The Leavenworth weekly times., 1875-08-19
A "rraud" Tarred and Feafh.
cred at Knoxville, Tenn.
The Dead BODY Of N. >. Grim.
wood Has Been Found.
Frightful Railroad Accident
Near Plattsburg No.
The Illinois ku-klUX Attacked
by a Sheriff and Posse,
And One of their Number Fatal
~ Shot.

hNoANll-kh, huSust lO.-JEO. NcDD,
murderer, was hung to-day. tie maintain
ed wonderful nerve to the last, and under
the gallows continued 10 affirm his inno-
cence. An immense crowd from the sur
rounding cities, and estimated at $4,000 10
1900, witnessed the exc on.
Nashville, August a Knoxvi,
special TO the "Banner" saws: At an ca
hour crowds poured in from the country, to
witness the execution. The streets near the
Jail were thronged with dense cro vd. 1t
was with officially that the guards could
prevent the crowd from eaking down the
Jail fence, so eager were all 10 see. He par
to)k heartily Of breakfast, and called the
attention Of the guards that it was his last.
A new suit of black clothes was t. zen him
by his brother, at ten o'clock. when he
dressed, and asked the Sheriff Tor q razor
to shave, which he refused, fear
ing violence. This angered him
much. He told the Sheriff to 90 to hell,
and take it with him.
At l1:30 the death-warrant was read to
him, when he asked to be allowed to read
it himself. After finishing, he raised his
hand and declared ,"Before God, my exc
cutIon is unjust" and kissed the cruciix
he held, given him by the priest. He also
added that he forgave everybody, but that
it was unjust to hang an innocent man.
Before leaving the jsil he told Ayers, by
whom he was employed to do the deed,
"Good bye" saying Old fellow, you will
have to pray mighty hard for forgiveness
for the murders you have caused, ii you
get to Heaven.
The prisoner walked promptly to the
wagon, with his wife on his arm, accompa-
MED by the Sheriff, deputies, and the priest
His wife was much affected. Webb was
composed, endeavoring to console her. The
procession moved to the gallows, about a
mile and 4 half, with a sherifi's posse fifty
strong, an immense crowd following Ar
irving there, a circle was formed by the
military companies and posse, and the
wagon driven Immediately under the gal
lows, when, at the prisoners request, the
sheriff called Webb and the State Council
ed the crowd, saying: The statement
made is true. / die innocent. They are
killing me for nothing. put my trust in
God. think I've been forgiven.
lie then requested the sheriff TO call up
others. Mr.. Haskins particularly, to whom
he said: want to say to you that it
is serious thing you have done.
II you want to kill man, shoot him, but
don't swear his life away. He then de-
nounced the whole party as having sworn
to lies. Turning to james White, he said ::
The night of the murder staid with you,
you know. He then handed letter 10
Huckaberry, and continued his remarks to
the crowd, saying that the people wanted
TO see poor old John Webb hung. IpTayed
for all last night. Look at me anu
mark what l say, die inIo-
cent. The Mayor asked who
was guilty, ii he was innocent, which he
didn't answer, saying that Capt. Washing
ton had the true statement, and it would be
given 10 the public. His wife implored
him to tell all he knew. Just then the mes
aenger came and informed Webb of the
death of his sister, and her funeral to-day.
He received the news with pathetic calm
ness, and his bold, blue eyes wore far-oli
look, as though piercing the vale OF eterni-
~. His wife urged him to sue for pardon,
when he replied: "My dear wife, wo'd raih-
CT be in my place than that OF many" He
xed great nerve ard hel' up unfiinch-
:ngly to the last, when, with bending leg,
he offered his hand, saying "You have
| hold of the best soldier you ever had. and
amid the agonizing screams Of the wife, he
mounted the rear seat OF the wagon telling
the people to look, saying "Tm the best
piece of furniture you have seen in many n
day." His wife was then. led away
from the horrible scene. The black cap
was then drawn down over his face, and
the moose adjusted, when the wagon moved
off, Webb leaning forward and eased him
self of, and at 1:20 he was swinging in the
air. He was pronounced lifeless in twenty
minutes, and when taken down presented a
natural appearance.
The Evening "Age" publishes letters
from Joseph Ayers, to Webb, promising
Webb also said that Richard Dowell, who
suicided here, two months ago, was the
first to bring the proposition to him. This
: five deaths from this crime. The crowd
estimated at from ten to eighteen thou
sand.
The report of the hanging of Jesse Wood
son, by a mob at Murfreesboro, last night,
is confirmed. His body was found this
morning, hanging to tree, about mile
and half from town, ridd'"'' with bullets.
| KNOXVILLE, August III. T. Copeland,
who created some notOriety by false swear
ing regarding ex-President JOhnsons relig-
ious belief in a telegram to the Chicago
"Times," and who was identified a. the
confidence man, whose explOiis were define
ated short time since in the Baltimore
Gazette" was tarred and feathered at half
past eleven last night.
MEMPHIS, August 17.-Waddy Thomp-
son was released from Jail to-day, on a bond
of five thousand dollars, for his appearance
at the November term Of the criminal court