Imagine being a Black Man, a Black Male Child, a Black Woman, a Black Female Child, a White Man, a White Male Child, a White Woman, and a White Female Child - all bearing witness to a lynching. Witnessing a man being killed viciously brings different thoughts and emotions of to whoever sees it. I'm going to express these feelings that I believe went through their minds. Two lynching, "The Mob Lynching a Negro in Clarkson Street, summer 1863" and the "lynching of Henry Smith in Paris, Texas, Feb. 1, 1893".
             "The Riots in New York: The Mob Lynching a Negro in Clarkson Street", by the summer of 1863 the Union Army was desperately in need of more soldiers. After the first national Draft Act in March 1863, a draft was held in New York City on July 11, 1863. Another was planned for July 13. A clause in the federal Draft Act allowed men to buy themselves out of the draft for $300, men who could not afford the fee were angry. After the draft on July 13, many people rioted, beating police officers and storming throughout the streets, attacking people and burning buildings. "The targets of the fiercest attacks were African-Americans. Rioters blamed the war on slavery, and so feared competition for jobs from freed slaves if slavery was abolished. In their minds, free African-Americans were seen as an economic threat".
             Henry Smith was on run accused of molesting and killing a white girl, 4-year-old Myrtle Vance. After being caught and brought back to scene he confessed to terrible crime. He was placed upon a scaffold, six feet square and ten feet high and tied down for all to see. Here the victim was tortured for fifty minutes by red-hot iron brands driven against his body. Starting at the feet the brands were placed against his body inch by inch until they reached his face. Then, being apparently dead, gasoline was poured all over his body, cotton wool placed beneath him and set on fi...