Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1872-02-22

he wounded with pistol oulet i,in, oe.,.
to death with mattock; the ether he
smothered with large feather-bed. Liv-
ing in Gehan's house was q beautiful girl,
named Johannah Hamilton, VINO assisted
Gehan in removing Soyer's body to al asl;
heap. The body Of Mrs Gehan WIS re-
liovcd TO lonesome portion on The SJGr-
iari's Dar road, and left there The i'i,-
was thcn washed oif the floor CT the
ii which the tragedy vas enacted, ara.
every other vestige OF the atreclous crln.e
destroyed. a coroners jury verdict upon
the body was accidental death from causes
unknown. Suspicious were aroused, how
ever, and being arrested, Johannah mad.
a full confession. On the trial the jury
were out but ten minutes, and the verdict
being rendered, the woman sobbed aloud,
while her companion hung his head sui
kily. The night before the execution the
woman refused to retire, and walked to
and fro in her cell with her face buried IN
her handkerchief When spoken to she
rarely answered. Her profuse raven hair
fell disheveled over her magnificent shoul-
ders. She wore neat black dress, mar
row white collar and plain brooch.
In the morning worthy object Of hu-
man sympathy was the frail but lovely
creature who sat wearied yet sleepless
upon the miserable pallet Her tears had
steadily fallen during the night, but when
the priest announced himself to her she
cried aloud for MANY moments before speak
ing to him. at length he succeeded in
calming down her grief, but only to hear
from her the distracted and plaintlve ap-
peals "Oh, Father for the love OF sweet
Jesus save me save me!' The priest
gradually led her thoughts away from
earth and she slowly grew resigned to her
fate.
At 6:3O o'clock company of policemen
marched into the yard, upon hearing them
the doomed woman shuddered involunta-
rly, and had new recourse to tears. On
leaving her cell at the request 9f the
sheriff she drew back and sobbed hyster-
cally. Being quietly pressed to move on
she advanced a step, and again shrunk
from the terrible journey. At length it
was found necessary to employ violence in
removing her from the cell but at the re-
quest of the assisting clergyman she was
allowed to remain quiet for few minutes
until he found means to persuade her to
obey the sentence Of the law. The priest
finally succeeded, and taking her by the
hand he led her out into the passage way
where her dress was looped, her arms pin
ioned and the fatal moose adjusted. In
the meantime Gchan, dressed in suit o.
black, had been fitted out for his leap into
death. and he stood beside his beautiful
accomplice.
Gehan then received. the black cap, as
did also the unfortunate Johannah. &C.
han, accompanied by clergyman and two
deputy sheriffs, led tie way to the cortilc
of the courthouse. Approaching the plat
form upon which The fatal trap-bars were
the doomed woman again sh-unk back
and cried bitterly. But again encouraged
by the counsel of her spiritual adviser
she went courageously up the steps on tc
the platform. There she knelt and pray
ed ardently. Gehan also prayed. Then
PAYERS being finished, they arose, and the
black caps were drawn over their eyes by
deputy sheriffs, and the moose of each ad.
iusted to ropes which dangled from two
protruding beams. The fatal trap doors
suddenly fell soon after, and Gehan and
his accomplice were swinging between earth
and sky. Great sympathy was felt fol
the girl, and it was. hoped by nany that
the Governor would relent before the sen.
tence had been fulfilled But no pardon
came.