The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1900-11-21
HORRIBLE VENGEANCE.
Negro Lad Burned at the
Stake Near Limon, Col.

Victims Father Started Fire - Preston
Porter Taken From sheriff by Deter
mined Mob, Chained to Railroad Rail
and Pyre of Ties and Burned ON Scene
OF His Crime.
LIMON, Col, Nov. 17.-Chained to
a railroad rail, set firmly in the grcund
on the exact spot whore his flemish
c.ime was committed, Preston Porter,
Jr., or, as he was familiarly known,
John Porter yesterday evening paid
terrible penalty for his deed. 1t was
j:23 o'clock when the father Of the mur-
dered girl touched the match to the fuel
which had been piled around the stake
and 20 minutes later n last convulsIvr
shudder told that life was extinct. nnat
agony the doomed boy suffered while thH
danes shriveled IN his flesh could only
be guessed from -b, terrible contortiOns
OF his face and 10 cries he gave ron
time to time.
The executioners, who numbered bout
800 citizens Of Lincoln county, hat not
lAt lCuSl CtllbluhNt VI Alf AiOb'
Their every act was deliberate and du
ing all the preparation as well IA
throughout the suiierings of the negro,
hardly an unnecessary word was spoken
Grimly they stood in q circle about the
fire until the body was entirely con
sumed and then quietly they took their
way back to Limon, from which llacr
they departed for their homes shorty
afterwards.
Preston Porter did not seem to i alizc
the awful punishment he was destined
to undergo. As he had exhibited ndir-
ference to the enormity of his crime, so
he seemed to lack all understanding of
its terrible consequences. For more than
nm hour, while preparations for his exa
cution were in progress, he stood mute
and sullen among the avengers. When
everything was ready he walked to the
stake with Il firm step, pausing as he
reached the circle of broken boards
to Aneel in prayer lie was al
lowed to take his time. He arose an
placed his back to the iron stake and half
dozen men wound chains about his
body and limbs. Kerosene oil was 0p-
piled to the wood and, after 4 brief
pause, Richard w. Frost, the fail er Of
little Louise Frost. whose cruelty mutt
lated body was found one week ago o"
that very spot, applied a match. or =
moment but little 1ickor'1g fam
arose, then the oil blazed up, SPARKS flew
into the air and the wood began ~
crackle
Almost instantly the negro's trouse-3
caught fire. Even though the flesh must
have scorchcd he did not utter a sound.
The flames crept slowly upward on his
clothing, and the sparks flew up In a
cloud of pale smoke. Porter turned his
head and frghtful expression
changed his face. With sudden convu.-
sive tugging he stretched his head as fac
from the rapidly increasing flames as
possible and uttered cry of pain: "Oh
my God, let me go, men. l've got
something more to tell you. Please let
me go. Oh, my God, my God"
In terrible scrceches these words, the
first he had uttered aloud, came rom the
negro. 4 terrible tugging at the chains
a succession of awful groans and
screams, the negro's agony was at last
breaking down his sulen compOsure.
Not an oath escaped him, but he
begged and pleaded to be shot. Suddenly
the rope holding his hands burned
through. Then arms, head and shoulders
slipped through the chains. For an III
slant the body stood erect, the arms were
raised in supplication, while burning
pieces of clothing dropped from them.
The body then fell away from the fire,
the head lower than the feet, still fas-
tened to the rail. This was not expected
and for q few minutes these stolid men
were Disconnected. They feared the oniy
remaining chain would give way. If this
had occurred the partly burned human
being would have dashed among them in
his blazing garments. And not many
would have cared to capture him again.
But the chain held fast. The body was
then in such a position that only the legs
were in the fire. The cries of the wretch
were redoubed and he again begged 10
be shot. Some wanted to throw him over
into the fire; others tried to dash oil upoE
him. Boards were carried and large
pile made over the PROSTATE body. They
soon were ignited and the terrible heat
and lack Of air quickly rendered the vic
tim unconscious, bringing death few
moments later.