The New York herald., 1871-10-28
THE SCAFFOLD.
Four Murderers Expiate Their
Crimes Upon the GallOws.
Two Executions in North Caro-
lima Yesterday.
A DEED OF HORROR.
A Southern Farmer Sets His Dogs on
a Negro Bamburner.
The Poor Wretch, Half Torn to Pieces, is
"Tinished" with Fence Rail.
Confession of the Assassin and
His AccOmpIice.
Cowardly Murder Of a White
Man by Negro.
His Conviction by Circumstan-
tial Evidence.
Cowardly Murder Of a White
Man by Negro.
His Conviction by Circumstan.
tial Evidence.
EXECUTIONS IN FLORIDA AND INDIANA.

EXECUTIONS IN FLORIDA AND INDIANA.
GREENSBORO, N. G., Ocr. q, 1871.
The criminal statistics Of North Carolina furnish
perhaps more than any other State In the Union,
proof OF the efficacy OF the scanold for the preven.
tlon OF crime. Prior to the war the only legally
prescribed mode for the punishment OF criminals
was the whipping post and the scanold and then
the ratio OF far less than IL is now in pro-
portion 10 the gradual increase OF population There
was no intermediate mode OF punlshment-no CON-
promise between the halter and the lash But with
the vaunted progress OF the civilization of the age
punishment has become less freauent and as a
necessary sequence crime has multiplied ana the
new state Pententiary is nothing short OF
harbor for the vilcst vaeabonds In North Carolina.
Thieves, murderers and, In fact every description
OF scoundrels who were formerly kept in check py
the severity OF the law now indulge In crime, al.
most with mpunity-looking forward to . life OF
comparative case IN the State criminals home II
not rescued from that Dy the pardon OF q radical
Executive.
Occasionally, however, convicted felons do meet
their just doom, and today The law was yindicated
In ono Of the most
AGGRAVATED AND ArRoCIOUs CRIMES
on on record Some TINE ln the batter part Yl Noyem
Der, 1870, a barn-.,ie properly OF one William b.
Parker, white farmer, living about five miles
north Of Greensbor0-was burned TO the ground,
the act being the work OF an incendary. Parker,
who was hardworkng farmer, but Of desperate
character, terribly lncensed at the loss Of his
barn, and, IN his rage, he swOre
vengeance against the party or parties
who committed the deed should he ever dis
cover them. For considerable period his search
for tho incendiary proved fruitless but at length
white In fury, and nalf maddened by villanous
whiskey, he felt satisfied that at last he had his
man IN the person OF an old colored man named
Thom..s Price, living not far from Parker's house.
THIS was tho night OF the Attn OF December, 1870.
Alter the capture or arrest OF Pricc Parker brought
him up to his own house and lodged him there in
the custody q some women. Parker then armed
himself with ali old knife and gun, and called
about him some half RrSoStal aS5sn launsrIlo0kns and
Proceeding then to the house OF an OLD negro
Should accompany him on an ev..aa,i,tlon.
tbs object nGa Of ,srn which was nun, down tho
burner 81 hls paf.. Reluctantly Gilmer went
end aesvmplice in ali Tue brutal and bloody work OF
illat night. Half renzicd from the effects OF liquor
and rage, Parker went and dragged Price from the
house. ihe night was cold and not SO DARK but
that they could see each other. From the threats
that Parker had previously made, aud from his well.
known desperate character the unfortunate wretch
u'rcej fairly shook with terror, and his black lea.
W,h az e sa s Ss
threats and curses al him, and the savage blood
hounds eagerly watching him, Price confessed that
BURNED PARKEg's BARN,
ami with thus extorted admission began his
releasing Price from the grip he had previously held
of his coat collar, he called the hounds ana set them
upon him. The starved ANIMALS Sprang upon the
shlsering and crouching wretcn, and Uurying their
teeth IN his limbs and body, literally tore MS nesh
aa ss into ss ann danoe Ss
dcmOn around his miserable victim. Then lie would
cease call or the hounds gloat over the toriures Of
biaspnemons expressions known to tho lowest hells
Of iniquty. ThinKing that the dogs might XIII him
nun benefit Of the agonies Price was enduring. Then
would he set them Oh him again. and as The brutes
had already tasted blood lney became each Time
more savage until Prices bo.iy and limbs were torn
FRARTULLY MANGLED.
The unfortunate man begged and prayed for
mercy In the most apject and plriful manner that 1t
was possible 10 conceive, but there was no pity ia
fearful was the carnival Of blood and gore and torn
fesh that the savage brnles began 10 Gght among
LIVING HUMAN FREY
Gilmer, who all this time llau been witness OF
the scene, silent parclpator ~ the awiu, crime
ity IN an endeavor 10 get the yet living body OF
Price away from the bloodthirsty hounds. lie led
him away by the arm from the scene gfoanlDg
with the excess OF his terrible agony; but before
they had gone hundred yards they were overtakeD
by Parker wGo took Prices body on his shoulders
AMI he carried 1t some yarts further. Here he lin
lshed his victim by striking him
WITH FENCE RAIL,
repeating the blows unit life was extinct. On the
loiiowing day, December 3, 1870 the body OF
Thomas Price was round dead on the premises o,
w. B. Parker about quarter OF a mile from his
house. The flesh of one OF the legs was entirely
gone, the foot was separated from the leg and the
small bone the lower third Of the ley was broken
The arms and legs ana body bore s,rcpg testimony
as TO the nature OF the terrible scene above men.
n0nes % on c ,Ss SSay was oand at least dozen
the bacA, which were about the size OF silver half
dollar The place where the body was found was
an Old field, with sandy surface and covered W I'm
dead grass.
was found the rails lying against fence between
the place where the body was discovered and
Parker's house. Al another place there were indi
cations OF severe struggle and quantity OF blood
was found on the ground. Investigations were at
once Instituted which soon threw suspicion Oh
Parker and his accomplice, Gilmer 9hcy were ar
rested, indicted and subsequently
TRlRD
IN the month Of March, 1871. Evidence sups,an.
TALLY as above, was adduccd and after long argu
ment the case was given to the jury. which soon
afterwards reurnsd @ verdict oi guilty OF murder in
inc frsi degree They were sentenced TO be executed
ever, taken TO the Supreme Court Which resulted ip
an affirmation o. tho Judgment Of the loyef c6dfs,
Court the prisoners were resenenced TO be execute
today, After CONVICTION Aimed Gilmer the colored
man, made the following
CONFESSION.
ON Saturday night, December 4, 1870, about sun.
ses was gong % 70 spring, oh Met Parker When got
ate little After supper Parker told me TO take up
my bed and carry II 10 his house. was living Oh
PaIker's lana. Told him was bareiooted aud dld
not want TO so. II was very cold. lie then said
como on, let's so, we won't be gone long We then
TO the nouse and ! had put my bed in n Parker
said, 'lets go, but did not say where. Then asked
dd not know. lie then said she was nj aieck
nenn,s'. and mat he would 60 over there.
Knew about the burning OF the barn ~ ~
recily he asked. II Bart. Rayle was at nome.