Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1900-11-27
CRIME
At THE STAKE
Negro Murderer Burned
by Enraged Men
of Colorado.
FATHER OF CHILD KILLED
APPLIES MATCH TO Pre-
Mob Law and Fierce Retribution---
Criminal StOlid Till Flames Burn
ed Quivering Flesh---Begged
to be Shot.

-
a railroad rail, set firmly in the
ground, on the exact spot where his
fiendish crime was committed. Pres.
ton Porter, Jr.. or, as he was familiar
ly known, John Porter, this evening
paid terribly penalty for his deed. It
the murdered girl touched the mat n
to the fuel which had been piled
around, the negro. and 20 minutes lat.
er last convulsive shudder told that
life was extinct. What agony the
doomed boy suffered while the flames
shivered up his flesh could only be
guessed by the terrible contortions II
his face and the cries he gave from
time to time.
The executioners. who numbered
about 300 citizens of Limon County.
had not the least semblance Of the Or.
binary mob. Their every act was dc.
liberate, and during all the prepare.
lions, as well as throughout the suffrr.
ings of the negro, hardly an unneces-
sary word was spoken. Grimly they
stood in a circle about the fire until
the body was entirely consumed and
then quietly they took their way back
to Limon, from whence they departed
for their homes shortly afterward.
Preston Porter did not seem to re.
alize the awful punishment that ne
was destined to undergo. AS he hal
exhibited Indifference to the enorMi.y
of his crime. 80 be seemed to lack all
understand of its terrible conse.
quences. For more than an hour
while preparations for his execution
were in progress, he stood mute and
sullen among the avengers. When e,,
|erything was ready he walked to the
stake with a firm step, pausing as he
reached the circle OF broken boards 20
kneel In prayer. He was allowed 20
take his time. He arose and placed
his back to the iron stake, and half
n dozen men wound chains about his
body and limbs.
Kerosene oil was applied to the
wood. and after a brief pause, Rich,
ard W. Frost, the father of little
Louise Frost, whose cruelty mutilatcd
body was found one week ago on that
very spot, took his matchsafe out, OK.
tracted a match, lit 1t and touched the
flames to the oil.
For moment but pickering flame
arose, then the oil blazed up, sparks
few into the aid and the wood began
to crackle. Almost instantly the he.
gro's trousers caught fire. Even
though the flesh must have be IN
scorched, he did not utter a sound
The flames crept slowly upward on lis
clothing, the sparks flew up In clio I'D
and frightful expression changed ais
face. With a sudden convulsive tug
ging he stretched his head as far IS
possible from the rapidly increasing
flames and uttered. a cry Of pain.
"Oh, my God, Let me go, men: rvs
something more to tell you. Please lc'
me go. Oh. my God! My Cod"
| In terrible screeches these words
the first he had uttered aloud, came
from the negro. A terrible Juggling n
the chains, succession of awfu
groans and screams, the negro's awfI
agony was at last breaking down his
sullen composure. Not an oath -
capped him, but he begged and pleaded
to be shot. Suddenly, the rope hold
ing his hands burned through. Their
the arms, head and shoulders slipped
through the chain. For an instanc,
the body stood erect, the arms WEE,
raised in duplication, while burning
pieces of cloth dropped from them
The body then fell away from the fire
the head lower than the feet. which
were still fastened to the rail-