Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-05-09

be waiting on anybody and they told YOU
to do something, you 60 and do it. Well, 4
Just so it was with me. When | went to
the house that morning, she invited me in,
staid awhile and talked to her
and then went for the water.
Then came back and went around on the
hill and Cit her some wood. After came
with the wood she said to ine---that one of
her neighbours chickens came into the house
and her request was for me TO kill it, and
did so. In tile meantime she dressed the
chicken, She asked me for the pitiftil sum
of -. l said | had Mt the money TO spare,
| had some debts to pay, but Size said tome
'syUu can pay -FOUR debtors, let me have the
two dollars" l told iier I could MT do it;
yet she kept insistin' on me for the nicnsy,
| gave it to her, then walked back to the
bedside. She sat down on the bed after
CHE had made the offer. si
But friends Say to you. am
here to-day innocent of the ciiargs,
but thanks be to God, / am willing
to go by the laws Of Tennessee. Friends, /
hope that you will all remember me, will
bid you long farewell, FAREWELL farewelll
loud cries of farewell" farewell and
much excitement among the colored specta-
tors.)
HIS LAST PRAYER.
Kelley, then shaded his eyes with one
hand and prayed as follows;
"Oh my Heavenly Father, we do thank
thee to-day for thus sparing us to meet
here on the occasion of this mans
death. Thanks be to God, am
ready. Father have mercy on all
within the sound of my voice. Bless, Faith
er, the jailor and his family. Bless the
ministers standing upon the platform with
me. Bless all the officers of the jail. Oh
Lord, l thank thee that thou has spared me
to meet this Judgment about to be visited
upon me. Oh Father, thou hast heard thy
little ones cry. Oh Father, as soon as the
last breath has ceased In my body ease me
down into my gave, through Christ, my
Redeemer. Amen"
As the prayer was brought to a close,
loud cries and grOans were heard from the
colored people present
The prisoner stepped firmly upon
THE FATAL TRAP
and Sheriff Whitworth securely tied his
arms and feet Ti,A strands of cord. A mo-
ment later the black cap was drawn over
his face by Deputy Sheriff Wilkinson and
the deadly moose adjusted by the Sheriff.
The officer whispered, as ID too tight,
Bill?" 10 which the prisoner replied, "No,
SIR" At this moment the excitement
among the eolored people became fearful.
In the midst of the tumult, Sheriff Whit
worth turned to the vast surging crowd and
said: II am willing at all times 10 do my
duty, but this is . painful one to me-" He
then rapidly descended the steps, walked
beneath the platform, seized keen Ratchet
and struck quick blow.
THE TRAP FELL
instantly, and the body Of Bill Kelley was
suspended between the heavens aud the
earth. This was at thirty-three minutes
and thirty-thnee seconds past two o'clock.
The fall was about five feet but, owing to
the fact of the knot slipping from its posi-
ton, the neck was not broken. Death,
however. was painless, scarcely a struggle
following the lunge Of the body, which
swayed sluggishly to and fro, gave a few
convulsive lremOrs, and then was motion
less. Not more than two or three minutes
after the fall of the trap
A TERRIBLE CONNECTION
arose, caused by the pluBgings Of
a frightened horse, to the west
of the gallOws. Men, women and
children rushed like a wild wave against
the rope surrounding the ground, and in
stautly the guards, bayonets and all, were
overwhelmed and even the gallows and its
horrible burden were in danger OF being
oyerthrOwn.
When the stampede first occurred, il was
thought the cOlOred people were making
break for the purpose Of rescuiDg Kel-
lev. and hundreds of reyOlvers were drawn
by people standing outside the ropes and
who rushed TO the assistance of the guards.
The noise and confusion were frightful,
and the cheekssof brave men turned pale
with terror. The bayOnets of the Enfield
rifles, with which the sheriff7s posse was
armed, flashed in the sunlight as their
bearers vainly strOve TO press back the
mass Of human beings bearing down upon
them. Sergeant McAliister dashed into
the crowd on horseback, with revolver in
hand, and aided materially in restoring
order.
Hundreds Of people, principally women
and children, were crowded into the ditch
to the east of the ScaffOld. This ditch was
about four feet deep, with very steep sides,
and was about four feet wide. At the bot
tom the water stood several inches deep,
and as the struggling mass of men, women
and children hOundered about in iTying to
exiricate themselves from their dangerous
position, their clothes became covered with
yellow mud.
Children cried, women screamed, men
shouted, and during this terrible excite
ment, the body OF Kelley swung gently to
and fro rs it dangled at the rope, and was
for the moment forgotten, as the frightened
crowd rushed pell nell, each person seem
ing intent upon saving his or her life.
After order was restored, it was found
that several had received injuries, al
though fortunately not Of a serious charac-
ter, with the exception of Squire VIM.
Butler, colored, who had leg broken by
falling into the ditch.
DISPOSITION OF THE BODY.
Drs. T. Buchanan and w. j. McMurray
announced that all pulsation had ceased, at
seventeen minutes and twenty seconds af-
ter two O'Clock, or thirteen minutes and
fifty seconds from the fall, but the body
was not cut down until 2:34.32, or little
over half an hour from the moment the
rope was severed.
The corpse was placed in the coffin i'm
mediately on being cut down, and the
black cap removed. The features were not
in the least distorted, although death must
have resulted from strangulation-the ply
sicIanS announcing that the neck was I'M
broken and not dislOcated.
After the execution, the crowd rapidly
dispersed, and when the reporter lett the
scene the carpenters were busily engaged in
taking down the scaffold, the ring of their
hammers rising above the rush and roar of
the numerous vehicles speeding from the
spot.
In accordance with the promise made by
Jailer Patterson to Kelley, the body was
taken to Mt. Ararat Cemetery, between the
Murfreesboro and Stones River Pixies,
whittier it was followed by a large
crowd, and placed in vault. The coffin
was opened by general request, and all
present took a look at the corpse, after
which the usual funeral services were per
formed. Kelley was exceedingly anxious
that his body should not fall into the
clutches of ''body snatchers," and on this
account it will remain in the vault some
DAYS before final interment.