The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-04-29
TNE GALLOWs HN LRxINaTaN.
AiexaMasf Williams Pays with ais Iife
b5f ti,as6f Smith F7elds, vvhor.a rc Killed
IN t'oszsafsst. tsT5.
LkxiNaroN. Aprll 81. iee0:

sa 1'sszsssts. asI5.
Ek3lNaroN, April Ss, 1880.
Ale4a9aef Williams; &h5 Was hanged
hero today for the murder of Smith
Fields on tho 25th Of February, 1876,
was of the pure African type of negro,
and was Of an aggressive and dangerous
disposition. His low receding forehead,
fiat nose aud protruding lips indicated
bis animal pfopensitiea, he was twenty.
three yean old, ahd would weigh about
one bundled and sixty pounds. Upon
interrogatiDg him as TO the crime which
he had committed, be stated that IL was
done In self.defehce, Fields having sent
him word that he would take his life.
He did not carry bayonet in expecta.
tion of meeting Fields, but had Worn 1t
while hunting. Had no idea OF killing
Fields, but was endeav0ring TO save him
self. He stated that he hoped all his
friends would take warming from his fate.
For week past he he's been rnder. the
constant ministrntiop of ReY, j, II; Bal:
ley, Lutheran, aiid KeY. j.. II. Wallace,
Baptist minister, but persistently refused
to receive any spiritual comfort or eyince
any degree Of repentance, declaring that
he had not received fair trial, and that
oil the witnesses in the case except Ger
hard Muller, jr., had testified wrongfulIy.
He eeemed perfectly unconcerned, ard
said he was ready to go to glory. Ou-
ring the forenoon he smoked cigar and
ate freely, of peanuts given hin.
The gallows was erected Immediately
in rear of the Jail, and consisted of two
upright posts with cross beam, the iatal
platform beihG SUPPORTED by e key and
pih, and the whole enclosed BY dark blue
cloth. After o final prayer by the Rev.
Dir. Bailey the doomed man was led
forth, bound and then blindfolded. The
rope was adjusted, and at quarter to 2
o'clock Sheriff Drafts with hammer
struck the trigger. In the fell Uf four
feet the knot nlipped ffoifi Under the ear
to the back Of the head. After twelve
minutes pulsation had ceased, and at five
minutes past o'clock the body was cut
down and the neck pronounced broken
by y. J. I1eaphart and Seay. There was
no excitement over the execution, less
than hundred persons of both colors
being present.
THE HIsTORY OF THE CRIME.
The crime for which Alexander VII.
liauns wRB hung whs cotnmitted Oh the
25th Of February, 1879, and consisted in
the killing of Smith Fields. Both the
murderer and his victim Wefe rolored
men, and both worked in the SHINE neigh.
borhood. On the day named, according
to the evidence submitted at the coroner's
inquest, Fields and Sye Williams, Maxcy
Graham and II. Muller were lying down
in the field of Ijr. Gerhard Muller, near
Lexington Court House, taking their
moon rest" Alexander Williams came
up to them in company with two other
colored men, and evidently came with
the Intention Of doing violence to Fields,
for as he came up he at once corhmenced
to curse him. It was proven on the trial
that he accused Fields of having talked
about" him and his wife, ana that, AFTER
cursing and abusing him roundly, he in
vited him to come out for fight. Nome
of the other witnesses of the affray no.
ticed any. deadly weapon on the person
of the murderer ut this time. Fields
obeyed the invitation to fight, end the
two men, accompanied by several wit
| nesses, started off some distance TO have
it out. On the way another war of words
ensued, during which Fields denied hav.
ing said anything about Williams and his
wife. Williams, however, continued his
abuse Of Fields, which induced the latter
to say that he didn't come to the ground
for all "this fuss; - he had come to let
Williams whip him if he could, or do
whatever he Intended doing to him. At
this point Williams struck his victim
with his left hand, and at the sane time
drew an old bayonet which he had con-
cesled about his person and. stabbed
Fields in the left breast. It was not III
| evidence that Fields struck his a5snilani
either at that or any other time. Upon
being stabbed, Fields, who hed received
his death wound, fell back. Maxcy Ora.
ham, one of witnesses, attempted to in.
terfere, but Williams attacked him with
the bayonet, and he was forced to run off
After receiving the wound Fields stepped
back and pointed to the ghastly wound
in his breast; he was speechless and wa,
splitting blood freely. He walked a few
steps and then fell, dying in the roadway
DIR. w. G. Muller was cent for, ant
found the dying man suffering from
hemorrhage. The wound in the ches
had penetrated the lungs, entering jus
below the second rib. The man dice
| while tho surgeon was probing ths
wound. On the following day the cor
1 oner held an inquest, and o verdict O.
wilful murder was rendered against vii
iiams, who had He'd as soOn rs he haC
stabbed Fields. He was arrested. how
ever. and committed To tho I.aYingtnr
Jail on the 9th of February, and re
mained there until November 15, 1876
when he succeeded In making his escape
The Governor offered q reward for hi
arrest, aud although it was known tha
he frequented various points between
Sunday Run in Lexington County ant
| St. Matthews in Orangebnrg, she Sheriff
1 could not definitely locate him until tht
4 ast of january, 1880, when O bench war
rant was Issued and he was arrested oil
| tho Goth of the sanla month nine s1iie
/ aass Of St NNf shesss. He was tried 70
murder at tho February term Of court
and convicted aud eahtencad by Judg,
Kershaw toSbe hanged on the 2ad o
| April, betweeE tho hours OF 10 q. "a. ant
q p. N. ThiB Ia ths tiEss execution ssssa
has taken place In Lexington nince th,
war. pesial iaaateA % ske sess AsFesss i:;.5 90;
Courier.
HoMIc1pE III THE LUNATtc ASYLUM
1.-The Coroner yvas summoned 70 th