The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-09-04
Execution Of a Negro i'm North
Carolina.
Sent Into Eternity at the Age
Of Fifteen.
Rescued for a Week by His sOld
Masser."
SCENRS AT THE GALLONS.


years, was hanged for the crime OF rape, commirted
IN April last the per Of title white giri ony
eleven years OF age From the evidence on the trial
and from persons IN the vicinity intimate With
THE OUrRAGE
the following ascertained 10 be the fcts or tho
matter:-It occurred near the companv's shops on
the North Carolina Railroad, In this county, some
time In April last The victim. fair haired
little GIRL had been sent 10 the store ut the shops 10
purchase some kerosene oil. On ner way tnirher
she observed thar her footsteps were logged BY a
young black negro and a. she entered the store ha
half concealed himself behind post Watching her.
Upon returning homewards, when about half way,
where the road was thicky wooded on either side.
the same negro neud who had followed
her sprang from behind q tree, and SELLING
her with his hand 10y the throat carried rather
than forced her into the woods. Her attempts
To cry for mercy stined, and feebls efforts
at resistance were soon overcome by the brute who
then accomplished his heish purpose. The poor
girl became inseDable, but &c was not until no
imagined she was dying that the negro oesisted and
then he fed In alarm, leaving her TO her fate. In
this condition she was discovered by her friends,
who, owing to her long absence, had gone IN search
OF her. She was ghastly pale ana hreathless, her
throat bearing the impress OF her ravsher's fingers
her clothes torn and her person fearfuly bruised.
ARREST EkvIsHER.
II was not long afterwards that the negro Andrew
Tarpley was arrested tue description OF the gfr
whom he had so foully outraged, aad she at once
identified the wretch when he was brought before
her. The greatest excitement ana indignation pre-
vailed in the neighborhood and terribly incensed
were the people that they were with difficulty re-
strained from lynchng the young villain on the
spot. Better counsels. however, prevailed, when
appeals made by the older citizens In the name
Of the law, for which the people Of North Carolina
have n pro- found respect and the trembling mIscre-
ant ana vlolator OF me laws OF God and man
commted TO jail 10 await has trial by tribunal or
his fellow men,
CONVICTION AND SENTENCE.
when this took place the evidence against the
prisoner was SO terribly convincing, tho atrocity OF
the crime revolving ana barbarous In details,
In extenuation Of the CRIME by the counse for the
defence the ears OF the Judge and jury were closed
be Executed on Friday, the ivtn day OF August,
1870. lie had previously made full confession Of
the CRIME.
AN rSsURGENT COUNTY.
A complication arising from the declared !nsur-
gency OF the people here by the Governor led maDy
and perhaps the condemned, too to suppose tnay
his sentence would not be carried into execution.
The Sheriff had been arrested 10y the military forces
had been suspended, the people were all
declared 10 be Insurgents and The Chef Justice
an iDsurgent was incapable Of executing any civil
process In view or the latter fact 1t generally
supposed that Tarpey would escape hts JUST doom,
and the prisoner, placing the most implicit reliance
on the tender and merciful sensblites OF the radi-
cal Executive, had pictured 10 himself liietine
the peniten'iary with the hope OF an ultimate par
DON But alas, the fatal day arrived. aIG he found
himself on the verge OF the lelon's grave
| A RESPITE.
While the condemned was endeavoring as best bs
could 10 prepare Tor eternity, wildly impOrng tho
Tor mercy, and with tie last ray OF hope banished
from his breast, his poor, heartbr0ken mother VET
hoped almost against fate and exhausted every ef.
fort TO procure the communication OF her miserable
sons sentence TO Imprisonment for life, but vain.
As q last resource, on the morning OF the hang
mans day, the wretched mother went to DR.. Moore
her old MASTER the former owner OF herself and son.
and lmplOred him TO telegraph tho Governor Tor \
respite OF O week, ner unfortunate son was not
prepared to die. In weeping and heartrendng ac.
cents the poor creature wildly clasping her hands
said :--"Oil, do this massa for your OLD slave: NV
poor boy Is not ready to die" AT this urgent an.
peal Dr. Moore nIegraphed the Governor. asking for
respite OF week on the above grounds. and IN u
Snort time he received the following reply
RALEIGH, August IA, 1870.
quest. W. W. HOLDEN, Governor.
1t was eleven A. NJ. on Friday morning when this
extension OF life was received. At one p. NJ. the
condemned was TO have been launched into eternity
The distance from the company's shops TO Graham.
where the execution vas TO take place was three
miles 10 that no time was 10 be lost. With all pos
Sible haste DR.. Moore hitched up his buggy and
driving rapidly arrived In time to
RESCUE TARPLEY FROM THE GALLONS.
AS the hour approached the unfortunate boy
joined by several negro female visitors TO his cell
was making the widest ana most vehement appeals
to Heaven for mercy. In the vernacular and with
the uncomfortable phrenzy that slezes the negro ia
moments Of Intense excitement OF any sort lie
knclt ut window, his hands clutching the iron
bars. his eyes closed, and his face blanched TO a
death palor while az the top OF his voice he cried
IN despairing accents, 80 Lord take my soul TO
heaven % 20 Lord nave mercy on me for
this p Just ut twelve O'Clock, when the
and terror Or. Moore arrived with the respite
Upon being informed that he would not be executed
that day there was bne cessation IN the Wild cries
and gcstications OF the condemned. but he scarcely
seemed TO realize the intelligence. He glared wildly
through the bars at his old master, VINO again
assured him OF his short lease OF life. Then he be.
iieved ana comprehended IT, and his gratitude was
as violent as were his suppications OF few minutes
before. lie grasped the hand OF his old master ana
In heartfelt outburst OF gratitude exclaimed, 80.
Lord thank you again for this" After brief ana
affecting conversations In which DR.. Moore exhortea
his unfortunate ex-save to prepare to meet his
God, he bid him farewell, and Tarpley was LETT
alone TO make the best use OF his last week.
This rapidly passed of, the condemned mean
while using the best efforts he capable OF TO re-
pent and make his peace with God. During this
tine nc mace coxrrss,o,,
detailing the manner and particulars OF the ont.
rage, which are too revolving for publication Igno
rant as he was, however, he had the conprehen-
sion TO believe he was suffering too great penalty
for the crime he had committed. He was evidently
under the impression That common justice did not
demand the extreme penalty Of the law IN his case
ana he was particularly severe on the Governor
who Is notorious for the exercise OF c.emency no
cases OF q far more aggravatlng nature than hls
was. II the elections hal not been over he would
not be hung, but now It mattered little with The
Governor whether he was hung or not.
THE FINAL SCENE
The last day had arrived and the sun shone
brightly through the bars OF the condemned boys
cell window. His sister and mother passed por-
ton OF the morning with him. and took a last fare
well. About q few minutes before one O'Clock Y. NJ
the sheriff entered the cell anu bound and nabItod
the condemned In his death robes. He was then
conducted TO the scanold where he became fearfuly
nervous ana excited. Being asked II he had any
thing 70 say he replied NO. and then burst into
the widest Explanations of grief mingled with the
most piteous entreaties to his Maker for mercy.
me for this," white great tears rolled down his
boysh cheeks The cap was then placed over his
face, the rope was adjusted, and almost instantly
blow sent prop dying from It's position; tnud went
the DROP and 10 the age Of fifteen the poor wretch
was thus ushered into eternity. The moose was moi
properly placed. and the condemned struggled for
about five minutes when all became still. After
hanging about twenty-five minutes lie was declared
extinct and the body was cut down. Upon exami