The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1900-11-24
BURNED
At The STAKE
Colorado Negro Rasisher Meets ..
F1ightful Fate at Town Of
Limon.
DIES Al SCENE OF HIS CRIME.
Taken From the Sheriff BY Citizens.
and Put to Death ID Bar
barous Manner.
DIES Al SCENE OF HIS CRIME.
VICTIMS FATHER STARTS The FIRE
Porter Went 10 tho stake Reading the
Bible, Praying While Preparations
We're Made-Begged for Mercy
When FLAMES Reached Kim.

Iimon, Colo, Nov. 19.-Chained to a
rail set firmly in the ground on the x
act spot where his fiendish crime was
committed. Preston Porter, jr, or, as
he was Familiarity known, John Porter,
last 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 convulsive shudder told
that life was extinct. What agony the
doomed boy suffered while the flames
shriveled up his flesh could only be
guessed from the terrible %contortions
of his face and the cries he gave from
to time.
The executioners. who numbered
about 800 citizens of Lincoln county.
had not the least semblance of the Or
binary mob. Their every act was de-
liberate, and during all the prepara-
tons as well as Throughout. the suffer
ings of the negro, hardly ar unneces-
sary word was spoken. Grimly they
stood in a circle about the fire until
the body was entirely consumed, and
then quietly took their way back to
Limon. whence they departed for their
homes shortly afterward.
Preston Porter did not seem to real
lie the awful punishment that he was
destined to undergo. AS he had ex-
hibited indifference to the enormity of
Outstanding of its terrible conse-
uuenCS So +ErkrE. +H.ErE E4rH
Porter kneels In Prayer.
For more than an hour, while prepa-
rations for his execution were in pro-
gress, he stood mute and, sullen among
the avengers. When everything was
ready he walked to the stake with a
firm step. paIsing as he reached the
circle OF broken oards to kneel in
prayer. He was allowed to take his
time. He arose and placed his back to
the iron stake and half q dozen men
wound chains about his body and
LIMBS.
kerosene oil was applied to the wood.
and after a brief pause Richard w.
Frost, the father of little Louise Frost,
whose cruelty mutilated body was
found OF week age on that very spot,
applied a match. For a moment but a
little Pickering flame arose Then the
oil blazed up. sparks flew into the air
and the wood began to crackle. Almost
instantly the negro's trousers caught
fire. Even though the flesh must have
been s%eorched, he did not utter a sound.
The negro since his confession had
been devoting every ome of day
light to the perusal OF the bible given
him by the Denver jaiier. Even while
waiting for his execution he sat BY a
bonfire reading from the gospel OF st.
Luke. Just before he was tied to the
stake, upon a request for souvenirs, the
boy tore the leaves from the bible and
distributed them among his execution
ers.
The flames crept slowly upward on
his clothing. the sparks flew up In q
cloud of pale smoke. Porter turned his
head, and a frightful expression
changed his face. With q sudden. con-
vuisive Juggling he stretched his head
as far from the rapidly increasing
pain.
victim's AWFUL Agony.
a,rh, my God, let me go, men. I've
got something more to tell you. Please
let me go. Q, my God, my Cod"
In terrible screeehes these words, the
first he had uttered aloud, came from
the negro. A terrible Juggling at the
chains, a succession of awful groans
and screams. the negro's agony was at
last breaking down his sullen compos-
ure.
Not an oath escaped MIN, but he
begged and pleaded to be shot. Sudden
ly the rope holding his hands burned
through. Then arms, head and shou.-
ders slipped through the chains. For
an instant the body stood erect, the
arms We're raised in s~upplication. while
burning pieces of clothing dropped from
them. The body then fell away from
the fire, the head lower than the feet,
still fastened to the rail-. The body was
then In such d position that only the
legs were IN the fire. The cries OF the
wretch We're redoubled, and he again
begged to be shot. Some wanted to
throw him I've into the fire, others
tried to dash oil upon him. Boards
We're carried. n a large pile made
over the PROSTATE body. They soon
were ignited, and the terrible heat and
lack of air rendered the victim uncon-
,scious, bringing death a few moments
later. This terrible ceremony u upon
the rolling prairie concluded the second
tragedy upon that spot, the terrible
arenging OF the first.
Through the entire affair but little
was said. AS they had calmly
for the ayenging, SO the people Of the
eastern part of the state carried out
their plan coolly and deliberately.
There was not a hitch In the entire pro.