The news & observer., 1901-03-15
NEGRO CONFESSED ALL
And Met Death Calmly in the Court
House Square.
SLASHED IN FACE BY VICTIMS HUSBAND
The Mob Tore Henderson from His Guard Who
Had Captured Him by Means OF Blood
Hounds Business Was Suspended
10 Witness the Burning.
10 Witness the Burning.
(By the Associated Press.)

Corsicana, Texas, March 13.-John
Henderson, colored, who brutally as
saulted and murdered Mrs. Younger, a
farmers wife, living just outside this
city, several days ago, was burned to
death in the court house square here
at noon today.
A written confession of the crime, at
tested by Justice Roberts was secured
from the prisoner.
Five thousand people witnessed the
burning and business was practically
suspended for time.
Henderson was captured yesterday af-
ter a long chase. He was trailed by
bloodhounds from the Younger home
stead, many miles back and forth
across the country and was finally cap
tured near Hillsboro. The officers took
him to the latter place and We're i'm
PEELED, through fear of mobs, to start
for Fort Worth. When the train reach
ed Itasca, a party of Younger's friends
overpowered the guards and hustled
Henderson from the train. He was
conveyed across the prairie, a distance
of 45 miles to Corsicana, where he was
placed in Jail to prevent the infuriated
citizens from tearing him to pieces.
A committee was appointed to see
him and pass finally upon his guilt or
innocence. Finally ne made written
confession that he had murdered an
unknown white lady three miles north
of Corsicana, March 9Th There was
no one present he said, but himself and
the woman's two little children. He
said he did not know why he did it..
When it became public that Hender-
son had confessed people swarmed
around the jail 1t was decided to burn
the prisoner at the stake at p. M, but
news was received that troops had been
started from Dallas and the execution
was hurried.
A railroad rail was driven into the
ground in the corner of the court house
square. Boxes and dry timber We're
piled around it and saturated with OIL
Just before noon, about forty men
rushed from the Jail across the square,
to the place where the rail had been
planted. In their midst was Henderson,
handcuffed. The men formed a circle
holding to a chain which surrounded
the prisoner to prevent the crowd from
tearing him away The negro was fas-
tened to the rail with wire and chains
Cans of oil were emptied over his
clothing and dozens CT lighted matches
touched the infiamable material. The
fire alarms We're rung and the stores
were deserted, their occupants rushed
to the square to witness the burning.
Just as the pile was fired Conway
Younger, husband of the murdered wo-
man jumped at Henderson and slashed
him across the face with a knife. Hender
son gave no indication of pain or suf-
fering. He rolled his eyes to get a
glimpse of the angry faces which sur
rounded him and there was a slight
movement of the hands.
In ten minutes Henderson was dead,
At no time did he make an outcry
other than an occasional groan.
When the frightful tragedy was over
Lee French. a white man whose wife
was outraged and murdered near Cor
sicana by Andrew Norris. a negro now in
Jail at Dallas for safe keeping climbed
tree and addressed the assembled
thousands asking them to help him to
get the murderer and burn him. The
crowd yelled IN response that they would
do it, In a few minutes. however, the
crowd dispersed and Corsicana was quiet.