Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-05-09
He Reasserts His Innocence, and
Hopes to be an Angel.
An Extraordinary Stampede as
the Drop Falls.
A General Decentralization and a
Negro Magistrates Leg
Broken.
Scenes and Incidents of Our First
Hanging i'm Nine Years.

| OCCASION was Bill Kelley, colOred, VINO COM
mitted the crime of rape some eight
months since upon the person of Mrs.
Sarah Moore, of Davidson county.
Before leaving the Jail, Kelley was visi-
ted by UNION AND AMERICAN reporter,
who found him sitting out in the Jail yard,
with Allen, the colored abductor.
Several white persons who had
called to bid him good-by, being in the
yard. In response to question as to how
he had slept the night previous, Kelley said
that he had not slept better for eight months
past. At his request our report of his case,
published yesterday, had been read to him
early in the morning, and in talking with
our reporter, he thanked him warmly, and
said that all the statements therein con-
tanned were true. He was very anxious
that whatever he might say on the scaffold
should be put in good English, as he did
not want 10 be represented as having used
such words as ''dis," ''dat," etc.
Our reporter asked him if he had not
found it serious strain upon him to be
visited by so many people as had gained
accession to the Jail the day before, to
which he replied with bright smile: ''Oh,
no. There was 1869 people come to see
me yesterday. believe, was on my feet
talking to them from eight O'Clock to four,
but if they had kept coming 1 could have
stood and talked all night"
One gentleman present offered some
words of coincidence, "Dont talk to me
that way" interrupted Kelley, 81 don't
want any consolation, I've made up my
mind to die, I'm ready to die, and what
do want of your consolation"
Previous to leaving the jail, Deputy
Jailer Brantley took Kelley aside and told
him he had last request to make of him,
and that was to learn whether or not he
knew anything concerning the men who
killed an old Frenchman, who was murder
ed several years years ago in the neighbor
hood where Kelley has lived for some time,
and in fact, he has been in the employ Of
the widow of the murdered man, who
keeps dairy. To this question Bill replied
that be knew nothing whatever about the
case referred to, as he had gone into that
neighborhood after the crime was commit
ted.
The sun lose in an unclouded sky, and
at an early hour, throngs of men, women
and children struggled out of the city in the
direction of the place chosen for the execu-
ton. Vehicles of every description whirled
up the soft, sitting dust, and gay words,
songs and laughter foated off on the gentle
breeze, leading one to forget that on this
fairest of days an outraged law demanded
the expiation of a terrible crime by an ig-
nominious death on the gallows. Beauti-
full, though fallen, women, in luxurious
carriages rolled swiftly over the powdery
streets and sped away to the centre of at
traction, south of the city.
A GENERAL AIR OF JOY0USNEsS
and reckless insoucidnce pervaded the
throng, and the contrast was strange when
one reflected that amid all these tokens of
the sweetness ofIife, a man in the full enjoy
ment of health and formed for happiness
was even then on the verge Of anothe
world that might possess for him terrors
unutterable. Life is full of these contrasts;
suffering and death even, are so intimately
associated with it that it's often but a step
from extreme to extreme.
1t was about 1870 p. NJ. when the repor-
ter of the UNION AND AMERICAN reached
the grounds on which, at that time, there
were about two thousand people. The To-
cation forms a natural amphitheatre, and is
located Just south of the Rock City paper
mills, and to the west of the MurfreesbOro
pike.
Three men were executed on the same
grounds in 1S43, for the crime of murder.
Standing on the site of the execution and
facing north, there is to the right, a few
yards distant, deep though narrow IA
vine, fianked by a sinuous and ruined stone
wall which bears away southwark. To the
left is the track of the Chattanooga, Nash
vile and St. Louis Railroad, while in the
left foreground is the junction of the form
er with the track of the Tennessee and Pa
cifc Road.
On the distant hills could be traced the
outlines of ruined forts that told of past
DAYS of war and ruin. The burning sun
hung high in mid-heaven, white fleecy
clouds swan in the realm of ether, and
Nature was in her most joyous mood. From
the vast and constantly increasing crowd
which surged and swayed in the valley and
rolled its gay-hued waves back to the crests
of the distant ridges, there arose confused
murmur of many voices, and the jest-the
idle word-the careless laughter, and the
growls of discomfort at delay were mingled
in a strange confusion.
Vehicles of every description rolled up
necessarily, and the steady monotonous
putting of the engine at the paper-mill
struck the ear clearly and sharply above all
the hum of voice and neigh of hundreds of
excited horses and the ludicrous braying
Of scores of mules.
Idle rumors ran the rounds of comment,
sallies of careless laughter met the light
jest, and none seemed TO regard the Occa-
sion as one of Warnings an exhibition
of the power of the law and
Its dread vengeance on, one who had
violated its commands. The majority of
those present were cOlored people, although
the reporter noticed in the throng some of
our leading citizens. The delni-mOnde
were out in all the glory of attire for which
they are so conspicuous, and formed no in
considerable portion of the crowd present.
THE GALLONS
was constructed of oak. Four heavy tim
bers formed the corner posts and, at
height of seven and ne-half feet from the
ground, platform about ten feet square
was built for the accommodation
of the officials aud others con-
Quoting the sad affair. A flight Of
rude steps gave access to the platform
trap, hung with strong ircn hinges, project
ed from the north side of the platform and