The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1874-04-05
The Sentence Of Sol. Brngg.

VII GulNlull llhL VIZ NAlulL IUUHl VIZ
filled TO its utmost capacity by our clti.
zens, who assembled to listen TO The
death sentence which was announced
would be passed on Sol. Bragg, col
ored, for the murder Of Matthew
Green, on the eth day of September.
General j. }, Good on the part of the
state, recited the facts in Connection
with the killing, the trial and convic
ton of the accused his appeal to tho
supreme court aud read the mandat,
of the supreme court, confirming The
action Of the district courC, and asked
that the penalty OF death be m0.
nounced upon Sol. Bragg, as the law
provided. The remarks of General
Good though brief were listened to
with attention by the entire audience.
When General Good concluded the
court addressed the prisoner and after
reciting the facts In connection with
his trial and conviction by u jury of
his own choosing, and asked him If he
had anything to say why the penalty
of the law should not be passed upon
him.
THE PRISONER
asserted his innocence in positive
terms. Said he was near by when
Matthew Green was killed, but that
another had done the deed, and was
still mt large. That at the time Of his
trial there was so much prejudice eX-
isting in the minds Of the public that
it was impossible for him to have II
fair trial.
The court informed the prisoner that
meme of the reasons assigned by him
were sufficient in law to Justify him in
Withholding the sentence. That the
jury had passed upon tho facts and had
found him guilty of murder, and that
IL became his duty to comply with the
provisions of the law and pass the sem
fence provided by the law us II penalty
for the crime whereof he had been
convicted. That while the duty was Il
painful one to him, it was imperative.
That the race to which he belonged,
and that the condition in which they
had been placed by a sudden transition
from slavery to freedom and the want
of moral culture, and proper appre-
citation of the Nervousness Of the crime
called for the sympathy of the entire
public. That much credit was due to,
and was accorded them by the public
for the degree of order which had
characterized their race during and
since the war. That the crime whereof
he had been convicted was the most
heinouS and atrocious one known
to the law, and that the circumstan-
ces connected with his case was
unusually SO, from the fact that
there was no passion or hatred
toward the deceased to be plead in eX-
tenuation of the offense, inasmuch as
he had taken the life of Matthew Green
for pelf. That he had murdered him
in cold blood, and concealed him from
the eye Of the world in order 10 obtain
possession of his property, and that
the fruits of the crime had been found
in his possession. That the commits
sion of such deed made the blood of
civilized man boil with indignation
and the mind start with horror that
much praise and honor was due to the
officers of the law in ferreting out such
and vindicating outraged
law. The court admsnishtd the priso-
mel that bis stay on earth was short,
that an awful responsibility rested up
on him, to make his peace with his
God. That a degree of accountability
existed between him and his Creator
which could not be avoided, and he
would soon appear before another and
higher tribunal where he would be
again adjudged as to his guilt or inno-
cence. H.tr
That, in view of all the facts, it was
the order of the court that he be re-
to the county Jail, there to re.
main until Friday, the first day of May,
1874, on which day he would be taken
from the Jail by the sheriff of Tarrant
county, and
HANGED BY THE NECK TILL HE WAS
DEAD,
and that the clerk issue the death war
rant accordingly.
During the sentence, Judge Banks
dale was visibly affected by the seri-
Gus character of the duty he was called
upon to perform, and betrayed some
emotion, but the
PRISONER WAS CALM AND UNMovED
as u statue of stone. He frequently in
terrupted the judge by protesting his
and asserting that he could
die as freely as he ever took drink of
water.
Sol. Bragg is a coal black negro,
about five feet, eleven inches high and
weighs about one hundred and seventy
pounds. He manifested q spirit of
bravado throughout which evinced
hardened and depraved heart. His
betrayed u vicious and
wicked disposition and his remarks
to the crowd as he entered and left the
court room betrayed perfect disre-
gard Of his fate. He is charged with
the
MURDER OF THREE MEN.
One prior to the killing Of Matthew
Green, and one during the time he was
ut liberty after his conviction. The
latter occurred at Fort Sill, for which
he was arrested, and which led to his
return to the Jail of this county, from
which he had escaped some months
previous. He was heavily manacled
and had on suit of military clothes,
given him while in prison at Fort
Griffin.
or Interest 80 the Grangers.
columbus tKy) Dispatch.l