Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1879-04-03
Knox on.
Hanging of Knox Martin at
Nashville.


NASHVILLE, March 28.-Be-
tween twelve and fifteen thou
lsand spectators witnessed the ex-
ecution of Knox Martin this af-
ternoon. The doomed man slept
well all last night, rising at six
and donning a new suit Of black,
present from the doctors to
whom he had willed his body.
He breakfasted at nine o'clock
with the Sisters of Mercy, who
administered consolation. When
asked by Sheriff Price how he
felt, he said call right" and ask
ed for a glass of wine and to have
his picture taken. Both requests
were granted. Until to-day he
refused all interviews, but about
ten o'clock he called for report
ers, and
MADE A FULL Confession,
Differing in many respects from
his previous statement.
AS twelve o'clock approached
Martin began to show some I'M
easiness, after expressing a de-
sire to have the thing over as
soon as possible. At midday,
just after his confession with
Father Viele, he was brought
out of Jail, placed in a large wag-
on, and with an escort of forty
police, the procession
STARTED FOR THE soAFFOLD.
An immense crowd of three
Thousand, which had for four
hours surrounded the Jail, fol-
lowed. The route of two miles
was filled with men, women and
children. The intense heat caus-
ed great suffering. Martin spoke
a word OF so only. With stove
pipe hat set jauntily on his head,
he smoked a cigar and calmly
watched the crowd, just after
passing small creek almost to
the scaffold, the wagon bed cave
way and Martin dropped through
to the ground. With a hearty
laugh at the episode, Martin re-
covered his position, and was
soon on the ground cycling the
scaffold without visible emotion.
Mounting the steps, he stood on
the platform, ten feet square.
For the first time he trembled.
When asked if he desired to say
anything, he said no, and knelt
in brief prayer with Father Viele
and Brien, receiving absolution.
Rising, he nodded his readiness.
His feet and hands were tied, the
black-cap placed over his head,
and Martin
STOOD ON THE TRAP.
Through the cap he thanked
the Sheriff, while the priests Of
fered words of reinsurance and
hope. With a stroke of the
hatchet. the rope was cut, the
trap sprung, and Martin fell four
and a half feet. He gave a sin
gle shudder, and hung motion
less, the neck having evidently
been broken. At the end of ten
minutes he was pronounced dead,
but on account Of the Doctors
proposed experiments the Sher-
iff would not cut the rope until
fifteen minutes passed. As he
dropped the Doctors grabbed
him. The rope was cut imme-
diately, and an effort made to re-
lieve the pressure on the spinal
cord. Then he was taken up
and hurried to a tent a few hun
dred feet distant.
THE DOCTORS WENT TO WORK.
Batteries were attached, and
three or four rubbed his chest,
arms and legs. In about ten
minutes the muscles in his face
twitched two or three times, and
the body gave three gasps. The
legs also exhibited a movement.
A dense crowd filled and sur
rounded the tent. The operations
were under difficulties, and in
half an hour the doctors gave it
up. The remains were carted to
the College and will undergo
dissection. The mother of Mrs.
Wittemier, with an eighteen
months-old child of the murder
ed parents in her lap, and other
relatives, from a wagon near the
scaffold witnessed the execution,
saying they wished to hear what
he might say. The babe was
found on the breast Of the moth
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