Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1870-04-16
DOUBLE EXECUTION.

y -
ofthe Hangman.
On Friday. a, HiIsboro. n. c., Tom
Young and Bob Gum, negroes. who
murdered Martin V. BIslock. white, on
Christmas lssi. were executed within the
prison yard. rhe nature CT their crime
will be understood from the
CONFESSION OF YOUNG
which was made few DAYS before The
execution:
The plan 10 murder BialocS ives con.
cocred on Saturday morning, December
25, 1862 This was the understanding
between me md Gum, and think Ish-
an Councils kncw Of it before did. Joe
Larerich knew nothing about It more
than the child unborn. prepared The
cogwhec 81 isbsn Councils house obou;
- o'clock Saturday for The purpose OF
using It on B!slock that night. We were
to have gone together TO Blslock's room
that night, but by some mistake we did
not 90 together, but met there shout ii
p. NJ, and between that hour and twelve
We entered the room through the door TO-
eether. BIalock opened the door for US,
and was under the influence Of liquor,
and after ne had let Us in he lay down on
his bed in the back room. then made
the attack, and when struck the frit
blow with the cogwheel The only words
he said were, "Oa, Lord John, lIit me
up" | don't know who he meant when
he addressed John
then struck him several times with
the cogwheel, and N his death struggle
he fell from the bed to the floor. and |
bea, his brains ou, We then cut his
throat with the pocket knife, and stuffed
the pillow case in his mouth. in the
meantime Gum put the rope around lis
neck and fastened II tightly. did most
of the bloody work. Gum did the hold.
ing. while dealt the blows and used the
knife There was lamp burning until
after we killed Blalock. We searched
bic pockets but found no money. We
then went into The liquor room and found
the tin box and Gum decanter Of whls-
key. put out tie lamp, and after lock-
ing the door. we went out through the
window Of the back room and closed II
after US. Ir took US about thirty minutes
10 Kill Blalock. think that Gum had
an understanding with third party, but
don't know. We went to the depot
that night and took The uain for Ra-
leigh.
TERROR AND REPENTANCE or YOUNG.
As The day upon which the condemned
wreicheS were to eXPl3le their crime ap-
preached, Young. who was the principal
character in the tragedy, bepan to repent,
aud he exhibited the strongest symptoms
Of conlrtlon that his negro nature was ca.
pa6le Of. He prayed necessarily, some
times breaking into the widest lamenIa.
iions Imaginable, making the most lervenl
and hearlrenting appeals to his Maker for
forgiveness. uttered with desperation
and intensity that were rometimes agoDi-
zing to witness, TIE ghastly form Of
the murdered msn seemed present to him
in his sleeping and waking hours. and at
times he would excslm. in accents OF vi
ter despair, "Oh, Lord! save me! forgive
me, forgive me! | see him now looking
al mel" Frequently he seemed 10 be ter
rlGed, so fearful were his thoughts, and, q,
like hunted down criminal OF lshnael-
ite, he dreaded 10 encounter The face Of
any living human being, believing every
body to be an evenger, and that every
mans hand was against him.
THE CONDUCT OF GUN ~ PRISON.
Gum, bis companion IN guilt, was
quite differently affected. lie was suf-
lering from fearful disease, and, as he
lay or his wretched pallet. grosning with
the pangs, he rather seemed to long for
the moment that would put an end 10 his
miserable existence. When spoken 10
be replied in monosy tables, but moro,e-
Iy end SuIenIy refused 10 cay anything
concerning the murder.
THE CULPRITs on THE scAFFoLD.
About hsIf.past one o'clock p. NJ. the
condemned were conducted from their
dungeon, with ropes and black caps al
tached 10 their necks. Young walked
firmly down the aight Of steps, but Guam,
who was exceedingly feeble, had to be
assisted by two negro attendants. They
both assembled the scafold and took seats
in chairs, when a very impressive prayer
was made by clergyman, both The con-
deDned men joining with him. This be-
ing ended, a series Of cross-examinstions
as 10 the murder was commenced by par.
ties around the nao door. Young, whose
eyes were half closed, seemed TO be en-.
gagged in prayer, and judging from the
evasive replies he made 10 questions pro.
pounded, his mind was evidently wan
derng. As the fatal hour neared. both
the wretched men began wild, iDcohe
rent hsli song, half prayer, peculiar TO
negroes, and they steadily kept this up to
to the las, moment, refusing to he inter.
rupied by Mr.. Alley, father OF the NOR
dered man, who desired 10 ask them
some questions.
THE LAST SCENE.
Attwo P. NJ. the sheriff ascended the
scsfold and read tue death sentence OF
both. which could scarcely be heard be.
tween the prayers and supplicalions OF
the condemned Elhin aud The din and
iUmuli OF the mob Without. This cere-
mony concluded, The ropes we're attached
/ 10 the rInps in the ceilin1 .hove The