The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-29

MAhOH 20, 1913 luII l.
scene OF the murder, whittier he had been at
tracted by strange fascination. During the first
months OF his confinement, and, indeed until It
became evident that the sentence OF the Court
would be carried into execution, Smith was
most insolent and defiant prisoner; but
last Wednesday, after probation Of several
weeks, during which time he had appeared
much subdued and very penitent, he was baptized
according to the rites OF the Methodist church. As
the attending clergyman was administering the
bread and wine OF the sacrament the stoicism OF
the condemned man, until then firmly preserved,
began to give way, ana he wept freely. At the
conclusion OF the ceremony the prisoner turned to
those standing around and said that he had some
remarks to make. After expressing his resigna-
ton at the late 80 soon to overtake him, he pro-
tested his innocence OF the crime with which he
was charged. He was interrupted several times
by the violence OF his emotion, but asserted that,
as he was almost at the edge OF the grave, he
would not now tell o lie; that he was the wrong
man and that some day his innocence would be
proved; that the witnesses who had sworn against
him had been bought, and that the pistol referred
to In the details Of the evidence had never been in
his possession. ~
HE WAS MUCH BROKEN DOWN
all day Wednesday, and earnestly requested Of the
jailer that one OF the prisoners should be allowed
to occupy the same cell with him. The jaier as
sented to this and assigned an old negro, named
Fry, charged with the murder Of his wife. as .
roommate to Smith; but Fry was excessively dis
inclined to sleeping with q man whose near fate
might be his own at no distant day, and feigned
sudden and severe sickness as means OF escaping
the jaier's order half.crazy negro, also charged
NIT n oala aud Walu ODD
night the condemned man slept peacefully.
HIS LAST DAY.
Tom Smith, after every effort to save him had
failed paid the last penalty for his crime to-day
the Commons, near this city. Up to the very mo-
ment OF leaving the Jail upon the fearful journey to
the gallOws he had hoped for reprieve but In re-
Spouse to despatch sent by his attorneys this
morning the Governor telegraphed back that he
must decline to interfere and that the must
be carried into effect. An attempt was made last
night to secure private execution within mn the jan
follow the precedent OF former executions in this
state and decided that the condemned must be
space just '' outside '' the limits Of the city
Smith MINUTES Ss pa
of an immense assemblage. The procession was
announced to start from the jail door at eleven
O'Clock, but long before that hour the space before
the prison was packed with surging crowd. AT
FIVE minutes before eleven O'Clock the condemned
man was notified that he must prepare to start.
AN IMPROMPTU PRISONERS PRAYER MEETING.
There are many negro prisoners confined In the
jail and these organized prayer meeting, which
% ao"S Sys IN Osekea az na
the negroes commenced chanting strange, weird
refrain, full Of the solemn and thrilling minors
peculiar to songs OF this race.
PROCESSION TO THE UPBLIC SCAFFoLD.
The prisoner was placed in an open wagon or van,
drawn by tive sturdy gray mules and surrounded
two spiritual advisors, one a colored man. The
Sheriff and several deputies and DR.. Thomas Grit
IN d9y %
civilians who had been granted tickets Of admis-
sion to the gallows platform from the Jail to the
place OF execution. The route stretched through
some Of the most popular thoroughfares Of the CITY,
the procession being followed closely by the crowd
ing hSvsands whom the police now to
blocking It's progress. The sad procession moved
slowly towards the outskirts OF the city; every
doorway ed with staring faces. The crowd bore
everything before 1t, attracting as II by
an irresistible fascination hundreds who
execution. workmen lett their work, implements
in hand; women, children and old men were swal-
lowed into the vortex Of the surging mass, and at
every square its numbers were visibly Increased,
until. when arrived at the scene OF execution,
probably four Thousand people were in the line.
assembled, and the whole crowd was aiterward
increased by fresh arrivals until some
about the galiows. they had come in vehicles of
every description, from the breken-down cart Of
some old negro to the hack filled with brazen.
faced women OF questionable repute This crowd
was made up almost entirely OF the lower classes,
the larger element being black. But there
p wsre amy IN many instances soms GERMAN
father from the town had brought with him his
whole family to see the SHOW" Meanwhile the
condemned awakened, continued to pray through
the whole long and solemn journey, swaying his
body backward and forward and his face, naturally
na SS wh as
ored minister, who sat on either side Of him. AS
he approached the place OF execution he became
ARRIVING AT THE GALLows f.
(Which was Q plain, strong structure, erected in
the centre Of large plain, and alta distance rom
mules were driven within the enclosure made by
the circle of ropes and guarded from the crowdlng
oner accompanieS BY the two %inisters ocers
and reporters mounted the platform with a firm
step and took his place in chair provided for
him. His arms and legs were then bound by o
strong cord, and here the hope OF life. which, until
them must have been strong within him, seemed
to have abandoned him forever. He groaned and
rocked hts BODY to and fro, praying God to forgive
him. Up to this moment he had persisted in main
tanning hts innocence or the murder.
SMITH CONFEsSES.
Calling his lawyers. the two ministers and the
Sheriff to him and requesting that the platform be
cleared Of all else he made full statement Of the
man named Larry Isom and negro named Bellas
with him. At the time Of the murder their pur.
pose was robbery. He killed Braden and the
other two shared the booty with him. In a pre-
vious statement he had confessed to having
escaped from Tennessee prison to which he had
been sent for burglary. Having made this full con-
tession he addressed the crowd, asking forgiveness
OF all men and exh0rting those present to take
warning by his just fate. The widow OF the
murdered man was sitting in her carriage just in
front OF the gall0ws and looked steadily at all the
preparations and never blanched.
PLACING THE NOOSE-THE LAST ACT.
At last, the fatal moment having arrived Smith
was told to stand up, and the moose was put about
his neck BY Sherin Snanks, the black cap was
pulled ever his forehead and he was told that his
hour had come. All present there then shook
hands with him, the cap was drawn down over his
the cord, and the body iell through the trap door
with sharp thud. For at least half o minute
there was no perceptible motion; then there were
eonvulsive twitchings Of the body the legs were
drawn up close to the trunk and the hands were
opened and shut. The body fell at twenty.one
minutes past twelve. At halfpast twelve there