Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1900-11-21
BURNED NEGRO TO DEATH
Terrible Vengeance on a Girls Mur-
derer by a Colorado Mo-.
VICTIMS FATHER LIGHTED FIRE

Marked Every Movement of the Mob
-trhc Scene Upon the Prairie.
Limon, Col. (SpccaD.-ChGined To
railroad rail set firmly in the ground
on the exact spot where his flcndish
crime was committed. Preston Porter.
Jr.. or as he was Familiarity known.
John Porter paid terrible penalty
for the murder of Louise Frost. an
cleven-year-old schoolgirl Ii was 623
o'clock when the father of the muir
dered girl touched the match to The
fuel which had been piled around the
stake. and twenty minutes later Il last
convulsivc shudder told that life was
extinct. \ number of reporters and
telegraph operators with portable in
Struments were with the lynching
party. The wires W. @ cut. and re
ports of the lynchiu@. in the form of
bulletins. We're tclcgraphcd direct from
the scene of the occurrence.
The cNecutionrrS. who numbered
about 300 citizens of Lincoln County,
had not the least scmblaucc of The or
dinary mob. Their every act was de
libcratc, and during all the prcpara-
tion. aS well as throughout the suffer.
ingS of the negro. hardly an unncccS-
snry word was spoken. Grimly they
stood in n circle about the fire until
the body was entirely consumed aud
then quietly took their way back To Ii
mon. from whence they departed for
their homes shortly af,crward
While wagons Went for fuel chains
and the iron rail, one man stood by
holding fast To tho end Of the rope
about the ncgro'S neck. Two score
men broke up the boards ana assisted
in piiing them about the rail which
hnd been set firmly in the ground.
When everything was ready the man
holding the rope led the negro to the
pile OF boards. For an instant Porter
knelt upon the edge of the boards.
With his eyes raised his lips moved as
If in prayer. He was not hurried AZ
ter he had prayed few moments.
Porter stepped upon the boards and
placed his back To the upright iron
Then half dozen men bound him
with chains. \ man dashed the oil
from Il large can on the boards. Then
the boards were piled about the boy
knee high. The crowd fell back. form
ing Il semicirclc facing the negro.
For Il few moments there was abso-
lutte silence. Twenty feet in front of
the negro bonfire burned and
cracked. Its ruddy light threw him
into bold relief. Faces of the men
about were illuminated 10y it, Porter
looked about, then east his eyes M.
and again his lips moved. K. w.
Frost, Louisa FroSts father stcppcd
forward. Strucl, Il match and touched
it to the oil 1t bla2cd up. sparks flew
into the air and the wood began 10
cracklc. Almost instantly the negro's
trousers caught fire. The flames crept
slowly upward ON his clothing ana
the sparks flew in IL cloud. Porter
turned his head and tried To keep his
face as far rs possible from the in
creasing flames.
He begged and pleaded To he shot
suddenly The rope holding his hands
burned through. Then the arms. mead
and shoulders slipped through the
chains. For an instant the body stood
erect. the arms We're raised in suppl
cation while burning pieces of clothing
dropped from them. The body then
fell over away from the fire. the head
lower than the feet, still fastened to
the rail The chain held fast. The
body was then in such II position that
only the legs Were in the fire.
The cries of the negro were re-
doubled and he again begged TO ne
shot. Boards were carried and Il
large pile made over the PROSTATE
body. They were soon ignited. and
the added heat and lack of air quickly
rendered The victim unconscious,
bringing death few moments later.
"Oh, God. have mercy on these men,
on the little girl and her father"
These were the last words of the ne
gro. They were uttered after Il series
of groans.
Then the crowd began 10 dispersc.
\ little after seven O'Clock not one
person could he seen about thC fire 4
s;nouldcrng heap of charred rem
nants of boards Slowed dimly across
the level prairie, and all was dcsolatc
about the spot.
Porter murdered Louise Frost. clev-
en- years old. near Llmcn, and after
his capture nc made Il full confession.
The details of his crime, rs he told
of il; were so revolving that public in
diGnation rose at once TO white heat,
and the people and press at once de
Clared that he must suffer immediate
death rs Il punishment.
The general sentiment expressed mp
proves the execution of the negro, but
deprecatcs the method adopted.
THREE NEGROES LYSCHED ~ TEXAS