Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-06-03
THE EXECUTION.


About half an hour before the execution,
the prisoner was taken from his cell to the
main passage OF that floor. The priest and
Mr.. Moss, his attorney were with him. He
remained near the front door some time, then
went down to the dining-room and ate some
thing, and smoked cigar. He remained
near the front door till the time for him to
come out. A minute or two before he was
brought out his wife and little boy left him.
At II 80 o'clock the little procession moved
out, the priest and the prisoner coming first,
Sheriff Athy and Jaller Mason next, and
then the sheriff's deputies. The doomed man
walked up the stairs of the scaffold with
quick, spriDgy step. Stepping to the front, he
commenced a speech which was at times SO
wild and incoherent that correct report
could net be made. He spoke something like
the following; Gentlemen and ladies,
friends and foes, the happy day has come
l will speak very loud. / ask you all, come
to the fold of mercy. Meet me in heaven.
| have been reading Revelations, where it
says all sins shall be wiped away. Will you
come to the fold OF mercy? The fold of mercy
is more to be valued than ten thou
sand treasures of this world; will you come
and meet me? Come to the home of God
come to-day, before it is too late. Kind
frienda, l have given you good selection.
A few more words. Good people came about
l was Baptist long time ago, but was
tempted by the devil. But 1 have come
back to God. If it hadn't been for the good
sisters and Father Lucius, might have been
lost. We know the Son of Man appeared
after death. 1 tell you to-day, come to the
fold of mercy. hope 1 may be the last
man TO die this way. ! am done. The
papers will stop telling all over the world
about Sandy Matthews. They may kill the
81. - Al
going to Jesus-to the great city. / don't
know fear. Go 10 Jesus with all your soul;
he is your only friend. If good people
hadn't come to me would have died in sin.
l did what / am sorry for. As to death,
you have all got 10 die. Woe be unto the
man that don't come to Jesus. He leaves
men here to tell you not to go astray, but to
come to him. / ask all, in the name of God,
come and join the true church. l bless God
have mercy l go TO God. Meet me in
heaven. l want to shake hands with you
(the crowd of colored people in the street.,
but you are too far away; shake hands with
me in your heart. Ask God TO make you
humble and faithful"
At this point in his speech he was inter-
rupted by a negro asking him a question.
The prisoner seemed displeased, but said he
had nothing against anybody. He then
asked about his little boy, Russell; he want
e him brought up right and sent to school.
After a little more talk on religion he be-
came quiet and knelt down. He and Father
Lucius repeated the Lords prayer, "Holy
Mary" the Greed" and some other prayers,
after which the priest recited a prayer for
The dying. While this was going on his lit
lie boy, outside the yard in a wagon, COM
menced crying, and a number OF grown
negroes commenced crying loudly.
At few minutes to l o'clock, Matthews,
through with his religious devotions, was
handcufed by Deputy Sheriff Newell and
J ailer Mason. Then the straps for his arms
we're buckled on, Sheriff Athy assisting.
During ali this time the doomed man seemed
we're placed on his legs. Deputy Newell
placed the black cap on Matthew's head,
md he commenced yelling, FAREWELL o
Lordi In Jesus trust" He then became
Iuiet, and at three minutes after 2 o'clock
Deputy Newell pulled the lever that knocked
he prop from the drop, and Sandy Matthews
,aid the penalty adiudged for his great
rhine. Except very slight pressure of the
lasped hands after the body had been sus-
pended, no movement of the body was OBJ
erved. After nine minutes the pulse was
cit by DIR. Williford. The body remained |
uspended twenty-five minutes, when |
leputy- sherif commenced Gntying the |
ope. The body was caught by Jim Glass, |
i sdison Vorner and another cofored man,
Eho placed it in the coffin near the foot of /
he scafold. 1t was then carried into the /
all. Parties who saw it, say the face looked /
'erfectly natural, there being no distortion |
Ihatever. The body was taken charge of BY
,ounty- Undertaken Walsh At 3 o'clock it 1
Taz taken 10 81. Msry's (Catholic) church,
nd from there to Calvary Cemetery. The /
ofhu was painted black. had white lining,
nd silver cross on the lid.
H wore black alpaca sack coat, black