Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1877-11-28
SAVED AT THE LAST HOUR.
4 Sentence COMMITTED Afer the Seat
fold Had Been Prepared.
Ralelsh \. ~ Ohseryer.

iaItl.h y. ~ observer.
On the eighteenth day of October.
1860, Allen Carter committed a most
brutal murder on Bushrod w. Lilly. IN
Stanly county. The circumstances of
this tragedy are rs follows Carter and
Lilly were neighbors between whom
bad feeling had existed for several wears,
caused by Lilly accusing Carters sons
OF having stolen hog. On the dav
above mentioned Carter went to the
house of Lilly, accompanied 10y his wife,
and standing in the road called for Lilly.
Lillys son and daughter were standing
IN the door Of the house, when he went
wanted. Carter passed II friendly sal
utatlon, which was returned by Lilly.
Carter then said Lilly, ! understand
you have charged my son with that hog
matter again. " Yes, have said your
son stole my hog, and can prove it, re-
piled Lilly Whereupon Carter raised
his gun and fired ut Lilly without effect.
the ball passing through the crib door.
Carter then drew from his belt n home
made bowie-knite, similar to those used
by the confederate soldiers in 1861.
jumped over the fence and advanced
upon Lilly. Lilly ran, but was soon over
taken by Carter, who, catching Lilly by
the neck, ran the howic-knife through
his body four times. Llly's two children
aged respectively fifteen and sixteen
years, ran to the rescue of their father
and implored Carter to spare his life.
Lilly died in few minutes after bein.
released from Carriers grasp. Garter
took up his gun, left the yard and inn
mediately fled the country.
In the summer of 1876, eleven years
after the tragedy, the Whereabouts of
Carter being made known TO the gov
crnor, a requisition was made on the
governor of Arkansas for his return 70
this state, and Mt the fall term, 1876, OF
Richmond county Superior court (hls
trial having been removed TO that coun-
ty) he was arraigned, tried and convicted
of the murder Ills counsel appeared
to the Supreme court This court sus-
tanned the Judgment of the court below,
and ut the spring term 1877 ,he was sen
fenced to be hanged on the 3lSt Of
August. On the petition OF II large
number of prominent citizens Governor
Vance postponed thc execution of the
sentence till the 18th of October On
the 9TH of October he was again repricv-
ed until the 10th of November. In the
mean time petitions III numbers for par
don, communication OF sentence, etc,
came IN to the governor by every mail.
1t was trying ordeal to His Excellency.
THAT ii was murder most foul lie
knew, and yet here were petitions signed
10y the best citizens of Stanley county
praying for executive clcmenCy On
the day the governor left for Columbia
there came in several sets of petitions,
signed by all the ncghbors of Carter
where he lived i'll Arkansas; one signed
| by hundreds of males IN Stanley, one
/ signcd'by all the ministers of the county,
and one signed by hundreds Of females
in the county. These facts were com
municatcd by telegraph to the governor
ut Columbia. Yesterday morning he
telegraphcd his private secretary to
stay the execution of Carter by telegraph
to the sheriff, and send the commuta-
ton Of sentence to imprisonment for
life by mail. The telegraph reached the
sheriff late last evening, and mt the low
est calculation Carter was within twelve
hours of his grave The scailod had
been erected, the coffin made, ana even
the rope with the fatal moose was in
readiness The prisoner had been told
there was no hope, and his spiritual adj
visers were preparing him for that
bourne from whence men that are
hanged don't generally come back.
Carter is sixty-three years Of age, and
when we come to think of it, he is say
ing no great deal even by the commuta-
| ton.