The New York herald., 1876-12-23
THE GALLONS IN NORTH CAROLINA.

\ WHITE MAN ExEc-TEp FOR THE MURDER OF
his MorHER-IN-fAw-A PRIVATE EXECUTION
OF THE DEATH SENTENCE.
srArKsvrILE, Iredeli County, n c., Dec %, 1870.
The murder OF a mother-in-aw was expated to-day
nt this place. the county seat OF lrede North Caro-
Ina in the execution upon the gallows Of William
Messimer q white man, who resided in Rowan county,
no, far from Salisbury. The murdered woman was
Mrs Sarah Heilig. Tho animus OF the crime was not
the proverbial antipathy OF sons-n-law toward the
mothers OF their wives o which we bear 80 much and
which made tho point OF so many half-wited jokes.
but that more ancient and universal passion-the
holy hunger for gold 1t was ''murder for nero
money" and It's horror had hardly exienuating
circumstance
The unfortunate who has just paid with his life
the penalty OF the law like his VICTIM OF
German descent and belonged 10 the humber class OF
Southern whites He had married daughter OF Mrs.
Heig and their residences not very far apart.
On the morning OF the MURDER on thc l4th OF May,
1878. the sons Of Mrs. Heilig. who lived with her,
were away from home and upon returning found tho
dead body OF their mother the well on the premises
Suspicion was directed to Mcssmcr, her son.in-law,
ana he arrested without resistance having made
no effort TO escape
rrx scExx At THE GALLows-
But few spectators were permitted to enter thc en-
closure the Jail The statute law OF this state
requires that death sentences shall he executed pr-
valcy In addition to the guard 10 prevent
or rescue, two physicians and assistants and
snot than thirty-six nor less than eighteen re-
spectacle citizens" are admitted BY The sheriff ITO
the state tho due observance OF the law
The statute these respects complied with 10 the
letter. greatly to the disappointment oi many hunareds
OF persons who came into tho village at an
cary 81 :" sr n'n, '' dcah ai fellow man
Rev. DR.. Bruton and Rev. I. A. Coon we're win the
prisoner until nnc last night and Tor several hours
tins morning. They finally obtained from him
written CONFESSION OF the murder lie orcaSasted
about eight this morning. and was shaved aud dressed
Az lorty-hvc minutes noon the Court House bell
was runr and again one. Twelve minutes later the
guard oi seventy men arrived with shotruns and
muskets and entered the high plank enclosure about
scaloid and formed hollow square. The day was
dark and cloudy, with dense log. Tho gallows
was rough structure, the trap being secured by
miited three sons OF the murdered woman. DR..
William N. Campbell and Or. }. Allison attended as
physicians. group OF men stood on the root OF tho
Lanier House. seeking a BIRDS cyc view. AZ seven.
teen minutes alter one Messmer was brought out OF
tho jail with nc fata! rope about ms NECK ana
scaiIold by Sheriff Thomas A. Watts who
renamed standing at his loft. He was faced
TO the east Rev. Mr. Coon then read hymn $50 ot the
Methodist collection, 'Show pity, Lord; Lord, for
give, which was sung by some OF the bystanders
Ins en pryea a ms, ,no soo "n
moved throughout. AZ half-past one the ropc was
fastened to the dnsverse beam above tho prisoners
head and his arms and legs were tightly tied. A long
white cap then drawn over his face. Aess-
NOR did not utter a. word and DC.
aEer one Sheriff Watts, with blow
OF axe cut the rope which held tho trap; the fall
was twenty-swo inches In minutes Messiner's
pulse ceased; the neck not broken After hang
Ing precisely half hour the corpse taken down
aud placed in poplar cofn. stained brown No friend
relation appeared to claim the remains and they
carried away be buried in an open field half
mile from the town. This was Messimer's twenty-
fourth birthday. Though young no was hardened IN
crime. His spiritual advisers told his moral sense
wns remarka ably obtusc. There sympathy br
him in the entire community. His wife had not visited
HIM since his arrest, upward Of year ago.