The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-04-12
4 MuRDERER's END!
AN IMMENSE CROWD PRESENT.
Queer Conduct Of the Doomed Man.
Declares that he ID Ready and Win.
ing TO Die.

Attempts 70 Deceive Go0 and Man.
Declares that he is Ready end WIN.
Ing TO Die.
On lsst Friday morning the people OF
this county witnessed q scene that has
not occurred before In nearly q half CEN
tury. Bob Beatty, the
wIFE-MuRDERER,
expiated his crime upon the gallows
| and the declaration made three thou.
| sand three Hundred and sixty-two years
ago, by the Great Judge to whom all
hearts are open, was literally carried
into effect. ---"And he that killeth any
man shall surely be put to death" Lev.
24c. IL. 80, tc.4 , 49,,
Bob Beatty murdered his wife in 1871.
He was In love with another negro
woman, as the facts in the case sub
stantiated, and slew his lawful wife
that he might live with his newly found
| paramount.
Having split his wife's head open with
an AK, he bound her hand and foot with
pillow line, and wrapped her up In an
old quilt, and then mounting q horse
carried her of ~ Fountain Creek
and submerged her in the water, plac-
ing heavy rock upon her to prevent
the body from rising. Her mutilated
body was found shortly afterward
by Messrs. Roam, Harris and Childry,
who were fishing. Bob had left the
neighborhood and was living with his
paramour In another part ofthe county,
when the corpse was found. Sus-
picion at once pointed toward him as
the
GUILTY PARTY,
and he was arrested, tried and convicted.
1t would occupy too much space TO de-
tail all the evidence In the case, and we
feel that it will be satisfactory to say
that he had q full, fair and impartial
trial in the Circuit Court at this plsee;
and his case was closely scrutinized by
the Supreme Court at Nashville, and in
the whole progress OF the trial not q
single point was developed to raise
shadow Of doubt as to his guilt. Not
withstanding the fact that the prisoner,
during the whole trial, was not able to
produce one iota of evidence In his
behalf, and all the facts strongly estab-
lished bis guilt. to the very last moment
of his life, he asserted
HIS INNOCENCE.
1t is said that Burke McLemdre, a very
intelligent negro. who was sent to the |
penitentiary about two weeks ago, and
who was confined in the cell with Beatty, |
advised him to pursue this course, and
that he would certainly be pardoned. /
The prisoner was disposed to believe |
him any way, on the grounds of hope. !
"Hope is such q bait, IL covers any |
of comfort, like the moon through /
clouds, gliding the black horror before 1
him. 70 him, the delusive phantom of
hope WAS made to assume . more ma !
terisl form, because one Of his race,
some twenty years ago, was sentenced |
to be banged in this county, and was
upon the scaffold, the rope around his
neck, and the black cap drawn over his
face and just one moment before he was
to have dangled in the air. his
PARDON CANE.
This tale had been told him by his cell
associates, for his comfort; though bis
spiritual advisers admonished him to
no longer hope for escape or commu-
kation of punishment. No man who
Saw his unprecedented conduct on the
gallows, or who will read his strange
remarks below, can for sir gle moment
believe that he thought he was going to
be hung.
As early as six o'clock in tbs morning.
the crowd began to assemble In town,
until at eleven, the number was esti-
matad at --'
TEN OR TWELVE THOUSAND PEOPLE.
At half past eleven o'clock Sheriff Latta
brought the prisoner out of Jail and |
placed him In a handsome furniture car,
drawn by four horses, along with his
coffin. He looked more serious when
first taken from Jail than at any other
time. He was drcssed In q new suit of
black, which Sheriff Latta gave him.
ana under more pleasing circumstances
ance. When the vehicle moved of
from the Jail, North Main and Garden
streets were literally jammed with hui
man beings, all moving in the direction
of the gallows, which was erected just
in the rear Of GreenwC cd Cemetery, and
in the fiat between the blRff and the
river. The bluff Is about a quarter of
mile in length, three hundred feet in
depth, and makes almost semicircle;
forming a great natural amphitheatIe,
so that everybody could see and hear.
Guards prevented the crowd from press
Ing too Sosey sFPssa The s, sSsGld ib!1
man was going to be hung, or had the
crowd convened for some pleasing en-
the scene would have been
enchantingly beautiful. The sounds
arising from the vast multitude was
like the noise of many waters. One
wave OF the SheriH's hat, and all was
as silent as death. A colored minister,
Lakewood Williams, then read twenty
six verses Of the END chapter of the
book of Proverbs. When the chapter
was concluded, the hymn commencing.
SHOW pity Lord; o, Lord forgive"
was lined and sung. A prayer for the
prisoner was then offered up, after which
the colored minister made some re-
marks, and closed with another hymn.
After this the Rev. A. W. Smith, who
was present by request of Beatty, prayed
very fervent and touching prayer.
thanked God that hg was ready to go.
With an elastic step he then mounted
.... s THE sCAFFoLp,
and was told by Sheriff Latta that he
might make any remarks that he chose
to. He spoke in such q disconnected
manneS that We shall not attempt to
give his. exact words AN the way
through, Though be Attempted to be
serious and earnest In his language his
manners were meyer 90. He was not
even embarrassed, and once smiled.
He said: II want to talk to you little
TINS evening. cOmo vi you ar0 700 IdI
off to hear, but those who do hear
mo can tell YOU what ! say. j have
now but few INMATES ~ nxe, ald will /
tell the truth Mthe truth ever could |
be got out of man this Is the time for
him to tell II, No maR can lie here.
have been In Jail eleven months, eharg> |
ed with the murder Of my wife, on |
Fountain Creek, in this county. 1 have /
been q sinner all my life, but never |
murdered, nor swore, nor stole any.
thing of much account and never have