Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-05-09
THE CALLOwS.
HANGING OF SUSAN EBERHART.
Eper Crime and Her PziramOur.-Hcr
Remarks Oh the GaIIOVVSL.An
Effort to Revive EHer---
Ii Fails.

PRESTON, May 2.-Susan Eberhart,
OF Webster county, who assisted E. L.
Spann to murder his bed-ridden wife
on May 4th, 1872. was hanged on Fri
day. Susan Eberhart was servant in
the family, and having attracted the
fancy of Spann, promised to marry
him upon the death of his wife. He
attempted to drown her once while
crossing a stream. but failed. Suisse
quently they visited her bedside one
nighU and Spann choked her with
pillow line, while Susan Eberhart held
handkerchief in her mouth They
fed to Alabama, We're recaptured and
brought back to Georgia. tried and
convicted. Spann was hung on the
25th April. The crowd in attendance
at the execution was small, probably
not more than seven hundred. OF
these, half We're negroes, and dozen
| white women attended.
At eight o'clock the Rev. J. H. Ca
wood visited the jail and prayed with
| Miss Eherhart, who manifested a bright
| hope i'll her future and was fully COM
posed. She was not only willing. but
| thought it was better that she should
die than live. Last night an order was
received from Judge Clarke for a strong
guard to be put around the jail This
was IN consequence of rumOrS that an
attempt would be made torescue. Sheriff
Matthews had already anticipated the
the order. No attempt at rescue, how
| ever, was made. At IL o'clock this
morning Il guard of forty men as
sembled at the jail, and forming hol-
low square, marched to the gallows.-
The prisoner went in the centre of the
square, III n buggy, with the sheriff.
The ministers walked. Miss Eberhart
was neatly dressed, at The expense of
the sheriff, in white, small figured
cambria. Her fine, long black hair
was plainly arranged in two long plated
braids, one on each side of the head,
with the ends tied together and pen
dant on her back. She had on a calico
sun bonnet. She told the sheriff, as
they rode along, that she did not dread
death in the least, but felt happy at
the prospect of soon being better of.
She alighted and took seat on the
steps of the gallows.
The Rev. Mr.. CawoOd read to her the
SSth and both Psalms, and addressed
her few words of comfort, saying
that he felt the greatest confidence in
the genuineness of her conversion and
i'll the sincerity of her profession of
faith. The venerable George Staple
ton, of Jefferson county, led in prayer.
Miss Eberhart took leave of her
friends. She said she had no fear, but
was able to rejoice i'll this hour She
thanked her friends for their kindness.
/ She freely forgave all who had ever
) wronged her. She felt in her heart
she love all mankind. She desired to
meet her friends in peace in Heaven.
AS she ceased speaking, the sheriff
asked her, ''Susan are you ready -
| She replied, Yes, I am ready" and
, walking firmly mp the steps, stood ON
J the platform of the gallows Not a
J tremor shook her form as the sheriff
adjusted the rope and the black cap.
She quietly said to Mr. Mathews, the
sheriff, that the rope was too tight
around her neck, adding, Il don't
want to be choked to death" The
, rope was then lCosened slightly
: ''Susan, put your hands behind YOU
, She did so, and he tied them. He
again asked her if she was ready She
replied, Yes, ready and willing.
The platform dropped precisely at
thirty minutes after eleven. She fell
!, five feet, and struggled but little. She
Z was pronounced dead after fifteen min
utes expiration. She was cut down in
nineteen minutes. Her neck was not
broken. The doctors made an effort
to revive her by an electric battery
but failed; None of her kindred were
present. The body will be carried to
her fathers house tonight. She Will
he buried from the Baptist Church ut
Preston tomorrow