Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-06-03
GONE TO GLORY.
Sandy Matthews, the COlored Fiend
Who Murdered Another Negro and
Chopped Up the Body
So as to Fit it to a Grave, Hanged in
the Jail.Yard in a Decent and
Orderly Manner.

Sandy Matthews, the negro who killed
another colored man, Essiah Polk, near Lucy
Station, last October, was executed at the
county Jail yesterday afternoon. The crime
for which he paid the penalty of his life has
been given in detail in two former issues of
the APPEAL We now give it as briefly as
possible. He claimed that Polk had advised
his wife to quit Sandy and farm work and go
to Memphis, where he said she could get a
better situation. She left the place came TO
Memphis, and, Sandy said, was living with
Polk. A few weeks afterward Polk went TO
Sandy's house TO see Bette, the daughter OF
Sandy's wife, who had remained there after
her mother left. Under compulsion this girl
Bette claimed, she had been living in GRIM
inai intimacy with her stepfather. While
Polk was in the house Sandy came in, be-
came angry, went out TO the woodpile, Sc
cured his ak, returned and killed Polk. A
hole was dug, and Sandy and Bette carried
the body there for burial. The hole was too
short, and the murderer chopped his victim
into three sections. The remains were then
thrown in the hole. While this was going
on, the perpetrator of the horrible crime
informed his step daughter that she would
be treated in similar manner If she d.
vulged anything she knew. Soon after
this Sandy left the neighborhood. Bette,
relieved from the fear attending his presence,
gave the whole story away. The neighbors
visited the spot and found the remains.
The murderer was arrested, confessed, was
tried and sentenced to death. An appeal
was taken to the Supreme Court, but the
verdict of the lower court was affirmed, and
Sandy was ordered to hang on Friday,
June %.
THE PRISONER.
About II O'Clock yesterday morning
representative Of the APPEAL visited the
Jail for the purpose of ascertaining wheth-
er the doomed man had anything further to
state. Informing Jailer Mason of his wish,
that polite officer replied, Il don't think
there is anything new to be obtained from
him but as he seems to like to talk to the
newspaper men, you can go and see him."
He then called colored man who had the
key to the main aisle of the prison and told
him to show the prisoners cell. He was
found in the fourth cell on the right of the
second tier of cells. SANDY, l am a news
paper man, and l came to learn whether you
have any further statement to make" said
the reporter. "For de Lords sake, how
maay of you is there? One was here
yesterday. Den dere was one, long
slim fellow, here dis mornin'. 1 was Just
telling him about my favorite passages of
scripture-the twenty-irst chapter of Revela-
tions, shout the passover of our Redeemer.
and the twenty-sixth chapter of Matthew. j
read half of last night, and for several nights
have been reading the scriptures" "Have
you become reconciled toiyour fate" "Oh,
yes; don't feel that am going to die. 1t is
not to be death. l am going right to Jesus
and eternal life" "Have you been we'll
treated during imprisonment~ 81 am very
we'll satisfied; they have been very good to
me. / have nothing against anybody, and
want all to go to heaven" "Who has been
your spiritual ADVISER" "Father Lucius. /
have become a Catholic. / was a Baptist
about ten years ago, but / stumbled and
wallowed, and fell away from grace. But
want to know when l was to die; but it is
better as it is. a few weeks ago prisoner
fell and broke his head; he suffered and
groaned all night, and then died. / would
rather die as i shall than like him." Find
ing that the prisoner was talking himself
into some excitement the reporter started
away, but was called back. 81 want to leave
a good remembrance about my old friend
Charley Anderson the colsred porter on that
hoor] He is good man; has been kind 10 me.
Pm trying to bring him to the Catholic Church
in my last hour, but don't know whether will.
Please give me a little money for my wife
who was in the cell with himl. She has
been good to me. Her daughter swore me
into this trouble" Giving the unfortunate
m an a small sum OF money, the reporter left. I
THE GALLONS
was erected in the south end of the Jail yard,
against the fence. 1t was about fourteen
feet high, eighteen feet long and twelve
wide. The crossbeam was securely fastened
to the high posts at the east end. The
drop was on the plan of table leaf. A
lever at the east end of the platform drove
piece of scGntling against the prop that held
the drop. The rope was made in Louisville,
for some man whose sentence was afterward