Wood engraving of a black man being burned at the stake. A crowd of people watches
Wood engraving of a black man being burned at the stake. A crowd of people watches. An African man burnt on a stake surrounded by other Africans and a white soldier in the background. Wood engraving by Riou. The surrounding crowd appears to be excited by the execution as most of them are raising their right arm to the square, around the square down Clarksville street to Church street, thence to the open prairies about 300 yards from the Texas & Pacific depot. Here Smith was placed upon a scaffold, six feet square and ten feet high, securely bound, within the view of all beholders. Here the victim was tortured for fifty minutes by red-hot iron brands thrust against his quivering body. Commencing at the feet the brands were placed against him inch by inch until they were thrust against the face. Then, being apparently dead, kerosene was poured upon him, cottonseed hulls placed beneath him and set on fire. In less time than it takes to relate it, the tortured man was wafted beyond ...