Before noon they brought him in.  Two horsemen rode abreast; between them, half dragged, the poor wretch made his way through the dust.  His hands were tied behind him, and ropes around his body were fastened to the saddle horns of his double guard.  The men who at midnight had been stern and silent were now emitting that terror-instilling sound known as the “rebel yell.”  A space was quickly cleared in the crowd, and a rope placed about his neck, when from somewhere came the suggestion, “Burn him!” It ran like an electric current.  Have you ever witnessed the transformation of human beings into savage beasts?  Nothing can be more terrible.  A railroad tie was sunk into the ground, the rope was removed, and a chain brought and securely coiled around the victim and the stake.  There he stood, a man only in form and stature, every sign of degeneracy stamped upon his countenance.  His eyes were dull and vacant, indicating not a single ray of thought.  Evidently the realization of his fearful fate had robbed him of whatever reasoning power he had ever possessed.  He was too stunned and stupefied even to tremble.  Fuel was brought from everywhere, oil, the torch; the flames crouched for an instant as though to gather strength, then leaped up as high as their victim’s head.  He squirmed, he writhed, strained at his chains, then gave out cries and groans that I shall always hear.  The cries and groans were choked off by the fire and smoke; but his eyes, bulging from their sockets, rolled from side to side, appealing in vain for help.  Some of the crowd yelled and cheered, others seemed appalled at what they had done, and there were those who turned away sickened at the sight.  I was fixed to the spot where I stood, powerless to take my eyes from what I did not want to see.

It was over before I realized that time had elapsed.  Before I could make myself believe that what I saw was really happening, I was looking at a scorched post, a smoldering fire, blackened bones, charred fragments sifting down through coils of chain; and the smell of burnt flesh—­human flesh—­was in my nostrils.

I walked a short distance away and sat down in order to clear my dazed mind.  A great wave of humiliation and shame swept over me.  Shame that I belonged to a race that could be so dealt with; and shame for my country, that it, the great example of democracy to the world, should be the only civilized, if not the only state on earth, where a human being would be burned alive.  My heart turned bitter within me.  I could understand why Negroes are led to sympathize with even their worst criminals and to protect them when possible.  By all the impulses of normal human nature they can and should do nothing less.