The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-15
A NEGRO MURDERER HANGED.

EXECUTION OF JOSHUA FRAZER AT CAMDEN, g. G.,
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. EXCITEMENT AT THE
scAFToLD-coNFEssIoN OF OTHER REVOLVING
cRDIEs-DETAms or THE MURDER
CAMDEN, 5. c., May IA, 1875.
The widest excitement attended the execution
OF Joshua Frazer to-day, at fortynve minutes past
eleven, Tor the murder OF Benjamin. Cooper last
CHRISTMAS. BY Daylight the crowd had assembled
IRON Thirty miles around, and TO the number CT
1000. one white and one coored fire company
was ordered out and armed 10 keep order. An
guard took the prisoner from the jail 10 tue
gallows southwest Of the town, erected Ia
an old field. The prisoner, havlug been respited
once, would have been lyncnel by his ownsrace
II not hanged to-day. sherin John Dolby had or
ganized TO meet every emergency, and an extra
force OF police maintained order. Frazer has tried
twice to com nit suicide 10 his cell, where he has
been chained TO the wall on the scafold he main
Iained d spirit OF laughing bravado and died in
that way, protesting TO be converted, and then
excusing his crime. lie confessed 10 the killing or
Cooper and TO the killing OF his w,ie's child and
woman IN Camden, and the burning OF gin
houses. The widest religious excitement pre-
vailed among the surging mass, when prayed ana
sang hymns in the brolliug sun. Frazer's neck
was not broken, and he was not siranged for
seven minutes. The last execution before this
was in 1862.
During the holidays, which In the South are
characterized with an abandon OF gayety and de-
uauchery not usual in other parts OF the United
Safes the number OF murders and homicides Is
horrilylng to contemplate, and the opening OF the
present year outdid all others IN this respect. Kerr
shaw county the home OF the gallant General ana
honest statesman whose name It pears, has been
comparatively free from crime, the blacks appear
Ing 70 nave partaken tine straightforward, stead
fast industrious naolts OF tnetr superlors. But
during the recent holidays Kersnaw county tai.
lied one IN the long ana bloody list. This one
OF those plantation murders 50 ditncult 20 trace.
About eight miles from the county seat Is situated
the large plantation OF Colonel Ward, old and
successful farmer. The houses or the labOrers are
arranged In two rows snort distance from that
occupied by the overseer, winch stanus at the
centre and head ~ the miniature village. Ia
murderer. ms vie, ana two OF her children by q
former husband: short distance below and on
the opposite side Benjamin Cooper, tue victim
lived ia one OF the log houses. Cooper was a
ltQht muatto. not married. and very mighty re-
specled by both whites and blacks. he over
seer, waive man, testined during tue trial that
che never Anew Cooper had an enemy IN the
word.n on Christmas eve the murderer and
his victim met cooper taking occasion to
ask Frazer Tor a small sum Of money due him.
Frazer replied that ne mad the money In his
pocket, but would see him IN hell before he PAID
Il, and with large STICK struck a blow
al toe nead OF Cooper, which would doubt
less killed him tnen n IT. nad not missed its
ann. The bystanGers tnterlered and apparently
the difficulty was ended satisfactorily 10 Doth par
ties. Two DAYS later Cooper gave a party at his
caDln, ana about miuneht, when the merrymak.
Ing was az us neight tue muzze oil double
parrelied shotgun was thrust through chnk near
the cnuDney, where Cooper was sitting. and the
contents discharged INTO uls side. lie iell from the
chair, aud soon after expired tne duck shot, with
wnicn the gun was loaded, having passed through
his stomach ana INTO has spleen.
Great excitement followed Immediately alter the
King. ana u the murderer cOud have been lden-
noel tic would have been lyncued upon tile spot.
The overseer and the owner OF the plantation we're
early al the scene, and learning OF the recent dim
Guilty between the two men correctly surmised
tIat Frazer h0u LOmmifteH the deed. By
ngnt Of cagdles these Lwo gentlemen aud some
OF the party were examining the footprints
Of the murderer, when sfrazer appeared coming
irom tue direction Of small thicket ot
manner inquired II tney could "und any foot
prnts.u ar. Ward ami the oyerseer directed
their attention to MS SHOES, alter wnca, the lgnt
faIlnp, theY gave up the examination untl the
from the htuse Of Frazer to the chnk IN the NaI
or the house or Cooper, ana ftom thence to the
fhcRet, passing through Mhica the murderer
made 4 circuit ami returned agalu TO The house
where he made tue inquiry toe night before. Tne
soil was iouse, and TIE footprints and peculiar
marks o. the slices were easily traced.
TELL-TALE SHOES.
they then went 10 Frazer's cabin and called him
out. lie was very Wiling To oocy, but Il was no
when he had not yet lied. lie was told ''tRat
would not do,n ana to 20 Tor the old shoes he had
the night previous. lie uenleu having any
others but finally brought an old pair covered
WIN mould anu was told again 70 bring the shoes
he wore the DAY geiore lie insisted he
mad none. but threats sent hlm again for
them. and after absence OF hair an nour
he returned WITH one old shoe on aud the
upper 81 another In hts hand. Tue thumb or nls
lett maud he kept IN his mouth. In answer to in
quirles ne sdid Ee had cut the upper or the shoe
sevcral days before Tor The purpose OF making a
strap for COW bell Fresh blood being noticed
on tne piece ne had, his thumb was pulled from his
mouth ana found 10 be freshly gasned in the hurry
OF cutting the saoe IN meces; neither mad anY part
al the upper been used for strap. A search OF
the house revealed tnc fact that tae sole nad been
cut IA three pieces ana slowed away under Tue
caves, also spotted Win fresh blood. Frazer stated
during the search that ne had thrown the sole
away. the shoes we're Identified by the owner IL the
Plantation a. those ne nad pu chased or Frazer,
and by the overseer a having been worn dnny Dy
the prisoner, and also tue same as those tney nad
noticed on his feet the previous night ana a fur
ther comparison OF them VITA tue prints made on
tnat nIght lett no room Tor doubt.
Frazer was then arrested, protesting hts innO-
cenCe, aud was saved rom injury at the hands OF
the nlumated rlcnus Of COPPER, who were anxious
20 punish him summary. they were prevented,
however, by Colone Ward and the oyerseer, who
tea nim ana marched him 10 camden Jall where
he was kept naudcuned aud chained until MS trial
January 2n. lie prOtes ed continually his in
n0cencc ana manifested desire 10 10 tried
speedily.