Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1866-04-04

sissippi, to which the sheriff had given
him a special "invite in the following
style, verbally:
"Come over and see me stEangulate
that darned cuss, Eph Tolley, for arson
and settin' old man Odum's house fire
--durn him"
I'll give the story in Franks words, as
nearly as possible:
The appointed day came, and as we
had about fifteen miles to ride, and the
execution was to take place at 9 a. m, it
was necessary to start early, and, accord
ingly, Uncle Bob directed Jerry to wake
us up before day. It seemed to me that
we had hardly turned in when 1 was
awakened by Jerry's voice calling out !:
Mars Robert Mars Robert It's
most fore day." "Go to-l" was
Uncle Bob's benevolent response, and 1
indorsed it. Another short nap was
shortly taken by Jerry warning US that
it was ' fore day, Mars Robert, now,
for true! A loud snort from old Bob
was Jerry's only answer, and for an hour
we were not again interrupted, when he
bawled out the third time
Clean daybreak ! Hi! Mars Bob
play de debbel gettin' up fore day "
The secret of Jerry's wakefulness was
explained by the fact that his own little
mule, "Stump Sucker" was standing
ready by Uncle Bob's horse and my own.
He was bound TO be in at the DEATH
We took light breakfast, and as the
Spartanburg Court House was not a place
to look to for dinner, we deposited in
our saddlebags couple of bottle Of
whiskey; I think Jerry had one, too.-
! These, and a plug of tobacco constituted
our lunch
When we arrived at Spartanburg we
found about dozen planters and overseers
loaGng about, some of them occasionally
anxiously iDquiring of the sheriff what
time was he gwine to hang Tolley?" l
should like to show you the sheriff of
-- county George, he is the durnd-
est, ugliest, funniest little cuss you ever
saw. He stands about five feet in his
shoes, and is about as broad as he is
long, and his mug would frighten the
savagest catamount in all creation
Bustling about big with the importance
of his position, he waddled up to Uncle
Bob and pumpously offered his hand.
"Colonel, Tn burned glad you've cum.
These cusses here amt Gin me no peace
since sun up, akin me when I was gwine
to begin. It's none of ther burned biz
ness I'd invited you to the hangin', for
[ knew you liked sport, and wasn't gwiue
to begin till you arriv ef I had put off
the execution.
Mounting the steps of the Court House,
he then sang out, in tremendous voice ::
90, yes! Dyes Dyes! I'm now
gwine to purceed to carry out the SEN
tence of the law on Eph ToIley, which
has to he hung for arson and settin' of
mans house afre Whar's Bill Sim
mons my deputy "
"He's over at Jim Boards playin'
seven.up with Lanty Corrigan, and a
beatiu' of him like SKIES" answered a
little pot bellied, yellow-faeed specimen
of dirt-eater He wants NE to take
his place --"
" You take his place You take his
place. Indignantly interrupted the sheriff;
durn you, you'd look heap better
takin' Eph Tolley's place. Call Bill
Simmons"
After some delay Bill Simmons ap-
peared, and Mr.. Sheriff, taking a piece
of clothes line about four feet long out of
his pocket, tossed it to him and said
"Mr. Deputy, 60 fetch TOlley out
here"
Up TO this time I had been vainly
looking to find some preparation for the
fatal scene. but the only thing visible
was an enclosure about forty feet square,
five feet high, made of rails laid in the
fashion of worm fence, and resemb-
ling spacious pig pen more than any
thing else In the center of the enclos-
ure stood pole of blackjack, forked at
the top, and lying beside it was another
pole, about twelve feet long, peeled of
its bark.
"Mr. Sheriff" said I, "are not these
proceedings rather irregular? The law
says an execution must take place within
an enclosure, and -"
Well, amt that an enclosure, sa-ay ?
The law don't say I'm to build stone
woll, mort I've gotter chunk up the
cracks, nuther "
Where is the gallows2' I ventured
to ask.
Squire said the sheriff, with impress
sive dignity, esquire, don't you fret J your
gizzard. I know my bizness, and you'll
obIege me by tendin' to your'n. Hold
your bosses and you'll see. 1 hain't
sheriff of county twenty two
years for nothin'.'
Enter Bill Simmons with Tolley. He
had tied the bit of clothes line round the
= culprit's neck, and was leading him along
as YOU would a horse to water. Tolley
was almost as short in stature as the
sheriff, very stoutly built, and had a
sulky. don t-care-a-cuss sort of look on
his stolid face. He was quite compla-
Gently chewing bit of wheat straw. He
nodded familiarly to all hands, spoke to
two or three in the party, and asked me
= for chew of tobacco, informing me al
, the same time that he was dry as a
= meetin' house I carry two kinds-one
= for myself, and the other for tobacco
3 beggars; but thinking it a shame tosend
S man into eternity with a wad of niger.
S head in his mouth, pulled out my
D choice honey dew and handed it over
! That was the last I saw Of it. Tolley
s deposited an enormous guid in hischeek
e and ooolly handed the plug to the little
a pot-bellied dirt-eater, and it went from
Il one to another so long as it lasted
t Lord George; to think that man will