The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1877-11-24
Ghe Bu.lletin.
SAVED AT THE LAST HOUR.
A sentence C0mmUted Aiier ihe
ScanoId mad Been prepared.

From the Raleigh IL. CT Observer.
On the 18th day OF October, 1865, Allen
Carter, commtted most brutal murder on
BuShrod W. Lilly, in Stanley county. The
circumstances OF this tragedy are ~ follows
Carter and Lilly were neighbors, between
whom bad feeling had existed for years,
caused by Lilly accusing Cartcr's sons OF
having stolen hog. ON the day above
mentioned Carter went to the house OF
Lilly, accompanied by his wife, and stand
ing in the road, called for Lilly. Lilly's
son aud daughter were standing IN the
door OF the house, when he went out in the
yard to see what Cater wanted. Carter
passed friendly sxlution, which war re-
turned by Lilly. Carter then said: "LiIy,
| understand you have charged my son
with that hog matter again" "Ies, i
have said your son stole my hog, and can
prove it" replied Lilly. Whereupon Car
ter raised his gun and fired at Lilly without
effect, the ball passing through the crib
door. Carter then drew from his belt a
homemade bowie.knlie, similar to those
used by the Confederate soldiers in 1861,
jumped over the fence and advanced upon
Lilly Lilly ran, but was soon overtaken
by Carter, who catching Lilly by the neck,
ran the bowie-knie through his body four
times. Lilly's two children, aged respctiye-
ly 10 and " years, ran 10 the rescue Of
their father and implored Carter TO spare
his life. Lilly died ina few minutes after
being released from Carter's grasp. Car
ter took up his gun, lett the yard immedi-
ately and fed the country.
In the summer OF 1916, eleven years al
ter the tragedy, the whereabouts OF Carter
being made known to the Governor, re-
QUESTION wss made on tina Governor Of Ar.
kansas for his return TO tins state, and at
the Fall term, 1876, Of Richmond county
superior court (hi- trial having been re-
moved to that county he was arranged,
tried aud convicted Of the murder. His
counsel appealed to the supreme count.
This court sustained the judgment Of the
court below, and at the spring term. 1877
he was sentenced TO re hanged on the 3lst
OF August. On the petition OF large
number Of prominent citizens, Governor
Vance postponed the execution Of the sen.
'tence till the 18th OF Oatober. On the 9TH
OF October he was again repieyed until the
10th OF November In the meantime petit
tons In numbers for pardon, communca-
ton Of sentence, etc, came in TO the Gov
ernor by every mail. IL was trying
ordeal to His Exelency. That it was
"Murder most foul" he knew, and yet
here were petitions signed by the best |
citizens OF Stanley county praying for ex.
ecutiye elemency. On the day the Cover
nor left for Columbia there came in sever
al petitions, signed by all the neighbors Of
Carter, where be lived in Arkansas; one
signed by hundreds OF males in Stanley;
one signed by all the ministers in the
county, and one signed by hundreds OF fe-
males in the county, These facts were
communicated by telegraph to the Cover
n0rat COlumDla. yesterday morning lie
telegraph his private secretary TO stay the
execution Of Carter by telegraph to the
Sheriti,.and send the communication Of sen.
tence to imprisonmenttor lite by mail. The
telegram reached the Sheriff late last even
ing, and at the lowest calculation Carter
was within twelve hours OF his grave. This
scadold had been erected, the coffin made,
and even the rope with the fatal moose
was in readiness. The prisoner had been
told there was no hope, and his spiritual
advisers were preparing HIM FOR that
bourne from whence men that are hanged
dom generally come back. Carter is 60
years Of age, and when we come to think
Of it, he is saving no great deal by the com.
mutation,