Huntington advertiser. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1874-1921, 1876-01-27

communicated to the impatient mob out
side, and when they were informed 1T IL
horrible details, low growl went forth
aud the minister was requested 10 hurry
up his religious duties. Fervent prayers e
the Throne of Grace asking divine elem
ency for the soul Of Williams were
given and a. the minister warmed with
the holy spirit, il WIS noticed that vii
ans wept freely and at times ejacula.
lations Of "God forgive me" escaped
from his lips. At Last the fearful wara'
ing. shines up" was sounded By the cap.
tain of the execationers, he shook as one
afflicted with the palsy. After few hur-
ried words, uttered by tie lead.r, the
arms of Williams were piniOned. he was
then ordered to vacate the building and
! in less than 8 minute thereafter the fatal
rope was placed about his neck. "Get up
on that barrel" was the order thea given
to him and which being obeyed he Was
told to commune with his God. lie beg
god to live little while longer, pleaded
that he was in no condition to appear be-
fore his God, and that mercy should be
shown him. A mocking laugh acc"mpa,,
MED with the words "Did you extend
mercy to Meehling? Did you give him
time To- prepare for death ~ A PRAYER
was offered by Rev. q. W. Young, after
which the barrel was pushed from under
the feet of Williams and his body dan
eled in space. Toe much slack having
been given To the rorc, the feet Of WI
liams touched the ground, seeing which.
a dozen pairs of arms dew upon the free
end Of the hempen halter and shortly al
.erward the soul OF the murderer had de-
part, d to an unknown world.
COME AND VIEW YOUR WORK.
When the mob had hecn fully satisfied
that Williams was dead. Mrs. M'ehling
was taken from the Jail and forced TO gaze
upon the man who had, through her infiu-
cnce, murdere her husband, forfeited his
own life for her AID perhaps placed her IN
a position to shortly follow the pnir to
death; and there she stood, without
friend to offer a word of consolation or
bes,ow upon her kind look. No vows
Of love for the little children at home
escaped her lips, no sorrow was expressed
for her completely in the murder. She
was an animated automaton, her facui-
ties were ,lazed at the horrible scenes her
vision had beheld during the half d,,Len
hours preceding the execution OF Will
liams. Death would have been q well
come me senger to her then, but she was
doomed to suffer still further ere her soul
was demanded by its maker. After she
had placed her right hand on the corpse
and reiterated the confession made by her
in jail, she was recenductcd to her cell
and left to her gloomy thoughts
MOVING N THE MIDNIGHT.
The BODY of Williams was left suspend
cd i'm the Court House yard for the night,
the lyncher. bein. satisfied that their work
had been performed when they took tue
life of their victim. The sculpture OF the
corpse was no concern of theirs, and pro-
badly had they been consulted upon the
subject. they would have voted to keep
the b d v SUSPENDED until the flesh through
decay dropped from the bones. A the
night advanced tho sad mournful wind
sang 4 requiem through the branches "i
the tree upon which the body of Williams
dangled, the rain from Heaven tell upon
the inanimatc mass Of guilt, outraged
law had been satisfied, though unlawful.
lv-when Sunday morning was ushercd
in. the horrid spctsclc of dead body su'-
pendcd in tho ,urt yard, met the gaze
Of passers by. Timid persons turned with
alright from the horrible picture, children
on their way to Sabbath school shrunS
closer to their parents, and all felt that
death, terrible death, had been mectcd
out to one who, in the v'ry prime oi
manhood had offended his Creator and
the laws of his country. Towards noon
the body was cut down and placed IN the
hall of the court house to await action By
the coroner.
MEEIrSG OF THE DEAD.
After the coroner had given an order
for the burial of the body OF Williams,
a coffin was procured and the corpse re-
moved from the Court House. When the
ca,ket reached the sidewalk, it was met
by the cortege of Meehling and for few
rods both films were borne in the same
direction. The coincidence Of the meet
ing Of the two cotfns was most singular
one. but oh, far different were the
sentiments entertained by those persons
having in charge the dead. One bdy
WAS mourned fbr because il had been
ruthlessly slain tn gratitiy sensous de-
sire. the other was mOurned over as
mallfactor who had offended his God and
fellow man. For the ono there was enter
tanned hope that a blisstul immortality
would be accorded it, while for the other,
eternal misery was believed TO be it's por-
ton. Slowly the two sad professions ben-
ded their ways through tbesstrects and in
good season two Collins Lad been con.
signed Ia the mother earth.
NIsCELLAN EoCs MATTERS.
L.C. ricketts,, Esq, pr scouting Attor.
ney, actuated by sense OF his official
duty, immed: atety repaired To the court
house yard, when informed of the inten-
tons Of the lynchers, and made an earn
est appeal to the excited party to permit
the law to take its course, assuring them
that Williams would have speedy trial
and that his punishment would be certain.
Mr.. X. was listened to with great courtesy
but after he had closed his remarks he
was informed, that althoughlhe had done
his duty aud that while his motives had
been appreciated in irving to prevent
lvnching, they could and would not per
nit the prisoner to live beyond tie night
that they had resolved upon hanging him
and that no power could prevent them
from CARRYING into execution their resolve.
Mr.. Ricketts,, thus answered, withdrew
from the Court llou,e ward feeling A.
surcd that he had done his whole duty.
The maiden name of Mrs. Neehling wa'
Matilda Mays, AID formerly lived on
Fudres Creek, Gabell TO. She has four
children living, three boys and a girl
Williams was IN the prime Of lie, being
ali ,ut ~ years Of age at the time of his
death. lie was regarded a. II vicious
vuung man and many act. of lawessacs'
are attributed To him during the past
| two wears.
Meehiing, the murdered man, was tho
son Of Charles Mcehling, now residing in
Union District. lie was always regard
ed a. an industrious and worthy farmer
and bv his industry had occurred to him
self quito 4 snug farm, on which he lived
at the time OF the murder. Notwith'
standing the uria'thfulne-s OF his wife, he
l;x.I in homes that she W Md mend her