, 1879-03-31

EXECUTIONS IN r he SOUTH.
There seo,us to bo determination on tho
part Of tho Sou them people that some muir
dorers ahall 10 hanged, but unfortunately
tho hangings are not cond ucted in a manner
to result in my good, and besides this are
confined to murlerers OF ono color. In tho
dca1th Of nmusements In that section public
hangings seem to bo devised for tho ontor-
tainmeat Of the people and to take the place
Of tho circus OF the dog-nght. The Inst is
suo Of The TRIBUNE contained tho details Of
tho hanging Of tho negro, KNOX MARTIN, at
Nashville, Tenn, which aro in illustration Of
the point wo have made. At IN curly hour
in tho morning the whole town waa astir.
by s,nr1se the streets wero crowded, md,
whom the victim mado Lis appearance, en-
route 10 the place Of execution, q grand
procession was formed On foot, in vehicles,
aud on horseback, and tho great multitude
won't marching along to The gallows Ms
mcrrily rs q Fourth.of-July crowd, tho
only thing wanting to givo it eeAst
being brass band and few banners. Tho
miserable wretch who was to DO hanged was,
for the few remaining moments Of his life,
tho lion of Nashville. Arrived ut tho Bcatfo!d,
it was with the greatest difficulty that tho
hanging could proceed, owing to tho push
md scramble of tl1b thousands to get tho
choice places. Tho mother of Tho woman
whom ha hll murdered Ind the first choice
Of seats, and selected tho wagon III which The
doomed man rodo to tho plnce, and, to mako
it MS dramatic as possible. tho vengeful
woman hold Tho little aaughtor Of tho de-
ceasad to witness tho scene. Several colorcd
women stootl about tho scaifotd aud sung
their death-ohants. Tho murderer evidently
enjoyed tho brilliant enseM6kd of lis tallng
off, and tho crowd went away 50 tlciigltod
that they trAmpled MI over each other, and
ono man, in tho hight Of his ecstasy, shot q
little girl, to give won't to lis feelings.
An execution Of two negroes (always NO.
groes y at Now Kent Court House, Virginia,
| on tho 25th inst, illustrates our point still
moro clearly. Tho correspondent Of tho
New York UtraA, who WINS present at tho
execution, says that the uarderora rodo to tho
| gallows laughing and joking, md whsn they
roached tito gallows informed tho hilarious
crowd that they had made their peace with
] 24lS wv SlAVtV &AV4AA A44a AERS%aPtlQA ~ tA0
| disgusting sceue:
| From early In the morning crowds were
thronging into tho village on horseback, foot, aud
in every conceivable sort Of vehicle. Tho town by
10 o'clock was Oiled with pcople Of all clssses coll
oss, and conditions an4 tho run.sellers did an ex-
cclcnt business. Negroes as wull ns whites woso
theis best, and all of tlcm impressed tho observer
with tho idea that they were Intent on enjoying
tho day and making tho 'npst Of thu occasion. Not
soul seemed to regard The coming ttagejy In tho
light OF a terrible example Of vengeance metcd out
| by tho laws OF both Con and nan for murder. Ia
keeping with tho tAertlHcat. which seemed genGF.
| al. an cniuEpFisin. manager bad Eood'sEzca
atquue creclel In Wow ot tho acnffn1d. In which
hu gayo combination exhibition OF hurnt-corh
opors, pun md Judy show, All educated hog,
several performing monkeys, ard 4 limited menav-
osic Of other smal animals Thls wa4 llbesally
patronIxed during the entire day. Tho perform
ancG commenced at 0 a. M, 30 that Tho many -cot
oIcd popGlace weEe amply supplied with lighk coin
sdy On Tho one hand aud horrible tragedy on shs
other"
The object OF the deatA-ponalty IL not te
lake revenge for tue crime committed, but
by its terriblo warming, to stay tho bands o.
others from shedding blood, by tho certalnt,
that tifo will 10 pad for lie. Il tlis panalt,
is TO laye any effect it must DO iuAictot
promptly, quickly. aud in secret. The lit
Of The miserable wretch who colnmita muir
dor IL Of little account to himself or tho com
munity, but II by taking it froua hiu, 1t ma
restrain others from committing murder
then tho gnllows answers an important pur
pose. Thu manner in which the executions
ut Nashville and Now Kent Court-IIous wes.
performed, however. eau lAve ITO such effect
| There WAS nothing sulcmn jn,pfesaiyo O.