The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-08-31

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last. Scott commuted the sentence of John
son from that of death to Imprisonment fol
life In the penitentiary
The sentences of Lucas and Harris he sus
pended from the 10th to this day. The count.
nominating convention met en- that day, ant
the hanging purely for political reasons
Sheriff FraZhe was candidate for reelection
and 1t Is said that he interceded with Scott Il
spare him from the necessity of having th'
hanging 90 that day, as he was afraid it woult
turn the negroes against him.
THE DOUBLE EXECUTION.
The time fixed by the sentence for the exc
cution was between the hours OF ten and three
o'clock. The scaffoid was erected In the en-
closure OF the JAIL which ls In the south
western part of the city, on the corner O.
Plain and Lincoln streets.
When yunr correspondent reached Inc
grounds, about eleven O'Clock A. NJ, there
were already assembled In the adjoining lots,
and on the streets, several thousand persons,
nine-teuths of whom were colored.
About one O'Clock detachment OF negro
military. numbering probably one hundred,
| with Captain Gus Cooper at their head, were
marched 10, and the word was given that the
hanging would soon take place. Upon this
the crowd in the streets made surge at the
gate and tried to push their way In. The
militia, however, with their bayonets and the
police with their clubs, finally succeeded In
pressing them back,
AT ONE. TINE ROW SEEMED IMMINENT,
and some Of the hot-headed militia appeared
strongly inclined to use their bayonets. When
order was restored the militia were drawn up
in the form of i hollow square with the gal
lows In the Centre, aud an outer line Of SEN
tries was throwr out to keep the crowd back.
The gates were then opened, ano such Of the
crowd as had tickets were allowed t. come In
side the enclosure, which they soon filled TO
suff,cation, except Immediately around the
scafold, within the line of soldiery, where the
members OF the press were invited to stand.
There was abont half-hour then Of waiting
in the brolllng sun, until finally the door Of
the jail was opened and
SHERIFF FRAzEE APPEARED WITH THE TWO
PRISONERS
tightly bouad with ropes, one on each side OF
him, holding to his arm. The Rev. Mr.. Berke-
~, colored, their spiritual comforter, walked
solemly by their slide with hymn book aud
Bible In his hands. The four pro ;eeded slow
" 10 the scafold aud ascended the steps to
the platform, from which the TWO doomed
wretches were to take their long leap Into
eternity. The sheriff then read 10 them their
sentences, which being finished, the Rev. Mr..
Berkeley read out hymn, verse by verse,
and 1t was sung by the negroes around In
mournful tone, the prisoners themselves join
Ing In the strain. A feeling prayer was .dallV-
cred, the prisoners knseling on the scaffold.
Their last act of worship being ended, the
sheriff bade them take their aual farewell of
OF their tellow-5eiHgs. -i-.-
THE SCENE WAS VERY IMPRESSIVE.
Lucas spoke first. He Is (or was) large,
TALL black negro, of pure blood, with strongly
marked features and not bad countenance at
all. People say that he appeared greatly
changed for the better In this respect slnceshis
imprisonment IL was thought, from his con-
duct on the trial, that he would prove fierce
and defiant to the end. On the.contrary, he
seemed very much agltated, and the whole of
the few remarks he made were directed to an
expression of the great comfort he had re-
ceived from religion,
HIS FAITH IN CHRIST,
and the firm hope he had Of a blessed life
hereafter. Ned Harris was low, thlck-set,
brutish-looking fellow, with retreating fore
head, fiat nose aud thick lips; genuine
African of the lowest type.
HE APPEARED sToLD AND INDIFFERENT,
and utterly Incapable of realizing his terrible
situation. He would gaze around upon the
crowd In stupid, beYildered sort of way, as
If lie imagined he had already reached another
and strange worlaEsHe professed religion,
too; but stoutly dad his crime, avowing
that he was as iIh6Gent as Christ himself.
Lucas. made no aluslon to his crime. When
they finished the few words they had to say,
the sheriff proceeded to make his lDal pre-
parations.
THE MOOSE WAS FASTENED
around their necks, and black cowls drawn
over their faces. 1t was an ugly thing to see,
as the sheriff came down from the platform
and lett these two figures standing there,
dressed all In black, with their feet bound to-
gelher and their hands lied in front, waiting,
with but low seconds more between them
aud eternity. The crowd gazed with breath
less Interest, until. as signal was given by
the sheriff
THE CORD WAS PULLED, TsG PLATFORM FELL,
and there swung poor l.,sas and Harrls1
dangling In the air. Lucas died easily, but!
Harris, who was lighter Fan, was not i'm
medately killed, and was kicking and wrlg-
CLING In horrible manner for five or ten
minutes.
When DR.. A. N. Tally, who was In atten-
dance, pronounced them dead,
THEY WE'RE CUT DOWN
and carried off for interment, a great part of
the crowd following the bodies. QUI VVE.
TIE POLITICAL RI CE.
The Fusion IN Louisiana.
N,uy nnr Of