The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1874-04-16

bein' redeemed from me, and Ise glad t
'spiain de sentence. Ise condemned 70
seIfdefence. know dere's dem her
dat 'sputes it, and hope God viii for
give 'em. / hope dem dat's against IA
may be converted. / am going hOml
and pray for de ones dat's takin' M
life and ali my enemies Ise able 4
stand to-day brave as a Hon. hope OF
dat day dey may come to 'clusiOn da
dey is wrong. Ise goin' out of all gum
and fire and Ise not ashamed or afraid
You can kill de flesh but you can't Kill
de soul. don't fear death. Ise got
higher authority to surrender to. IsC
got a Captain who never lost a battle
! De angels viii soon meet me and guard
me home. ] prays for every soul in de
sound of my voice to be saved. Use
willing to 90 home. Ise truly sorry
dat de old man Ise accused o KILN Is
dead 1 don't fear de whole world
Farewell, children, Ise goin' home
shortly"
During these scattering remarks
great cries and lamentations came from
the vast audience on the hill side, some
OF the negro women shouting and pray
ing. Bryant turned to sheriff Mitchell
and asked how long he had to live, and
then knelt to pray. His prayer was al
most uhintelligibIe, on account Of his
ignorance and the excited state of his
mind. 1t was about as follows:
"Now I endeavor to pray my last
prayer. l ask thee, Kind Father, to
take my soul. Thy will be done. Teach
me all thou wOuldst have me say. En-
ter my spirit in dat glorious land.
Guide my spirit home. Come, Kind
Father, and redeem me from de law.
Remem Der dem ise been in care of in
de prison. Forgive my sins and pluck
dem out of my soul. Take me through
all dangers. Farewell, everybody; Ise
now going home. Take me, Kind Fa-
ther, in thy care"
The balance was confused repetition
and was lost amid the great tumult
among the cOlored spectators. It was a
very sad scene, and the condemned man
employed the most duplicating tones
and attitude.
The sheriff then read the death-war-
rant in a clear and distinct voice, amidst
the prayers and walls of the condemned
man, who stood upon the trap with his
face elevated, after which the sheriff
adjusted the black cap and the moose,
tied Bryant's hands behind him and his
legs together. The parties on the plat
form then shook hands with Bryant and
and at precisely 2: 20 P. N.
the sheriff cut the rope and Bryant
dropped five feet, breaking his neck. |
The body was perfectly motiOnless tor
about minute, then commenced a con-
vulsive twitehing. At the end of five !
minutes a desperate effort was made by |
the dying man to loosen his hands, his |
legs and his shoulders drawn up in a |
mighty effort to get his breath. Drs.
Grant, Alternately and Davenport pro-
nOunced him dead at the end of IA min |
ltes, but he was suffered to hang Is |
minutes longer before the sheriff cut
him down, having been suspended just |
4 half hour. The body was Immediate |
~ delivered to its friends and was con-
yeyed to Lynnville, where Rev. Nelson |
Merry preached the funeral that night |
It was buried at Elk Ridge, near Lynn
Vile, the next day.
When the drep fell great cries and
prayers arose from the congregation, !
and the crowd, as if sickening at the
scene, commenced to scatter. Bryant
about 175 pounds, was about
IS years old, and was feet 1O15 inches
high. He was powerfully made physi-
eally, but was of very duh mind.
The saloons in town were closed at
The request of the sheriff at II O'Clock
ana We Jailed 70 near OF the least dis
.urbance having occurred among that
Immense and molly crowd during the
whole day.
The event seemed to commence its
work of reform even before it trans
pired-otherwise it is very remarkable
hat no disturbances occurred, which
are always the apparently inevitable
of such a large coming to-
gether of so divers a crowd.
Bryant murdered one of our best citi-
sens, and he has now paid the penalty
IF death, justly and according to law,
and we hope human vengeance is pro-
Ditiated and that his former friends
bear no malice.