Union and American. [volume] (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1875-1877, 1876-01-13
NEGROES HANGED WHO KILLED
EgEN FOR NINETY CENTS O.
\ Gttr AND A WIFE. .r

II MEMPHIS, IENN., 'JaIluaTy e.
Frank Scott, colored, was hanged
in the Jail yard here today at Lao
D. m. for the murder of Ransom
Phipps, an old negro. Scott was
about forty years Of age, a native
of Athens, Ga, and tor some time
slave OF George Reese, of Ala
,baina. The crime for which he
IIsuftered was committed on the
gath Of December, 1875, on Wolf
River Bridge, the two men engag-
ling in a wrangle about 80 cents
which Phipps owed Scott. The
quarrel ended fatally and Scott
mas convicted. 2f The Supreme
Court, when refusing to grant the
"a sitiisaii tiissaiieraf IL E6M trial. fixed his ex.
vcution for Christmas Eve, the
anniversary Of his crime, but was
induced to change the day. last
week he joined the Roman Catho
Ilic Church, and has been constant
ly attended By Franciscan triars
and Sisters Of Mercy. He stead
fastly maintained to the last that
he Killed Phipps in self-defsnse.
He slept soundly last night, ate a
hearty breakfast this morning, and
Expressed his readiness to die, and
appeared quite joyial. He was
attended to the scatfold by Friar
Al1ySius, who had administered
the last rites of the Church. to
him. Some six thousand people,
mostly negroes, were eongregated
! in the streets and on the house
tops to witness the executiong The
gallows, though erected in the
Ijaii yard, was in view Ofispeetators
gu the adjacent roofs, fences and
lumber piles, as well as of the
300 privileged persons specially
admitted by ticket. The moose
employed had already done service
at Memphis and (twice) at Mari
anna, Arkansas. Scott made a
short speech on the scaflold, say
ing he was convicted on false
oaths. In conclusion he said the
cords were cutting his arms, and
he had rather be hanging. AT
l :35 p. IN. Sheriff Anderson pulled
the lever, and he fell. His neck
being broken, he died almost with
out q struggle. 'ia a'A5 %
Billy Williams, another negro,
also suffered death at Bartlett,
where he should have been hanged
on Christmas Eve. He was d
good-looking, open-faced mulatto
of forty, once a slave in Alabama,
and from 1868 to 1869 resident
of Powhatan, Va. On his trial he
produced Il certificate Of his hon.
esty, industry and sobriety during
that period from Drs. Henry and
William Jeryey and Counsellor
Juo. Lay. After leaving Virginia
he settled in Shelby County as a
farmer. His victim, a negro named
Joe Fields, he met near his home
in wagon Attacking him, Will
liams first stunned him with q
club, then finished his work with
repeated stabs from q knife. He
then obtained the service of Sam.
son Pryor, colorcd, bound the dead
man hands and feet together,
ran rail through the cords and
started for Hatcbie River, in which
to hide the body. Losing their
way they concealed the body in
the woods, where it was found a
few days afterward. This is the
story rs established by the trial,
which also elected the presump.
tion that Williams had murdered
Fields in order to secure his wife
for a mistress. Williams denied
ms guilt to the last, protesting
that his life had been sworn INV az
by enemies. Like SCOT lie had
three trials. ,rmou