The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-08-16
SWIFT RETRIBUTION.
SPEEDY PUNISHMENT METEp OUT TO CARO-
LIMA MURDERER-HIs EXECUTION FOR KILL

THE woMAN's FATE.
[pY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD
STATEsvIILE. N c.. August 10. 1879.
An execution. the first for long number OF years.
took place to-day at Taylorsville. country town
situated twenty-five miles from this place. The viii
lage is the capital of Alexander county to which the
of Robert McCorkle tcolored) and Sarah
Wycoff (whte) had been removed from Catawba. an
adjoining county. where they were charged with the
murder of ]. Wesley wycon. the husband of the
female defendant. the night of the 9TH
of November. 1878. The Wycoffs. husband and wife.
with several children. lived the village of Ca
tawba Station The husband was a farmer and me-
chanic and absent from home considerable
part of his time plying his trade-that of carpen-
ter. He honest. we'll meaning fellow, but
utterly ignorant. and belonging to that stratum of
society which recognizes no social distinction among
the races. About a mile from his house
lived Bob McCorkle. coal black negro of
sixty years. hunter, farmer and politician. The
two families have been living thus together for
years. Wycof sometimes employed Bob to work for
him and often invited him to his house. where he
ate with his hosts wife and children and associated
with the family upon footing of perfect equality.
Visiting Wycohs house frequently during his abb
there sprang up between McCorke and Mrs.
Wycof Illicit relations. which had been maintained for
eight years previous to the which brought
them to end. News Of this, after so long time.
came to the OF the injured husband. but he did
not credit it. McCorkles visits to his house con-
tinued and proofs multiplied. that he ut last
convinced of his wife's intidelity Even then the
only told his wife that she should not let Bob
come there any while he away; other
wise he would have to kill him.
BEFORE THE CRIME.
Bob continued to come. nevertheless and during
Of cOYnm nj ed To
him the threats which her husband had uttered.
She had in her possession pistol belonging to Bob
and upon hearing of this speech he asked for and
given 1t. saying ut the time. II don't want to
kill any body. but If Wycof crowds me he will get
hurt"
MURDER.
On the 9th OF November last Mrs. wycof and Bob
seen by different persons engaged in earnest
conversation. Surrounding circumstances went to
show that this conversation lasted for several hours
The next day, late in the afternoon. the two were
again seen in the woods in conversation. That
night. about eight o'clock. Wesley wycof sitting
by his reside when Of the two dogs in the yard
began barking furiously. He got up and went out,
and he did gun fred and wycof ex-
claimed. Lord have mercy on my SOUL" He uttered
no other word. AS the shot was heard Mrs. Wycof,
turning to her eldest child said. Jake your pap's
killed. She sat up by the fire ell the night. doing
occasionally and never went beyond the door
step learn the fate Of her husband His body
found lying in the yard the next morning,
pierced through the heart by q load OF shot
The excitement in the neighborhood became in
tense, suspicion settling at upon Bob Nc.
Corkle His arrest was Immediately effected.
jury and proceeded to investigate the case The
testimony confirmed the general opinion.
srmS the nose Of its rcp oI4
was well known in the neighborhood; several par
they had heard the previous evening about eight
O'Clock in the direction of wycof's house. The
picked up near the dead body; it was of brown
paper and correspondent with some found in
McCorkles pouch. The shot picked out of the body
corresponded with that in his pouch. He had often
been heard to say that he loaded with shot, AS
with that number he could cut hawk down at sixty
yards; ten shot were picked out Of Wycof's body.
Tracks found in the yard in the direction
of Bobs house. and were identified his tracks.
He could not sleep that night. and said to colored
friend the evening that no rolled sweated
all night" Before this time he had discussed with
u colored preacher whether not forgiveness for
murder possible. expressing the opinion that it
was and that man could ges pardon tor anything
coos two dogs knew Bob well. having hunted fire.
qnently with him; Wycon had but recently gotten
the smaller dog. and he did not know McCorkle; it
was the small dog which had barked furiously on
the night OF the murder while the large one re-
NAMED quiet. These circumstances formed the
chain Of evidence which led to the conviction.
THE MURDERERs.
The man ana woman committed to jail at
Newton, the county seat. without bail, the woman
being held accessory before the facts. At the
Of the Superior Court, held thereafter the
prisoners filed af1davit that they could moi
Justice Catawbs and upon their petition the cases
were transferred to Alexander county, where they
came on for trial at the June term, 1879. Judge
Graves presiding. Twenty-Five witnesses were ex-
amined, and two speeches were made each side
The was given to the jury at eight o'clock
Friday night. At four o'clock Saturday morning .
verdict of guilty to both returned The
prisoners remandcd and brought out ut
ten o'clock A. M of the same day to hear the SEN
tence OF the Court. McCorke pleaded with the
Judge for speedy execution. saying May it
please Your Honor. one hour is long enough for me-
put, kean ma hara
longer than You can help; am ready to taste DEATH
Other men have brought me to this; I've got not =
word to say against any OF you, gentlemen" In
this way he rambled on for some time. giving out
the belief that he would make full confession on
ordered him to be executed the 10th day OF
August. between the hours of ten o'clock A. NJ and
two o'clock =. NJ McCorkle received the sentence
with stoical indifference.
OTHER cuIPRrr
Mrs. wycof. fair complexoned woman of thirty
Ave. rather good looking and Of respectable parent
age, then sentenced to the State Prison for the
balance of her natural lte and the prisoners shsk
ing hands with their counsel and bidding them
farewell. escorted back to Jail week later
the partners in sin parted company. Mrs. wycof
was placed in the Penitentiary Raleigh. and to-
day McCorkle expiated his atrocious crime upon the
gallows.
1t has, perhaps, been many years since q felon
was hanged in North Carolina upoL the day orip-
naIly xod for his execution Usually appeals follow
trials, and trials follow appeals. In this case
the original sentence was carried out. and the
day fixed. Many people arrived in the village this
morning by private conveyance from Statewide
Your correspondent found crowd the streets.
and that the sheriff had made all due preparation
for the event. The execution conducted publicly
at the foot the hill. the village. and WIT
messed by 5000 persons. In his cell the prisoner
denied TO reporters any knowledge Of the killing Of
wycon and was not disposed to talk Of anything
except spiritual matters surrounded by guard OF
100 mon armed with shotsuns. squirrel rifles. mus
kets and bludgeons, he carried wagon tho
scafYod. There the minister said prayers and sang
hymns and the prisoner sang two hymns alone.
After this he drew of his coat tossed II into tho
wagon and exhorted the crowd speaking for twenty