[4] On Thursday, January 26, 1893, Henry Vance's three-year-old daughter disappeared from the front of the boarding house where her family lived.

[5][1] About 2:00 p.m. on Friday, January 27, 1893, a search party formed at the courthouse and found the child's body covered by leaves in Gibson's pasture.

Wells revealed it to be her opinion that the rape accusation was false: As a matter of fact, the child was not brutally assaulted as the world has been told, as an excuse for the awful barbarism of that day.

Persons who saw the child after her death have stated, under the most solemn pledge to truth, that there was no evidence of such an assault as was published at that time; only a slight abrasion and discoloration were primarily noticeable about the neck.

The chest, abdomen, and lower extremities were covered with blood and bruises under the angle of each jaw, giving evidence of an effort at strangulation and abrasion in front of the left ear.

wo S. BALDWIX, M. D.[5]The search for the alleged murderer captured the public imagination, and railroad companies offered free transportation to anyone involved in the manhunt.

Shortly after Smith's capture, residents decided to take the law into their own hands to make "the punishment fit the crime" and allow the victim's family to participate.

[1] When Smith realized what was awaiting him, he begged the police officers guarding him to shoot him instead of taking him to meet his fate at the hands of the mob.

The city's mayor ordered all the bars closed the night before Smith's arrival, and disorderly crowds were broken up.

[8] A February 2 article in the New York Sun reported: "Every groan from the fiend, every contortion of his body was cheered by the thickly packed crowd."

The February 2 edition of the Boston Daily Globe deemed Smith's grotesque execution "White Savagery" and claimed, "Civilization Seemingly a Failure in Texas.

After the rope binding Smith to the stake burned away, he fell off the scaffolding[11] and attempted to get away, but onlookers kicked him back into the flames.

[12] On February 6, the governor of Texas, Jim Hogg, referred to the lynching of Henry Smith as a "terrible holocaust" and railed against mob violence in the state.

[citation needed] To the county attorney, Paris: Your conduct in having Smith arrested deserves special commendation.

By all means protect the majesty of the law and the honor of Texas and your people from committing murder.He also wrote to ACA McCuistion: Wire those in charge of the prisoner not to bring him to Paris.

Guard him safely and use every effort to prevent the mob from reaching him.Sheriff Hammond replied to the Governor: "Henry Smith has arrived and is in charge of from 5,000 to 10,000 enraged citizens.

To the sheriff of Lamar County, Paris, Texas: Discharge your sworn duty as an officer of the State faithfully and fearlessly.

To N. P. Doak, district attorney, Clarksville, Texas: In the lynching of the negro, Henry Smith, in Paris, on yesterday, the laws of the State have been openly defied.

It is believed and expected that you will promptly, diligently and persistently inquire into and ascertain who are the guilty parties, and faithfully and fearlessly prosecute them.

Hogg started wiring officials (shortly before Smith's train was expected to arrive), it was not possible to prevent his lynching, even if they had wanted to do so.

His letter concluded: When passion in its wild rush for blood overrides the law and tramples down the Constitution, a precedent for anarchy is set, marking the way for the destruction of this Government.

Strengthen the laws, supply the means, and if the Executive fails to perform his duties fully, under all circumstances, then let him stand condemned as a criminal himself before the civilized world.The Paris Daily News produced a tract entitled The Facts in the Case of the Horrible Murder of Little Myrtle Vance and its Fearful Expiation at Paris, Texas, February 1st, 1893.