The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1878-01-16
HANGING HARNIss.
The Death Penalty Paid Four
teen Years After the Crime.
Yesterdays Execution at Clinton
East Tennessee-Sce at s
the ScaffOld-Details of
the Murder.
Special to the American.

KNOXVILLE, Dec. 29.-Jake Harniss
was to-day hanged at Clinton for the
murder of Isaac White. The prisoner
wife remained with him during the pre-
previous night and conversed with him
until morning, by consent of the Sheriff.
At 11:3O he was taken to the scaffold,
about half mile from town, in custody
of twenty armed citizens in charge of
r. G. Dew Harniss exhibited no emo
tion whatever, and parted with his wife
and chindred without tear.
At the scaffold he protested his inno-
cenco to the last, and said but few
words He stated that the two Vanns.
the principal witnesses at the trial, had
testified falsely, and his blood would be
on their hands. He called for several
acquaintanees, and badel them goodbye,
stating he was fully prepared for Heav-
en-. AT 1.20, the cap was placed and
the rope adjusted. He called an ac-
quaintanee and requested him to take
charge of his body. He then inquired
the length of the rope and asked to be
notified when all was ready. At the
signal the wagon was moved out, and
left Harniss dangling in the air. He
was pronounced dead in fifteen minutes,
and taken down in twenty five. All
was quiet, no disturbance whatever oc-
curing. The citizens of Anderson gen
orally endorse the execution. 4aE- 1f
The murder was committed in Ander-
son county, July Is, 1868, fourteen
years ago. Harniss was a soldier in the
Federal army, and also served in the
Mexican war. Isaac White was Con-
federate neighbor, and, so Harness
claimed, betrayed him. On the day of
the murder, Harniss, his wife and a
negro girl were working in field, half
mile from the Harniss place. White,
on his return homeward from a
neighbours house, was passing through
this field. AS he approached, Harniss
raised his gun twice, but each time it
was pulled down, by his.wife. Threaten
ing to kill her if she interferred, he
again raised his gun and fired, the ball
entering Whites breast. White fell, /
begging mercy. Harniss made him
drink some whisky he, White, was car
rying in jug, and stepping back, fired
again, killing White instantly. Harniss
and the negro girl carried the body to a
corner of the fence. Harniss pulled
out his knife, cut off Whites head and
sent it rolling down ridge. The rest
of the body was hid between two logs.
Whites disappearance caused much
comment, and in few days, search
ing party, attracted by buzzards, found
Whites bones. Harniss, on one or two
occasions, Dragged he had killed White.
In few weeks he left for Camp Nelson
Kentucky, where to comrade named |
Daniel Vann, he told the story of the |
murder substantially as above, adding
that he had intended to kill Dick Webb |
also. In March, 1875, twelve years af-
ter the murder, Harniss was indicted by |
the Anderson county grand jury, and in |
July, 1876, was found guilty of murder |
in the first degree and sentenced to be |
hanged. An appeal was taken and the |
sentence reaffirmed at the recent session |
of the Supreme Court at Knoxville.
ny by his own family, who laid the MUIR
der on two men, Ebb Vann and Warren
Jones. In the trial, however, it was
brought out that the family had talked
it over and made up the story.
While in Jail in Knoxville, last Novem-
Der, Harniss made a statement, of which
the following is an extract:
My name is Jacob Harniss. was
born in Campbell county, Tennessee,
July, 1926; served in the Mexican war
twenty months, in Capt. Kirkpatrick's
Company, Col. Heiskell's regiment. l
also served in the United States service
in 1862; was a member of Cliffs compa-
ny when it was disbanded. was attach
ed to Company III" First Tennessee
Regiment, Col. Bird commanding, in
the winter of 1868, and served with the
regiment until 1t was mustered out of
the service. / have a wife and seven
children now living in Scott county,
Tennessee. | am not a member of the
church, but am firm believer in the
Missionary Baptists. have been in my
young days, a bad man. About nine
years ago my eyes were opened and L
firmly resolved to abandon my wicked
ways, which. resolution by the help of a
living and just God, I have most sacred
ly kept 1t has long been my intention
to unite with the church and be baptiz-
ed, and if 1 have to expiate on the scat
fold tor a crime 1 never committed, 1
pray God that / may have an
of being baptized by immer
sion. i have no fears of death and find
great consolation in the words of my
dear Savior who died. upon the cross,
that we might live eternally.