The New York herald., 1869-03-19
THE scAFFoLD.
hanging or Two Negroes In Mobilo-They
Confess Their Guilt and Expect TO Go
Straight 10 Heaven.


Confess Their Guilt and Expect to Go
Straight 10 Heaven.
= from the Mobile Evening News, March 12l
aMe ncgrocs Lewis T0mlin and Isaac Johnson VINO
. were convicted at the November term Of the City
Court ior tne murder OF Mr.. Archie Mclaughlin, on
the 2zd or October last, this morning suffered the
extreme @ penalty Of tue law and expiated their crime
On Tue gauows. The circumstances OF the murder
are fresh IN the minds or our people, Mr. McLaugn.
In peing snot In cold blood &C Eslava Bridge, while
On On , ms way home, by Lewis Tomlin, assisted
~ isaac Johnson, Israel Beverly and Thomas Burns.
al negroes who were arrested, the two former
sentenced to death. and the latter to the
pcnitentiary for life. Since then two other ncoroe
Aleck Mobiey and Wesley saulsberry have been ar
rested ior beiDg parties to the crime. the former
Turned states evidence and the latter is beng tried
To-day IN the City Court. Tomlin and Johnson be-
iongeu 10 regularly organized gang, who invested
the outskirts and lived by robbery and plumber.
they had committed several highway robberies anu
had committed an assault on an old white woman
Iomlln is thick-set chunky, coal black negro,
ABOUT twenty.one years OF age, and Johnson mll-
iatto. about eighteen years old. They were SEN
were resplted Till the present time by the Governor
IN THE CONDEMNED CELL.
ron, In me condemned cell the prisoners were sur
rounded by q large number OF the sisters OF the
cnurch and Elder strong, praying and singing They
appeared perfectly resigned TO their fate, acknow-
lodged their guilt and said they ready and will
Ing To die; that they hal experienced religion on
sunday night mad made their peace with their Maker
and felt satisfied that they had been forgiven for
tleir crime and would go to heaven. Before they
had experienced religion however, they felt that
they were doomed ior nell, but through Kind offices
OF the sisters OF tire church, who had attended
faithfully TO their spiritual welfare, they
had been saved. They laughed and c0nversed pleas
f any ana appeared anxious ior the arrival or the
them to hope for here below. but above. Toni
lin said that when they caught him the authorities
had got hold OF the biggest thief and rascal In Mobile
county; that he had committed many rooberies and
that he murdered young Mclaughlin for his money.
onsoh ot 1a na sa ne was r there and assisted To
the party who pulled or McLaughlin's shoes,
Tomlin remarked to this reporter ''the who did
not, three stols being pointed at him." Tomlin
also acknowledged TO being one OF the party who
committed an ASSAULT on an old white woman the
day before the murder OF Mclaughlin.
prisoner In the cell adjoining said the con.
demned men were praying during the night for day
to break, SO that they could be hung and relieved
from oil anxiety and trouble. Their faces wore q
happy expression, and from early IN the morning
m the time arrived for the execution they spent the
time In singing and praying
SCENE IN THE JAIL YARD.
The scaold was erected in the northeast corner OF
drop Of about three and half feet detaclment
OF the Thirty third United States infantry In CON-
mand OF Captain Waters was present. AT eleven
surged In, filling up every available space In the
yard So great was the desire 10 witness the execu
ton that the housetOps and trees overlooking the
gallows were filled with large numbers Of men and
boys. The family Of the murdered man. consisting
OF his mother, sisters and brother-in law were
P.oSS.s AAu auash6 ehO SASOutVu oCCupkeu pihCes
near the scanOld.
PREPARATIONS FOR DEATH.
short time after eleven O'Clock the condemned
were brought out OF their cells TO be shrouded and
bound. Both negroes entered the room laughing
pulled on their coats and shoes and directed the
jail0r to hand them to Sam Boyd, one OF the prison.
ers; they then without any assistance, put their
robes at the same time making humorous allusions
70 the Mt Tomln remarkins, mine its bully and is
Tomlin asked Mr.. Lazo for q cigar, which he
smoked & with great eooIness saving i would be hls
me tignt. ar. Joe and pray don't go to he'll but 20
TO heaven" Johnson was very cool and collected
but did not appear quite SO hardened as Tomlin.
AT THE GALLOwS.
The condemned march firmly to the scafYold fol-
lowed by Elder Strong and the sisters OF the church.
all singing and praying. They mounted the scafolj
and took their position on the trap panied by
Sheriff Granger and Elder Strong.
After the singing Of hymn by the sisters OF the
Granger read the sentence OF the Court During It's
reading Iomlln cried out to boy In tree by,
"fou had better be ~ PRAYING"
fomin, In a l0ud and nrm voice. said:--
peace ana He has Told me 70 come here with %us mind
u LINER .. would
sAs ..n s su no. guilty .GaS 5 no; work TOO lay for h.
Of for robbed four other men guilty and going.
After Tomlin had ceased speaking Johnson said
Ny friends. am going and am ready 60. and want
viii To@ when he rsa hs man am s ".S as
for the purpose OF robbng somebody.
The men then knclt In prayer with Elder Strong.
When the cap was pulled over their eyes they
shouted 'Good bv," Tomlin saying IA loud ami
nrm voice "God mas answered my prayers; there IS
THE EXECUTION.
The rope was cut at halfpast eleven by means Of q
concealed on the side OF one OF the up
rights. The trap fen, and the unfortunate men were
dangling In the air. Johnson dicd easily and with
out struggle but not SO with Iomin, VINO writhed
for quite minute. When the drop fell an attempt
at q cheer was made by the crowd. Fifteen minutes
Afterwards the bodies were cut down and pro-
nounced dead by the surgeon. Il was found that
their necks had not been broken, the rope slipping
too far In the rear OF the neck to accomplish dsoca