The news & observer., 1901-01-17

a semi-circle was formed Alexander
was brought up in a wagon with dozen
men. The leader called for silence. The
roar ceased and Alexander was showed
forward into full view of the crowd. A
howl went up which was quickly hushed
as the prisoner raised his shackeled
hands and began TO speak. Twice the
crowd drowned his trembling voice.
You are going to kill me whatever /
say" he said, 'but you men are wrong.
/ want to tell you right now, you have
got the wrong man. | didn't do that
and some day you men here will run up
against the man who did. / know it
amt any use to say so, for you are going
to kill me, but ! didn't do it,
The men standing behind Alexander
then showed him from the wagon anG
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 still shackeled,
and then bound to the stake.
Many of the crowd carried rails and
boards. Several seized railroad irons and
carried them to the ravine.
BOUND TO THE STAKE.
A railroad iron was planted upright in
the mud. This was made fast to cross
irons firmly bound to the upright iron
with wire. Around the improvised stake
wood and boards were piled. To this
the man was dragged and chained in a
standing position TO the upright railroad
iron. Chains was made fast to the post
Coal oil was then poured over him.
Before the match was applied John
Forbes, father of the murdered girl, step
ped up to Alexander and said
Are you guilty of numbering my
daughter?'
Il don't know what you have me here
for said Alexander.
Forbes replied:
For killing my girl on this very
spot"
MIR Forbes, if that's your name, you
have the wrong man. said the negro.
Burn him; burn him." cried the crowd
Gentlemen, you have got lots of
time" said Alexander. You are burn
ing an innocent man. You took advan-
tage of me. You gave me no show. Can
/ see my mother?"
Alexander again asked to see his moth
er. She was called for, but she was not
in the crowd.
Alexander then said
'Will you let me shake hands with all
my friends?"
''You have no friends in this crowd,
you damned beast" said one of the men
in charge of the negro. IF you have
anything to say, say it in a hurry"
GIVEN TO THE FLAMES.
Coal oil was then applied for the sec
ond lime while Alexander called to ac-
quaintances in the crowd and said good
bye TO them He talked nationally until
girl, lighted the match. Again AleXan-
der was asked to make a confession but
he replied that he had nothing to say.
AS the flames leaped about him Aixan-
der turned a CHASTITY hue, and, clasping
his hands together, began TO sway to and
fro while the crowd yelled.
In five minutes the negro was hanging
limp and lifeless by the chains that
bound him. AS soon as the crowd saw
that life was extinct, it began to slowly
disperse. Hundreds, however, stayed to
the last.
Men kept piling on wood all the time
until about seven O'Clock when the flames
were allowed to die down. From six to
eight o'clock there was a continuous
stream of people going from and to the
scene of the burning.
Later there was wild scramble to
obtain relics
After Alexander's arrest he was taken
before Miss Roth. who identified him.
Since then a mob has surrounded the
penitentiary, day and night. Today Gov
ernor Stanley ordered two companies OF
militia to be in readiness to start for
Leavenworth at a moments notice.
Gov. Stanley ordered Warden Tom
linson to refuse to turn Alexander over
to the sheriff unless he agreed in writ
ing to protect him.