The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1876-08-12

ored ministers. The prisoners wife
and child then came forward and
mounted the stand to give their last
farewell. They were together about
five minutes, and the scene was pitic-
ble in the extreme. His wife says ne
was Il kind husband. After the part
ing she left the scene.
THE PRISONERS REMARKS.
There WAS some disappointment
from the few remarks of Wesley Jones;
for many expected he would have
much TO say, much to confess, and say
1t boldly. But such was not the case,
for, though ruilian that he has been, he
was much subdued, and Enthusiastically
labored under great mental anxiety,
his protests TO the contrary notwith-
standing, He said little, but appeared
to feel all that he said, ny was quite
natural.
"Nou have come to Bee me die. |,
like all Of you, have to die. | thank
God am going home to rest. | hope
to meet You ali in heaven. know
have done wrong, ~ you all have
God will forgive me for what have
done, as quick as for what you all
have done. | feel that Jesus is with
me. hope this will be n warming to
you all. May God be with you all for
ever and forever. Iou cun persecute
the body but not the soul. DO not
scorn me because have to be hung.
/ have said about MI that | have to or
can say, | want you all to pray 70
me-"
One of the cOlored brethren then
read passage from the Holy Scrip
lures, followed by the hymn, "And
must be to Judgment brought"
Rev. j. II. Allen then offered up II
fervent and appropriate petition to the
Most High in behalf of the wretched
man.
LASr MOMENTS.
There was then II shaking of hands
and bidding the last good. bye, when
all left the stand but the officers
Sheriff Moon then read the death war
rant, after which he unshackled the
prisoner and tied his arms behind him
He then had the prisoner step on the
trap-door, tied hs feet, placed the rope
around his neck and the black cap Ovei
his head; and five minutes after the
body dropped through the trap anG
hung bylthe neck, Not n kick was
perceptibe, only slight shivering
At the expiration OF fifteen minutes he
was pronounced dead, dead. At this
juncture few shouts went up from
among the crowd, which did not ap.
pear in accordance with the awful
hour.
COLORED MINISTER'S LAST INTER
VIEW WITH THE CONDEMNED MAN.
The Rev. a. II. Griggs (colored), pas.
tor of the New Hope Baptist church
here, wrote out and furnished TnF
HERALD the following account of his
last interview with Wesley Jones,
which we publish, that the colored
people may known that the dead man
had the consolation Of religion.
Dallas August 9th, 1876.
My sixth and last conversation with
Wesley Jones was in the Dallas cOuu-
ty iail, Mr.. Jones was justly con
demned on the 10Th of January, 1876,
for committing rape on white wo.
man not far from this city, which he
himself acknowledged and must on
the llth instant hang by the neck un.
til dead, dead, dead.
The details of our conversation lust
two days before he dies Is ~ follows:
asked him how he felt, he replied.
every WELL"
Are you prepared aud willing to die?
al am" said he, "all that hate is
that the time seems 30 long. | long
TO go there for my soul will be Mt rest. ="
You believe you will go to heaven
when you die?
al do"
Why do you think SO?
al have prayed and God has heard
my prayers, moreover | believe that
| was converted when | was about
eleven years old and would have
Joined the church in Marion
county, Texas, but my guardians
objected To it. | would have joined
the Bethlehem Baptist Church In Up
shur county, Texas, if | could have
met with an opportunity
"Do you know anything about your
parentsW
Every little. | was taken from them
when quite small don't know that
either of them We're religious. My
father used to tell me to be good
boy"
"Why have you taken such n liking
to me and send for me 80 often?"
81 love to talk with you. You seem
to want to do me all the good you can. D."
"When was the first time you ever
saw me?n
"Last winter, while | was lying in
here sick"
"How old are your
"About - or 2S years old"
"Were you ever in much bad com.
pany :"
ayes; when about fourteen years old
| was driving cattle. The boys per
suaded me to play cards and made me
bet From that was led ofl.n
After questioning him very closely
and seriously about his conversion as
my custom was when there, reached
through the iron bars for Bible one
of the prisoners had. | read some in
the nineteenth chapter Of ST. John,
25th, 2Gth and 9th verses. | referred
to "the house not made with hands,
Il Corinthians, 5 Then to the Resur-
rectiop, 20, death, where is thy sting ?
o, grave, where is thy victory" and
Low he would meet the Lord in the
air, and even he would meet the Lord.
| read to him of the things we would