--crime Was
Most Horrible One.


in the ground, on the exact spot where
his fendish crimo was committed,
Preston Porter, Jr, colored, or, as
no was familiarly known, John Porter,
Friday evening paid a terrible penalty
for his deed
1t was 6:25 o'clock when the father
of the murdered girl touched the
match to the fuel which had been piled
around the negro, and twenty minutes
later a last conyulsiye shudder told
that life was extinct What agony
the doomed boy suffered while the
flames shriyeled up bis flesh could on
~ be guessed from the terrible con-
tortions Of his face and the cries he
gave from time to time.
The executors, who numbered about
300 citizens Of Lincoln county, had
not the least semblauce of the ordina-
ny mob. Their every act wus DELHI
crate, and during all the preparations,
as we'll as throughout the suferings
OF the negro, hardly an unnecessary
word was spoken. Grimly they stood
In circle about the fire until the body
was entirely consumed and then oui-
city they took their way back to Lii
mon. whence they departed for their
homes shortly afterwards.
Preston Porter did not seem 10 real.
ize the awful punishment that he was
destined TO undergo As he had ex-
hibited indifference to TIE enormity of
his crime, so he seemed to lack all un-
derstanding of its terrible conse-
quences. For more than an hour,
while preparations for his execution
were i'll progress, he stood mute and
sullen among the avengers.
When everything was ready he walk
cd to the stake with o firm step, paus-
ing, as he reached tho circle of broken
boards, to kneel in prayer. He was
allowed to take his time. He arose
and placed his back to the iron stake
and half dozen men wound chains
about his body and limbs.
VICTIMS FATHER APPLIES MATCH.
Kerosene oil was applied to the
wood, and, after a brief pause, Rich
ard w. Frost, the father of little
Louise Frost, whose cruelty mutilated
body was found one week ago on that
very spot, applied a match. For a
moment little Pickering Aamo arose.
Then the oil blazed up, sparks few
into the air and the wood began to
crackle. Almost instantly the ne
gro's trousers caught fire.
AT first he did not utter sound.
The flames erept slowly upward on his
clothing, the sparks few up in cloud
of pale smoke. Porter turned his head
and frightful expression came over
his face. With q sudden conyulsive
tugging he stretched his head rs far
from the rapidly increasing flames as
possible and uttered cry of pain,
"Oh, my God, let me go, men. "
The cries of the wretch were re-
doubled, and he begged repeatedly to
be shot. Some wanted to throw him
over into the fire; others tried to dash
oil on him. Boards were carried and
large pile made of the PROSTATE body.
They soon were ignited, and the terri
BILE heat and lack of air quickly render
ed the victim unconscious, bringing
death few moments later.
Throughout the entire affair but lit
tie was said. AS they had calmly pre-
pared for the avenging, SO the people
of the eastern part OF the state carried
out their plan coolIy and deliberately.
Not weapon was drawn, there was
no angry discussion. After the fire
had burned low they told each other
good night and then went home. They
did not stop to discuss the affair.
PORTER CONFESSED CRIME.
While in Jail at Denver the negro
confessed every detail of the hideous
crime. The little girl was the daugh-
ter of ranchman living four miles
from Limon and attended school in
town, driving back and forth. On
Wednesday last, while on her way
home, she was waylaid, assaulted and
murdered, her body showing no less
than fourteen knife wounds.
Notices have been posted warning