Daily camera., 1901-01-16
BURNED AT THE STAKE.
Continued from frst page.


exander. II am innocent am dying
for what another man did. Isee lots OF
my friends here, they know l did not do
it. If l had been guilty would have
said 20 at the penitentiary and would
have stayed there for life"
"You lie. they cried, and one huge fel.
low filled more with the lust for blood
than with the feelings OF human. struck
him IN the forehead with his fist three
times. This seemed not to have the
slightest effect on the negro. He was
turning white.
my God, men," he cried in his agony,
~ hav. told you that I'm innocent. !
can't tell you any more. didn't do it,.
"He lies! Burn him." cried the mob.
Take him where be committed the
murder" suggested one.
The suggestion met with instant ap.
proval. and the crowd. carrying the ne.
gro and his captors, started for Fourth
street. There were many wagons stand
ing about and into one they threw him.
As soon as the guards got in. the wagon
stated for the vicinity Of Lawrence
avenue and Spruce, followed on the run
by the crowd.
At = quarter past 5 o'clock Alexander
was brought to the scene of the murder
of Pearl Forbes. at the corner Of Law.
renee avenue and Spruce street.
The roar ceased and Alexander was
showed forward for the crowd to gaze at.
A howl went up which wa quickly hush
ed as the prisoner raised his shackled
hands and began to speak.
"You're going to kill me what ever
say" he said. "but you men are wrong.
| want to tell you right now you've go'
the wrong man."
The men standing beside him showed
Alexander from the wagon and the Ioal
of the crowd drowned ever, other sound
He was quickly dragged down the en-
bankment to the pile OF wood with hi,
hands still schackled and there bound
to the stake.
The first thing done was to plant the
railroad iron upright 10 the mud. This
was made fast to cross irons firmly
bound to the upright iron with v.re
Around the improvised stake. boards and
wood were piled. To this the man va,
dragged and chained in standing posi-
ton to the upright railroad iron. Chain'
and irons were wrapped about him. and
with his hands still shackled fast to the
post. Coal oil was then poured ovel
him, and the match applied to him.
Before the match was applied, John
Forbes, the father of the murdered girl
stepped up to Alexander and said:
"Are you guilty of numbering my
daughter7'
II don, know what you have me here
for" said the doomed man
Forbes replied, For kiling my girl
on this very spot"
"Mr Forbes. if that's your name, you
have the wrong man."
Burn him, burn him." cried the crowd
"Gentlemen. you have got lots d
time" said Alexander. "You are buro.
ing an innocent man You took advant.
age of me. You gave me no show. Can
| see nv mo,her?'
A man in the crowd called for the
mother of the negro, but she vas not IN
the crowd. He then said:
"Will you let me shake hands with all
of my friends1"
You have no friends in this crowd,
you id beast" said one of the men
in charge OF the negro. 1T 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 vii surely
die"
Coal oil was then applied for the Sc :.
ond time. and while it was beng done
Alexander called to friends OF his in the
crowd, and bade them good bye. He
did not seem to realize that he was to De
burned at the stake. and talked ration
ally until John Forbes, the father OF ;hg
murdered girl, lighted the match
As the flames leaped about him. al, K
ander turned ghastIy pale. and then Tor
the first time rea izs that his dea,h was
near. He clasped his hands together
and began to swing to and iro, while the
crowd yelled. -
In less than FIVE minu es b. was hang
ing limp and liteIess by the chains that
bound him, the murderer of Pearl Forbes.