Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-05-23
HANGED AT EDGEFIEID. sc.
execution of Joe Seephens-LOsing
HIS Nerve at the Last-.The story
of His Crime.

CHARLESTON, May 2l.-Joe Stephens col
ored, was hanged in Eigefield Yesterday for
the murder of Andy Richardson. colored.
de took his place on the trap with frmness
out at last his courage seemed to forsake e
MIN, and waving his handkerchief he he
came greatly excited, exclaiming In loud
tone' II claim protection Give me protec-
tlon command the peace Peace Peacel
Peace ~ and while supplicatipg for aid and
assistance Sheriff O1z.z sprang the trigger
and In ten minutes the murderer was life
less.
DR.. Green having pronounced him dead
the oody was delivered to his friends TO be
taken 70 his old home near RichardsopvilIe
AOr ihterment. Neither his wife nor children
were present, but before leaving the IAN he
sage NA0S
Quite crowd of white and coIored people
Witnessed the execution from the top of the
jail wall and the adjacent buildings. BEFORE
leaving the jail Stephen sassured the minis
ters That he was prepared and willing to die,
Inc Following Is the story of the crime:
Joe Stephens, cOlored, was arrested in
January or February. 1873, charged with
the murder of Andy Richardson, also col
time
prior TO that date Joe Stephens while pass.
ing Andy Richardson's house was attacked
ana severely beaten by Andy, who was a
young man and superior In physical strength
TO Joe. Stephens then applied to q Trial
Justice In the neighborhood for warrant
for the arrest OF Richardson. The Trial
Justice refused to issue the warrant on the
ground that Stephens had no money with
which TO pay the charges for the warrant
but told Stephens when he got the money
To bring it to him aud he would have Rich
ardson arrested. Stephens was unable to
raise The money, aud soon afterwards heard
that Richardson had said that the next time
he met him, he (Rtehardson) intended to
"hnish him." Richardson bore bad repu-
tation for violence, and was a man Of des-
perate character. On the night OF the Diff
Guilty Stephens went to gathering of the
cOlOred people, at q cOIOred mans house in
the neighborhood, where prayer meeting
was being held. Soon after he arrived
there, Richardson also came in with stick
In his hand, laid the stick aside, took a seat
near the door, and Joined in the singing In
little while Stephens walked by Richard
son, and with an inferior pocket knife cut
or stabbed Richardson and ran out OF the
door. Parties kept Richardson from pur-
suing Stephens, who stopped outside the
door until he could get his hat, and imme-
diately left the place. 1t was then discov-
tf6u LuaI Alcuaf0SOn was cut, and phY
sician was sent for. The physician found
that vein on the left side, between the
ribs, wss cut, but was unable to check the
flow of blood. Two days thereafter Rich
ardsOn died.
On the day last fixed for his execution
Joe was respited by Governor Hagood for
four weeks, until May 20, with the as sur
ance that there would be no further Execu-
tive clemencY. Since then he has seemed
perfectly resigned to his fate, expressing
himself as prepared for death and appar-
emily entertaining an undoubted hope of a
blissful immortality beyond the grave cat
de right hand of de blessed Jesus" The
colOred ministers visited him often and sd-
ministered spiritual consolation, and he as
sured them that he was "all right, and is
going right home to heaven in a blsza Of
glory"
He says he killed Andy Richardson
through fear that Andy would take his life
as he had threatened to do.
Joe had the sympathy OF the white peo-
pie generally, aud many are of the opinion
that he should have been imprisoned In the
penitentiary for term OF years.