Rensselaer Republican, Volume 25, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 February 1893 — THE TEXAS ATROCITY. [ARTICLE]

THE TEXAS ATROCITY.

Pestimony of an Eye Witness of the; Autodafe. _____ 4— — k Colored Preaches Who Was Driven From Paris—His Appeal For Mercy Unheeded. York City. He was ridden on a rail for ipposing the lynching of Smith, and run tut of the town. To a reporter he said: *‘l had known Smlthrfor years, and there vere time when he was out of his head for weeks. Two years ago I made an effort to lave him put in an asylum, but the white people were trying to fasten the murder of k young colored girl upon him and would aot listen. “For days before the murder of the little Vance girl Smith was out of his head and langerously. He had Just undergone one ittackof delirium tremens and was in no jondition to be allowed at large. The aext time I saw him was on the day of his ixeeution. - 1 - ~ “I followed the procession and wept lloud as I saw little children of my own race follow the unfortunate man and taunt aim with jeers. Even at the stake chiliren of both sexes and colors gathered in groups, and when the father of the murdered child raised the hissing iron with which ho was about to torture the helpless victim, the children became as frantic, as the grown people and struggled forward to obtain places of advantage. It was terrible. “ ‘For God’s sake,’ I shouted ‘send the children home.’ “ ‘No, no,’ shouted a hundred maddened voices. ‘Let them learn a lesson.’

“As the hot iron sank deep into poor Henry’s flesh, a hideous yell rent 'the air, and with a sound as terrible as the cry ol lost souls on the judgment day, twenty thousand maddened people took up the victim’s cry of agony, and a prolonged howl of maddeued glee rent the air. No one was himself now. Every man, woman and child in that awful crowd was worked up to a greater frenzy that which actuated Smith’s horrible crime. The people were capable of any new atrocity now, and as Smith’s yells became more and more frequent it was difficult to hold the crowd back 4 so anxious were the savages to participate in the sickening tortures. “For half an hour I tried to pray, as the beads of agony rolled down my forehead and bathed my face. Suddenly Smith, forgetful of his agony, called with all his might, “God forgive them, and me.’ For an instant a hush spread over the people. Ijsould stand n’b more, and with a superhuman effort, dashed through the compact ma=s of humanity and stood at the foot of the burning scaffold. “ Tn the name of God,’ I crid, ‘I command you to cease this torture!’ “The heavy butt of a Winchester rifle descended on my head and I fell to the ' ground. Rough hands seized me, and angry men bore me away, and I was thankful. “At the outskirts of the crowd I was attacked again, and then several mon, no doubt, glad to get away from the fearful place, escorted me to my home, where I was allowed to take a small amount of clothing. A jeeringcrowd gathered with- ' out, and when I appeared at the door ready hands seized me and I was placed on a rail, and with curses and oaths taken to the railway station and placed on a train. As the train moved out some one thrust a roll of bills into my hand and said, “God bless you, but it was no use.” When asked if he would ever return to Paris, Mr, King said. “I shall never go south again. The impressions of that awful day will stay with me forever."