Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-12-09
JUSTICE IN GEORGIA.
TWO NEGRO MURDERERs HANG
ED YESTERDAY.


William POrter's Brutal Crime-FeIling
His Victim With Club, and Stripping
Him When Dead-Edward Conyers'
quarrel that Ended in a AIurder-Both
Executions Successful.
PERRY, GA. Dec. s.-William Porter.
colored, was hung to-day at 1890 p. m.
He had nothing to say except to the min
listers. The drop fell at 1890. The fall
was five feet nine inches. Life was ex-
t1nct in twenty-four and q half minutes.
HISTORY OF THE CRIME.
During the last October term of Hous-
ton superior Court, viii Porter. cOlOred
was tried, convicted and condemned to be
hung Tor the crime of murder The Dris-
oner was ably defended by Messrs. Davis
4 Riley, Of Perry, and Fort Valley, but
the evidence, though circumstantial,
was overwhelming, leaving no doubt
as 10 the guilt of the prisoner.
THE CRIME.
Ou the l4th of September Bill Swift,
colored boy, about sixteen years old. was
discovered near a spring. near the Macon
road. about three miles from Perry, un-
conscious and entirely nude. He died the
next day, after being moved to Perry.
The Coroner's inquest disclosed the fact
that the deceased came to his death from
the effects of blow on the head from
some heavy blunt instrument. Suspicion
was shortly after directed to VIII Porter.
who eluded the officer when his arrest
was first attempted. Several weeks there
after Porter was captured by a couple of
gentlemen within about five miles of
where the deed was committed.
THE EVIDENCE.
The evidence brought out at the trial
was substantially as follows:
The deceased left Macon for Perry on
the 18th Of September, walking. In his
possession were large cigar box, a bun
die Of clothes; he wearing very neat suit
of clothes, which were accurately de-
scribed by several witnesses. Within
about mile of the place where the de-
ceased was found. the following day, Will
Porter was seen walking along the road
only short distance behind Bill Swift.
About three quarters of an hour after
wards Porter was seen going back, and
not only was he walking very hurriedly,
but he had in his possession the box and
coat that Bill Swift had when he passed
along about an hour before.
Porter sold the coat, and was seen with
money that he could not account for. The
coat, box and other articles were seen by
several parties in the possession of Por-
nesses in court as the same that belonged
to Bill Swift before his death.
Not a single link was missing in the
chain of evidence, and every one who
heard it pronounced the prisoner guilty of
a most foul murder, even the negroes be-
ing loud in their denunciatiOn of him.
THE VERDICT.
The jury deliberated only a short while
before bringing in a verdict of guilty.
When the prisoner was called up that SEN
tence might be passed he still maintained
the sullen and Indifferent manner mani
tested during the entire trial. Mr.. Riley,
of counsel for the defense, submitted a
most eloquent plea for mercy. The death
sentence was sOlemnly delivered, and the
prisoner was remanded to Jail to be hung
privately on the Sth Of December, 1882.
THE CRIME CONFESSED.
Within about ten days after conviction
and sentence. Porter confessed his crime
to Rev. B. III. Larnett, pastor of the Methe-
dist Church at Perry. He said that he
struck the blow that produced death, with
alarge stick while the two were standingin
the edge of the woods, about one hundred
yards from the place where the deceased
was found. Porter then robbed his vic
tim of everything in his possession. strip
ping the body of every vestige of cloth
ing. He had followed Swift for the pur-
pose of rObbing him, his purpose being
precOncerted and deliberate. His only
attempt at palliation was that he had
been drinking. The condemned man was
known as a sullen and impudent charac-
ter, but not nOtoriOusly bad. He has a
wife and several children, and was about
twenty-five years old, of medium height,
thick Tipped, black and beardless.
The GallOws in Emanuel.
Earr~.v I
COnyers, cOlOred, aged twenty-four wears.
was hanged half mile from town. at 1 80
O'Clock this afternoon, for the murder of
NOrthen Pierce, colOred, on the 10Th of
last April.
The hanging was private, but was wit
pessed by the County Commissioners.
physicians, guards and the proper Off
cials. The condemned man was perfectly
at ease and seemed resigned to his fate
He died from strangulatiOn,
SLAYER AND VICTIM.
Conyers was born in Sumter county. 5.
c., March 10, 1859. He came to Scriven
county, Ga, with a gang of laborers to
work on a turpentine farm in January.
1879. He worked there year. Later he
was employed on the turpentine farm of
johnson Il kimball, about eleven miles
from ScarbOrO, in Emanuel county, where
he worked until the 10Th of April last,
upon which day he shot and killed
NOrthen Pierce. Pierce was from North
Carolina, about fifty years old, and was
reckOned a bully among his acquaint-
ances.
THE CRIME,
From the testimony adduced on the
stand at the trial, it appears that on the
18th of last April, which was a rainy, disa-
greeable day, just such a one as will cause
negroes to remain indoors and hover
around a few smOldering embers, the
murderer went to the murdered mans
house, about one hundred yards distant
from his own, with the intent to kill a
stray dog which had taken up with the
latter. for biting a hog belonging to the
former. AS he entered the door of Pierce's
house the dog passed out and was struck
by walking stick which COnyers carried
i'm his hand. A quarrel Immediately en-
sued, knives, sticks, a hack, file and pistol
were drawn by Northen Pierce, Ed Con-
yers and another negro, friend of Pierce,
named John Sohayers, Finally Ed, be-
came so incensed at Pierceis abuse that he
took aim and deliberately fired at Pierce
the ball striking him near the left nipple,
from which wound he died on the 21st of
April.
THE TRIAL,
which was held on the 18th of last OctO-
Der, resulted in COnyers' conviction and
sentence to death.
ATTEMPT AT ESCAPE.
On November 10th last COnyers made a
desperate attempt to escape. The negro
broke one of the chair posts from the chair