The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1874-05-09
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Execution OF SOL Brngs ~ Fort Worth
The Fort Worth Democrat, Of yes
terday, gives the following particulars
Of the hanging of the negro, Sol Bragg,
which took place in that place on
Friday. About four thousand people
witnessed the final act Of the drama,
which took place at the brow Of the
hill in the rear of the residence Of
S. Terry, ESD:
Al TEN MINUTES TO ONE
the sheriff arrived ut the Jail and dis
persed the crowd that had assembled
around, and moment later the sound
Of feet upon the stairs leading to the
cell, and the grating of the prison
doors, as they swung Oh their heavy
hinges, must have smotc heavily upon
the heart Of the unfortunate man.
IN THE CELL.
The prisoner was lying on pallet in
the middle of the room, and turned
over as the sheriff and guards entered
with two blacksmithS to release him
from the heavy irons with which he
was manacled. He was apparently in
q very good humor, and did not seem
to appreciate that his end was so rap
idly approaching. He was soon re-
lieved of his shackles, ana dressed in
n suit of new clothes, over which was
put his shroud.
He yielded readily to all that was re-
quired of him while he was being pre-
pared for the scafiold. He was taken
out of the cell sixteen minutes to two,
and his photograph was taken by Prof
n. G. Fowler, after which lie took his
seat on his coffin and was driven to
the scaflold.
He ascendcd the scaffold with firm,
steady step, and In n calm, firm voice
addressed the crowd for about thirty
minutes, protesting his innocence of
the killing of Mathew Green; charged
the witnesses with false swearing
said no one was near but himself and
his accomplice in crime, Baz. Moulden.
That Baz. fired the shot that killed
Mathew Green and was now running
at large, while he was to die on the
scatfold.
He advised the young to remain at
home and work for living, rs he had
been advised TO do, and not to try to
live by gambling, horse-racing and
stealing, AS he had done. He said he
had been in California, Mexico, Arkan-
sas and other places, and had been as
sociated with many bad men and had
been in many difficulties, and wounded
five times but had escaped all to be
hung on the scaftol0. Advised the
boys to avoid bad associates and not
let their left hand know what their
right hand did. That placing conf
dence in others was what had caused
his death. That BaZ. was considered
n good negro, but had "gone back" on
him, and should now be in his place,
while, if Justice was done him, he
would only have been sentenced to
the penitentiary for life. He expressed
himself as being
WILLING TO DIE;
that he was not afraid to die, as he had
made his peace with God, been for
given of his sins and would meet him
in a better land; invoked the mercy of
God and said he was ready.
The Rev. Mr. Cough then made a
few impressive remarks and brief
prayer. The rope was adjusted, the
hood drawn down, and at twenty-five
minutes past two O'clock the axe
descended, the drop fell, and Sol
Bragg was ushered into eternity.
His neck was not broken by the fall,
and died with but little apparent suf-
fering, only few slight convulsions
were visible. After the expiration of
seven minutes Dr. Field applied the
stethescope and at the end of ten
minutes pronounced life extinct. He
remained hanging thirty minutes,
when the body was taken down and
buried.
SOL BRAGG
was n coal black negro, six feet tall,
weighing about one hundred and
eighty-five or ninety pounds, well pro-
portioned, strong and athletic. His
GOODNESS under the circumstances with
which he was surrounded was matter
of surprise and comment by all.
soils CONFESSION,
taken by some parties here during the
past week, has been written out and
will soen be published, and will be an
interesting paper. We are told it con-
tains some startling revelations of
crime and blood.