The New York herald., 1879-11-22
THE GALL0WS TREE
Hanging Of George Gary and Edward
Holmes in South Carolina.
MURDER AND OUTRAGE.
The Stolid Death of a Colored
Boy, Fourteen Years Old.


by TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD.
BEAUFORT, s. c., Nov 81. 1879.
Precisely at half-past twelve O'Clock George Gary
was taken from his cell and. attended by three
colored men, his faithful spiritual advisers mounted
the main stairway leading into the loft Of the Jail.
where was constructed the gallows on which he was
to suffer death. Gary was dressed in new suit of
black, with a clean white SHIRT and SOCKS. He
Joined feelingy in the religious songs and service.
assisted by the attendants. and only gave way to
tears when his old mother referred to- While
his knees he was charged by his attorneys to
make final and truthful confession of his crime.
He acknowledged that he had struck the blow
which had killed Cyrus Brown after the latter had
stabbed him in the shoulder with knife and
while, he thought. he was in danger Of being
struck second time.
At twelve O'Clock the Sheriff entered the apart
ment with his deputy. The prisoner nervously
gazed at the door when the officers appeared. and
he promptly advanced toward them. He proceeded
to the place of execution with one on each side
of him, followed by his spiritual guides. hole
cut in tho ceiling of the second floor constituted the
space through which the drop was made. giving .
fall of eight feet. To heavy beam across the
rafters of the roof hung the rope and moose. at
tached to large iron staple. All had been arranged
within the past two days. Gary ate a
hearty supper and relished his breakfast
this morning. In reply to the Sheriff he stated he
was prepared to meet his doom. The Sheriff read
the warrant and the respite which postponed his
punishment until to-day. After the prisoner reached
the gallows. which was q mere step from the dun
geon. ne gave vent to the most fervent prayers He
bound hand and foot and the black cap was
drawn over his face. breathless silence ensued
There was sharp tension upon the cord and a sud-
den thud and the body of Gary dropped three feet
through the floor. convulsion two shook his
frame and IN twenty minutes the Jail physician pro-
nounced him dead with his neck broken.
THE BROWN MURDER.
George Gary was in years mere lad, his age being
between nineteen and twenty. His height was i've
feet seven inches and he was pure type Of the
African His face was prepossessing and wore
a pleasant. good humored expression that seemed
belle very much one who was condemned to die
for the wilful murder Of his fellow man.
He was born at Spring Island. Beaufort county.
ing at the place of his birth. At early age he re-
moved to Paris Island, and about two years ago he
sploughman. on his rice plantation, Laurel Hill"
about twelve miles from Hardeevlle, near the Savan-
nan River. On the 9th of March. 1879. the day on
which the fatal deed was committed, the prisoner,
while engaged in narrowing Q stumpy piece Of land
broke several Of the teeth from the harrow was
told by Mr.. Hayward that he must be more care
sful. Later in the day Cyrus Brown the murdered
man. negro about thirty-fve years OF age who
occupied the position of foreman OF the plough
hands on the plantation, came up to where Gary
was working and began to censure him for breaking
the harrow He was not. 1t appears, very choice in
.
curse him again, as he had already informed Mr.
Hayward OF the matter and did not consider that
later in the day Mr. Virgins, the overseer Of the
plantation came to where the hands were working
and turned over to Cyrus Brown the money to paw
them of. Brown, while the overseer was pres
ent., took the opportunity to tell him about
the breaking Of the harrow and added that Gary had
been i'll treating his mules. This invoked upon
Gary's head fresh burst OF abuse from the over
seer and Brown. in answer to Gary's denial that he
had beaten the mules said that he wanted any sat
1SfactiOu
Brown then paid OF all the hands except Gary who
said nothing At the time, but went to the negro
quarters with his mule.
Upon arriving there Gary demanded his money
him that he would hsve to settle the matter with
Brown. who had the money to pay him. and was
Brown came out OF the stable about this time and
paid Gary 50 so out Of the So due him, retaining
cents he ss,a for the damage nag Gary had done to
and refused to submit to the deduction unless Mr..
Hayward ordered it. After warning Brown that he
wicked off and was followed by Brown. who overlook
him and told him that it he did not dry up
money he would "cut his liver out" During the
discussion which followed Gary says that Brown
drew knife and stabbed him in the shoulder, in
hicting severe wound. Gary then ran off across q
little bridge near by and pulled up . roller from
one of the rice trunks. This roller piece Of
pine wood two feet long by two inches in diameter.
TO attack Brown. but stopped before he reached
him by a colored man named John johnson. Gary
ana brown then separated ana went into their re-
spective houses.
FATAL PROvoCATIoN.
About half an hour later Gary went into the house
of colored man named William Holly, and while he
was there Cyrus Brown entered the room OF William
Judge. who occupied part of the same building.
Gary, being separated from Brown by only o thin
partition. heard him Dragging about having cut him
and run him of. Brown then came out of the
house. and in the hearing OF Gary repeated what no
had said, remarking to man named Jack MouL
frie, who was beating rice the door,
that he intended to ''cut the liver out of Gary IL
he aaid l.t otnr1f
he meant what he said. Brown replied that he did
mean IL and at the same time drew out his knife.
Gary says he repeated the question three times and.
being answered by Brown in the way each time,
he raised the roller which he still held In his hand
and stSuck him on the head with it. Brown imme-
dately fell to the ground and died the next morning
from concussion of the brain.
THE TRIALs.
This is the prisoners version of the affair." In
contradiction OF this statement, however, Jack
Moutrie, who witnessed the fatal blow testified on
came up stealthily behind Brown and struck him on
the head without word Of warning or without the
slightest provocation. The testimony of this wit
ness was the pivotal evidence of the case, and to
the accused several other witnesses cor
'roborated Moultrie's statement. while on the
other hand, the statement of the prisoner was the
only testimony adduced the part of the defence
GARY had two trials. The frst which was held on
the 10th of March, resulted in y mistrial and the
last, which was held In June, resulted in q con-
vcton OF wilful murder. by jury of two white and
ten coiored men. Efforts were made by the prison.
,ers counsel, who acted under the appointment Of
the Court without fec reward, to gain respite in
oruer 70 introduce testimony to show that the fatal
blow was not struck from behind This boon when
obtained, however, proved OF no avail.
EDWARD HOLMES, NEGRO FOURTEEN YEARS
OID- STFErRs nFATu A~copny~o .x