Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1900-11-18
BURNED At THE STAKE
John Porter Suffers a Terrible Death
from the Hands of a Mob.
Is ROASTED ALIVE.
He u Bound 10 an Iron Stake and
Gradually Burned Up for the
Murder Of Little Louise
Frost at Limon, Col.

Llmon, Colo. Nov i6 Chained 70
a railroad rail, set firmly in the ground.
on the exact spot whore his hcndish
crime was committed. Preston Porter,
Jr.' or. as he was tamiliarly known,
John Porter, paid terrible penalty for
his deed.
IL wasG:2j O'Clock yesterday afternoon
when the father Of the murdered girl
touched the match 10 the fuel
which had been piled around the negro
aud 20 minutes later last convulsive
shudder told that life was extinct. What
agony the doomed boy suffered while
the flames shr.veled up his flesh could
only be guessed from the terrible con.
tortilns OF his face aud the cries be gave
from time 90 time The axccud1uers.
who numbered about BOO citzeus % Lin.
colin county, had not the least semblancs
Of ordinary mob. Their every act
was deliberate aud during an tho prcpa.
mti1ns, a, wen asthruughlut the .ud n
iugs of thanegro. hardly ana unnecessary
word was .plaen Gumly they stood
in a circle about the fire until the body
wa. entirely consumed and then quietly
took their way back % Limon. whence
they had departed for their homes short.
ly nftorward.
Preston Porter did not seem 20 realize
the awful punishment that he was de,.
tined % undergo. As he had exhibited
indifference 70 the oouormity Of his crime
30 he seemed 10 lack all understanding
Of it, terrible consequences. For more
than hour, while preparations for his
execution were In progress, he stood
mute aud sullen among his avengers.
When everything was ready he walked
TO the stake with firm step, pausing as
he reached the circle Of broken boards 10
knecl IN prayer. He was allowed 20
take his tune. lie arose and placed his
back 20 the iron stake and half dozen
men wound chains about his body aud
limbs Kerosene oil was applied 10 the
wood and after brief pause Richard
W Frost. father Of little Louise Frost.
whose cruelty mutilated body was found
one week ago ON that very spot. applied
the match.
For a moment but little hickering
flame arose. Then the oil blazed M.
sparks fell into the air aud the wood l,,.
gan 10 craokle Almost instantly the
negroes trousers caught fire. At first
he did not utter a sound. The flame.
orept slowly upward ou his clothing.
the sparks flew up In cloud Of nal,
smoke. Porter turned his head and A
frightful expression came over his face.
With a sudden conyulsiye tugging he
stretched his head as far from the
rapidly increasing flames as possible
and uttered a cry of pain.
"Oh. my God, let me 20 men, I've got
sometsiug more 10 tell you. Please lot
me 10. Oh, my God. let me 20"
In terrible screeches these words. the
first he had uttered aloud. came from the
negro. 4 terrible tugging at the chains.
suggestion of awful groans and
screams, the negroes agony was at last
breaking down his sullen composure.
Not an oath escaped him. but he
begged and pleaded 70 be shot Sud.
denly the rope holding his hands burned
through. Then arms, head and should.
ers slipped through ihe chains For an
instant the body stood erect. the arms
were raised in supplication, while burn.
ing pieces Of clothing dropped from
them. The body then fell away from
the fire. the head lower than the feet !
still fastened 20 the rail. This wa, not |
expected and Tor few moments the
siolid men were disconcerted. thev fear. |
ed that the only remaining chain would I,
give away II this had occurred the |
partly burned human being would have
dashed among them in his blazing gnr. |
ments' and not many would have cared /
TO capture him. But the chain held I
fast. The body was then In such A M. /
sition that only the legs were in the fire.
The cries Of the wretch were redoubled
and he again begged 20 be- shot.
Some wanted 20 throw him over into
The fire; others tried to dash oil ON him
Boards were carried and large pile WIS
made over the PROSTATE body. They
'oon were ignited and the terrible heat
aud lack Of air quickly rendered the vic.
Inn Unconscious, bringing death a few
minutes later.
Through the entire affair but little
was said. As they had calmly prepared
'or the ayenging. so the people OF the
'astern part Of the state carried ont
heir plan coolly and deliberately. There
was not hitch into the entire proceed.
ng. Not WEAPON was drawn: there