The Hickman courier., 1872-04-20
THE DEATH SENTENCE.
James CunnEnghan1. she SBgr-
derer OT = os. u E5endergrass.
To &c Hung al Clinton, Ky, The
zgt2 GE EaEe.

EgE2 GE 5GEe.
ty The sentence Of death was pronounce
ly on james Cunningham, convicted Of th
p murder Of Joseph Pendersrass, by Iii
is Honor Judge 4. T. Boon. on last Tues
u, day, the Coart fixing the 7sh day Of Jou
g. as the day for him TO ezpiafe the Grim
le Of which he was found guilty. The cir
to oumstsuces Of the case. as sustained b.
e evidence before the Court, WAS substan
.r sally as follows
Joseph Pen5ercrass was the son Of
widow who lived 10 Alabama lie hal
II been q work for three or four months on
Al d t-rm about FIVE miles east Of Clinton
. On being paid of he determined to 20
- home to AiJbSma. For few davs be.
fore he started. Cunningham cultivated
his uoquaIntancs anc friendship. and
D when lie started away, Cunningham pro-
, posed going short distance with him to
show Aim the ,oad around field. The
two started eff together Cunningham
> returned home IN due course cf time
and it was supposed chat Pondergrsas.
the sophisticated farmer lad, had pro-
ceeded on his journey home, there 10
greet Lie Wil owed mother aud GLADDEN.
the hearts Of the household with his
( presence and tie earnings of bis honest
toll. Ia. tAs uO Eer waited ia vain Tor
his coming. Finally she wrote a letter
10 some Que 10 the neighborhooa iuquir
ing the whereabouts OF her son, but no
one could answer her Inquiries. The /
only reply that could be made was. that /
the last seen of him be was seen going
around ibe field in company with James
Cunningham, with the avoved purpOse
OF going home There was no clue to
what became Of him atterward and but
for the murlsrers own confession his
fate would probably have remained aD
uniathomed and unlathomabls mystery
to the end of time
But intimacy wi.h, and frequent par
ucipaUon in bloody and horrible deeds,
had not only hardened the murdersrs
heart aud caloused his seusibiides. but
his iFcqucus escapes from danger aud
punishment had emboldeBed his spirit
and made him SO vain Of his daring that
he could not rePress his desire 10 boast
of his prUwess. James Cunningham
unsusrectad and unasked told several of {
his ac4 laintances separately aud at diff {
5era5 I5.n5arg~,,z ~ i,.- - -.
he had eutieed him iato the woods under 9
nrstsDss of -,-i7r r9 a s-rf7.- s.l-,5 H.. ,
90 lst him ra1. g+ Iis rist.l aud ,-t.,
lie had oitqf7a5 ne..as.i,, N r. b..
aimed it 40 him and told him 10 prepare ,
N die for hs v9s ooir.. ~ I'm -I.-.
that he Shot bf7, tIrea t,r,qs ami 10 n
scrfbed The mart of his be.j and bodr +. r
which the Shots b.5 t5Eoo rr...- -t., +
he rjfe5 I.is rockers ana ~. 1e~- H..
and wen, down ~ the snrfr~ f,rq dr.nL
and re.r~rirr, f,r,j ~. rfs ~ l;s ~.
tim not vet t8fsl.v extinct s9 br t,.s
.nifa ami .rt his th-,9t Tt.- ~, .!-..,
-s5 the b-l- g., ,i;.J-- ;-....---.. ],
5rrr II 81. f1tf..- ~ ..r.--9f -., I'-7
a.ttha h-.l uncovered re.-a M re IS
h5g took lie estelef Of er-.h;-g h. o
o1efre 10 Tie murdered man and con r
.eaiel Il alta considerable ;.anes from q
h h said that --hi'a -sIa.-r- 4
be incidents ls even ar.H.I 81. ths
u-ht his victim had exhibited white =
.cioz slain After telling alI tbis Cum q
.inzlam. to prove his story. exhibited a
BE pistol ana pocket book which he @
aI taken from Peu1ergrass. ana told b.
lis auditors thati they ever diguleed q
lie secret he would kiu them also. G.
Such threat. from man With such ID
reputation. who could commit so cold 81
.i1aded a murder aud boldly and glee-
uilr boast Of the deed. was well caieu