The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-01-16

seemed not to have the slightest effect
on Alexander. When he talked his voice
was steady. He spoke with the resigna-
tion of a man who saw only before aim
death and was prepared % meet 1t.
When he had finished talking, move
was made for large cotton wood Tree
in the northwest corner OF the court
house yard. The negro was backed 10
against it and a chain was hunted ior.
One could not be found and while they
waited Alexander was given another
chance to confess.
Il have told you that am innocent
can't tell YOU any more. did not
do it,"
He lies; burn him." cried the mob.
Take him where he committee the
murder suggested one.
The suggestion met with instant APP
proval and the crowd, carrying the ne
gro pushed on for Fourth street. There
were many wagons standing about and
into one of these they threw him. The
wagon was Immediately followed on the
run by the crowd. At Sis O'Clock Alex
ander was brought to the scene of the
murder Of Pearl Forbes at Lawrence
avenue and Spruce street. The exact
spot where the murdered girl was found
was located and there a ,emi-circle was
formed. Alexander was broueht IN IN a
was stopped in front of he circle, ana
surrounded by the crowd the leader of
the men who held Alexander called for
silence The roar ceased and Alexander
was brought forward for the crowd 10
gaze at. A howl went up which was
quickly hushed, as the prisoner raised his
shackeled hands and began 20 SNEAK.
his trembling voice.
You are going TO kill me, whatever l
say, he said, but men, you are wrong.
want to tell you right now you have got
the wrong man. did not do it, and some
day you wiR run up against the man who
did. know it amt any use to say so.
Tor You are going to kill me, but | did
not do it,"
The men standing behind him showed
him from the wagon and the roar from
the crowd drowned every other sound.
The negro was quickly driven down the
embankment to the pile of wood with his
hands shackeled and there bound to the
stake
Long before the wagon containing the
doomed man arrived at the place crowd
had gathered. Many carried rails and
boards. Several seized railroad rails and
carried them to the ravine. The first
thing done was to plant the railroad iron
upright in the mud. To this was lvade
fast cross iron firmly bound to the up
right iron with wire. Around the stake
wood and boards were piled To this the
man was dragged and chained in a stand
Ing position to the upper upright iron.
Chains and irons were wrapped about
him and with his hands still shaekeed.
coal oil was poured over him and the
match provided. Before the match was
applied. John Forbes, the father Of pearl
Forbes, stepped up to Alexander and
said: ''Are you guilty of numbering my
Il ~.
me here for" said the doomed man.
Forbes replied For killing my girl
on this very spot"
Mr.. Forbes, II that is your name. You
have the wrong man."
Burn him! Burn him," cried the
crowd.
Gentlemen. you've got lots of time"
said Alexander. You're burning an in
noceut man. You took advantage Of me.
You gave me no show. Can l see my
mother?'
| A man in the crowd called for the
mother. but she was not there. He then
said; will you let me shake hands with
all my frlends?" you have no friends in
/ this crowd, you damned beast said one
of the men in charge OF the crowd. IT
| you have anything to say, do so in
/ hurry
! Another man then stepped UP and said
| to Alexander: MAKE your peace with
your God, niger, for you Will surely die
] Coal oil was then applied for the Sec
ond time and while this was being done
( Alexander called to friends in the crowd
7 and told them goodbye. He did not seem
/ to realize that he was to be burned at
| the stake and talked nationally until
4 John Forbes the father of the murdered
girl. lighted the match Again Alexander
was asked to make a confession, but he
replied that he had nothing to say. AS
the flames leaped about him Alexander
turned CHASTITY pale. He clasped> his
hands together and began 10 SWINE 70
/ and fro. while the crowd yelled. In less
than Ave minutes he was hanging limp
/ and llfeless by the chains that bouad
him. AS soon as the crowd saw that HE
/ was extinct IL began slowly TO dispersn.
/ There were hundreds of the morbid,
! however, who stayed.
Men kept plling on wood all the time
until about o'clock, when the flames
were allowed to die down. From 6 to S
4 O'Clock there was a continuous stream
! going 10 the scene OF the burning. These
! were persons who had been unable to get
away from their work in the afternoon.
but we're determined not to miss seeing
/ the awful spectacle.
/ When the FIRE had died down sufi-
GENTLY to allow the crowd to approach
what remained of Alexander there was
wild scramble to obtain relics. bits OF
! charred flesh. pieces OF chain. scraps OF
! wood-everything that could possibly
serve as souvenir was seized with NOR
/ bid eagerness
Fred Alexander was arrested for at
! tempting to assault Miss Eva Roth on
| Saturday night last and he was charged
! with the assault and murder November
| OF Pearl Forbes.
Miss Roth was employed as seamstress
in one OF the largest stores and was re-
! turning home after work. Alexander
| mad followed Der for several blocks,
when. to throw him off, she turned into
nelghbor's house few blocks from
| her own home. Later, believing that he
had left Miss Roth again started home,
when on South Broadway she was again
met by Alexander, who seized her around
The throat and bore her to the ground.
In falling his fingers slipped from her
throat long enough to enable her to cry
for help and the negro fed. crowd
adhered among them colored girl. who
ssia the mans name was Alexander
Alexander was soon captured and taken
IN the police station
News OF the assault spread rapidly ana
n was not long until the streets about
he ,ail were crowded with excited men
determined TO lynch Alexander. The po-