The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-03-28
MARTINS MATINEE.
A Red-handed Rufiian Reaps His
Reward.
Special TO the Star.

Special to the Star
NASHVILLE, Tenn, March 25.-Large
numbers OF visitors had already arrived i'll
this city last night to witness the execution
of Knox Martin, the colorcd murderer and
since daylight this morning people have
been stringing in on all the roads centering
here. Most Of these are of Martins own
race and they manifest morbid curiosity
in seeing their fellow man launched into
eternity, which it is difficult to explain.
Some of them have travelled quite a dis
tance OH foot, and many have been on the
road several days in order 10 be in due
season for the ceremony.
Knox Martin himself, contrary TO human
nature, or even the instincts OF animal life,
is in hurry TO die. He is not only haunt
ed by a continual fear OF being lynChed, but
the awful crime of which he was convicted
works upon his fevered brain, and he has
already suffered the tortures Of the damned
by visions of the bloody deed, which always
rose up before his distorted vision and ban
ish sleep from his eyelids and peace from
his heart He has stolidly refused to ac-
quiesce in an appeal of his case, which
would have at least giyen him short lease
on life, but he prefers to meet his fate at
once and fly to the uncertainty of the fu-
ture rather than suffer the agonies OF the
present
| Yesterday Father Veale, OF the Catholic
Church, and two Sisters of Mercy admins
tered the rite of baptism to Martin and
admitted him as a member of that church.
| hn ,,ricpnnr OF tbn rnl; ;n,ia
retired to his cell and spent the evening in
meditation. He ate heartily yesterday and
slept well last night.
Preparations for the execution are COM
plete, and the scafIold has been erected in
a hollow near the city, where Bill Kelly
was hanged five years ago.
HIS CRIME.
The morning of the Wittemeyer murder
will long be remembered by the people who
dwell in the vicinity of Bells Bend. Wit
temeyer's daughter, who had spent the pre-
vious night at her grandmother's house,
arrived at home and found the doors still
locked and no signs of life visible about the
place. Calling on the neighbors for assist
ance an entrance was effected when sight
was revea ed which fairly froze the blood OF
the spectators. John Wittemeyer's re-
mains, manged and battered almost beyond
recognition lay in heap upon one bed,
while his wife, with her skull crushed in
and her entrails torn out, was stretched
upon another. An infant babe still
clung to the mothers life.
less breast, while another little
child, scarcely able to toddle about, cooed
and dabbled in apool Of blood, ignorant oI
the tragedy it had witnessed, and which
had made it so soou an orphan.
Suspicion was almost at once fixed OF
Knox Martin, with whom Wittemeyer hat
had slight difficulty, and parties started
in pursuit. Within three days he was
prisoner in Nashville Jail, and howlnf
} crowd clamored for his lfe. The vigilance
of the officers, however, saved him from tn,
. lynchers and as he confessed to the Grim,
it did not take jury long to convict hin
and sentence him to the punishment which
. is meted out to him today.
HE MAKES A CONFESSION.
He made a confession to reporters thi
morning duplicating George Berry (colored)
who is now in Jail. lie said Berry and him
self went to Wittemeyer's house together
and together committed the murder, re
turning to the city next morning. Th
murder was committed on the l4th of las
January, near Clees' Ferry. in what i
5 known as Bells Bend, about ten miles iron
this city.
He says they committed the crime with
wagon spoke, which he afterward burned
He said ne did not intend to kill Witte
: meyers wife, but upon striking her HUSBAND
$ she raised up in bed, and he was forced tt
a kill her in order to escape detection,
NASHVILLE. TENN March $3.50 P. M
Martin was hanged this afternoon at 1:3O
, The execution was witnessed by fully 10,
) 600 people. The body was cut down at 152