The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1879-12-06
THE GALLONS.
EXECUTION OF MEDFoRD WATERS
He Ascends the ScalTold With q Firm,
Step and Dies Unflinchinsly.

This unfortunate colcred man paid the
, sad penalty of his crime upon the galows
, yesterday. Tho particulars of the affair
are AS follows:
THE GALLONS,
which was Of the ordinary kind. with n
! platform eight feet from the ground, was
framed i'll Elkton, on Wednesday and
Thursday and taken to the place of eXecu-
ton, on the A Inns House farm, wear Cherry
Hill, and erected near the place where the
one intended for the execution of George
Harris WAS set up some years ago, early ON
Friday morning. One Of the Trustees OF
the Aims House having objected to the exc
cution being there, detachment Of the
Groome Guards, under the command of
, Corporal VIM. A. Wright, accompanied the
workmen who erected the galows, and re-
manned near it for the purpese Of preserving
the peace among the crowd Of spectators
that assembled there early in the day. Tho
rope used upon the occasion was obtained
in Philadelphia. 1t WAS y stout cord :, of
stH II III bl Htlli
and capable of sustaining y weight of / 600
pounds and had also been tested with a
weight Of 800 pounds, dropped 4 distance of
four feet. 1t was a part of the same rope
used in the execution of the Mollis Ma
guires.
LAST EFFORT IN HIS BEHALF
On Wednesday, William 5. Evans, Esq,
and Hon Hiram Mccullough, accompanied
by Hon. Alexander Evans, Daniel Bratten,
Esq, DIR. H. G. MacSall, and Rev. II. A.
Skinner, had an interview with Governor
Carroll, at Barnunl's Hotel in Baltimore,
in behalf of the condemned man. Nothing
positive is known Of what passed at that in
terview, but on Thursday, at about o'clock
P. III; Messrs. Mccullough & Evans received
the following despatch
"After a full consultation with the At
torney General, who read the evidence and
examined the law applicable to the case of
Medtord Waters, the opinion expressed to
you is confirmed and | decline to interfere
with the execution Of the sentence.
Respectfully, JOHN LEE CARROLL
Soen after the receipt OF the above, his
counsel had an interview with him, and in
formed him OF their last effort in his behalf,
Of which he had been in ignorance, and they
babe each other farewell Medfori express
ing the hope that they might meet zach
other in heaven.
WATERS INTERVIEWED RY REPORTERS
On Thursday night the prisoner was in
terviewed by the representatives of the Bal
hmore Sun, NeieS, tn"rican, Gazette, and
the Wilmington Erery Erening, who had
come TO Eikton to report the execution. He
showed but little apparent change in his
demeanor, and persisted in stating that he
did not have \ fair trial. We learned from
one Of the colorcd prisoners, rho had shared
his cell for several nights previous, that he
had recently shown much anxiety about
his approaching end, and had given his fel
low prisoners a few pictures lie had clipped
from pictorial newspapers, while in jail to
keep as mementos that afternoon, and had
handed him some letters received from his
mother during his Imprisonment, with the
request that he return them 10 her. He
asked for tobacco, and one Of the reporters
gave him 4 cigar, which he smoked with
much satisfaction. He was also visited the
same evening by Rev. J. H. Collstt, of Cecil
ton, his former pastor, who stated that he
appeared to have changed for the better
since ne last saw him, more than year
ago.
John Perkins, Esq, who had been absent,
visiting his sick mother in Wilmington,
came back in the IL A. NJ. train, and re-
manned with the prisoner till day light.
Mr.. Perkins has been unremtting in his
attention to the prisoner for weeks, and
last Monday night he professed conversion.
On Friday, at A. NJ, the Groome Guards,
except those on duty ut the place Of eHecu-
ton, assembled at their armory, and short
ly afterwards marched to the Jail under
command Of Capt William G. Purnell, who
formed them in marching order, ready to
escort the mournful corteg- to the place Of
execution.
Meantime several OF the celored local
preachers, i'll company with Rev. Mr.. Viii
liams, were holding religious services in the
prisoners cell, while most Of the reporters
from the cities were in the corridor taking
notes. Shortly after 9 o'clock the prisoner
WAS served with breakfast, but his appetite
was not good and he ate little. About o.:
o'clock, the Sheriff gave him new suit Of
clothes which he had purchased that morn
ing, and he dressed himself for the last time
At precisely 10 A. NJ, the Sheriff, accom-
panied by the prisoner and his deputies
JaRney and Cooling,-came out of the Jail
and entered the carriage which was to con-
vey them to the place Of execution. A squad
Of the soldiers headed the procession: then
came the officers and prisoner, then tho re-
mainder Of the soldiers, and line of car
riages.
THE GALLONS WAS REACHED
at about five lnin,ltes after eleven. and the
Sheriff, accompanied by the prisoner and
deputies, L. W. Janney (who assisted at
the execution of Swift, twenty-four years
ago. and j. :. Cooling, and Messrs. Perkins
ana Williams, assembled the platform, when
Mr.. Williams rsali, at tho request of the
prisoner, the 18th chaPtes Of Revelation:
after which Mr.. Perkins made :. ier.eal
prayer, and all joined in singing hymn.
The prisoner then made :: brief speech to
the crowd, cautioning them to curb their
temper., and expressing the hope that none
of them would come to IN end like his.
The officers thep IL ade the necessary prepa-
ration for the execution. during which Mr.
Perkins sang another hymn. Ali things
supposed to I've ready, all but the officers left
the scaffod, when the prisoner requested
the Sheriff to lcn.then the rope, which he
did, and AT 81 cut the cord, and the drop
fell. His body was examined by the physi-
clans present ten minutes after the drop
fell when it WAS found that his heart still
beat. hut it had ceased FIVE minutes later.
1t remained hanging till 1905. when it was
taken down, and the physicians, upon e1-
animation, learned that his neck was broken
The prisoner kent up his COURAGE To the