The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-06-03

Last Friday three negroes were to be huns
at Halifax, N. c., for murder. One Of them
George Daytime, it had been previously deter
mined to respite for 25 days. What occurred
as to the other two is related as follows, by 8
correspondent of the Petersburg Express
arrived at Halifax at IS minutes past Il
O'Clock. Found an enclosure on the front por-
lion Of the jail. 15 feet high. that would
admit of about 60 or 20 persons standing in
side. There were two or three hundred per.
SONS outside, mostly colored. After little
delay obtained admittance to the enclosure,
and found 80 or 40 men Of both colo1s inside,
among whom was deputy sheriff apxiously
inQuiring for the sheriff. The prisoners we're
condemned to be hanged between the hours OF
~ end O'Clock. At about twenty minutes to
4 by my watch. the sheriff entered the enclo-
excited. BE hurriedly mounted the scafold,
around the beam. The sheriff soon asked the
time. Was told by one bystander Is minutes
lawyer present that 1t lacked ~ minutes to /
O'Clock. In few moments the sheriff had the
criminals brought out OF Jail. They took their
stands Immediately under the ropes attached
to the beam. ,.,.a5..3 .g.p
At this moment the lawyer who said the
sheriff had 20 minutes time, addressed hin-
self to the sheriff and said that the tune for
upon those present to witness that he warned
the sheriff that if he hung them he would do
80 ct his,own peril. and outside Of law and
Justice. 10
elapsed since he had said tnat the sheriff had
20 minutes. Very harsh words were pass
ed between the 81 erff and said lawyer. At
this moment the sheriff intimated. by his re-
vent him from DING his duty. Great excite
ment occurred at this time.
The sheriff then adjusted the ropes around
the necks of the criminals. and placed the
kho;r1 1,ool olc o,,I Q,o1
stated that by hls watch it lacked 8 minutes
of O'Clock; that he had received from the
Governors secretary 10 Raleigh @ telegram of
respite; that he had telegraphed the secretary
that he could not recognize this as official, and
would be obliged to nang the criminals: that
the secretary then telegraphed hum to wait
until the last moment. as be would telegraph
Govern Moverlor IA hoden IN Baltimore BE then re-
to o'clock, at which time, unless he was in
receipt OF q telegram from Governor Holden,
he should launch the prisoners into eter.l
nifty. More words were then passed be-
tween the sheriff and the lawyer before
mentioned and considerable excitement was
shown by persons present: Another lawyer,
the sheriff but was told BY him in very strong
language not to speak to hipl.s At this moment
q great cOnlQpoSi0n and outory was. heard out
side OF the enclosure aud the cry was heard, a
respite nestdte The confusion and exotic
ment here Was indescribable. A man rushed
by the guard and into the gate with telegram
which he handed the sheriff The sheriff, with
his legal adviser, retired to one corner or the
enclosure and read the telegram, and con-
suited few moments. During. this oonsulta-r
tion, every one became perfectly quiet and the
stiffness Of death preyailed, the condemned
men standing perfectly still on the scaffold.
with the ropes and caps adjusted as before
The sheriff then came for yard and said he
had received 8 telegram from Governor Hol-
den respitns the condemned until the 4th Of
Ar "a fN Oft kOI 10
scribe the scene Of exclted confusion that took
place upon this announcement. Ai. ~ ,as %
shot was fred into the enclosure. and the
report was pretty loud one, adding, il possi-
ble, to the excitement and confusion. The
shot proved to be from a pistol in the hands Of
Q COlOred man bv the name Of Hayes, one of
the representatives from this county, who. for
some unaccountable reason, came into the en-
closure with cooked pistol in his hand. For
q wonder, IN such crowd, the shot did no
damage.
Baker now spoke for the frst time since as
cending the scaffold, and complained that the
rope was choking him, and said please take it
voice from the crowd said, .Come down
from there. Gus Baker"
Baker seeming to recognize the voice, the
cap still being sover his face. exclaimed in
tone stified with emotion. s'Oh myl Dudley"
Thomas did not utter o word while on the
scaffold that 1 heard. The sheriff now re.
moved the ropes and caps from the prisoners
and had them returned to Jail.
The sheriff then m sde short speech to the
excited crowd. saying In tthat the criminals
would be hung as certain as next Friday comes.