The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1882-05-25
LIFE FOR LIFE.
". ". REA SWINGS INTO
ETERNITY
WITHOUT A TREMOR AND WITHOUT
C0NFESSlNG or DENYING
HIS CRIME.
His Last Uttersnee an Appeal to a Mystic
Brotherhood Instead Of
Gsreiful God.
a sICKENING SPECTACLE

- W. w hcSt, Tie OldOa assassin, is
0 dead and buried and the majesty Of
law stands indicated in its terriblest
t aspect. The first page of the CITI-
e zen contains full account of the
crime and the evidence that led to
conviction. From week to week the
D people have been made acquainted
D with the powerful influences that
= were being,brought to bear upon Gov
D Hawkins to secure a Communication,
: and these efforts were not relaxed
up to the very last. The record
that substantiates his guilt is the
cOmpletest and most convincing in
all the annals of crime where con
viction followed solely upon circum-
stantial proof, and it was so over
whelmingly conclusive that the
governor could not conscientiously
interrupt the sentence. There was
never a case that elected more the
sympathy Of strangers and appealed
more strongly for mercy than this,
/ when only specifically heard; and
yet upon closer scrutiny mercy itself
recoiIed at the CHASTITY evidence of
incontrOVertible guilt. The CITIZEN,
, however, never pursued him in life
and it will not pursue him in death.
On Wednesday Gov. Hawkins
advised the sheriff Of Davidson
county that if he did not receive any
communication from him in the
meantime to start with Rea to Pu-
laski at s o'clock Thursday night.
This was doubtless published to
mislead any who might think of
rescuing him, for the sheriff started
with him at s o'clock Thursday
morning and the public did not
know it. At the Chattanooga depot
BE ATTEMPTS SUICIDE.
He attempted to run and was seized,
and again he threw himself upon
the track before an engine and was
snatched off by deputies. He be-
came frantic and appealed to Sheriff
johnson to permit him to run for
his life or to shoot him down and
relieve him from the disgraceful
death he was going to endure, cry
ing:
''Oh, my God, 1 want to die. 1
can not stand to be disgraced by
being hanged on a felOn's gallOws.
If you are a man, and have a mans
heart in your breast, for the love of
God give me one little chance for
my poor miseI able life. Turn me
loose, take off these handouts, let
me run and then shoot at me. |
will take the chances of death
He was guarded to Pulaski by
Sheriff Tim Johnson, his son and
two deputies and had to be continu-
ally watched upon the train, and he
insisted upon the window being
kept up, and offered the sheriff
$4,000 in cash to permit him to es-
cape. He seemed to expect aid at
every station and when the last one
was passed he seemed overcome
with dispair. Upon the road he
cOnversed on various topics, MOTTO
ing and taking an interest in the
crops. His arrival at Pulaski was
known to but few until he was safely
in Jail. His brother James called |
upon him and, it is said, advised |
him not to waste his time further |
in idle talk, because his last chance |
for life was gone, but to spend the |
last moments in preparation. 1t
was wise and brotherIy counsel. |
Rea appeared tranquil and asserted |
that he would never be hanged. He
declined to see a CITIZEN representa-
tive, saying that his thoughts were
in another channel and he did not |
care TO be interviewed. He talked on |
other topics and did not seem de
pressed at times. Once he was
overheard praying in which he said
he knew he had done wrong. A |
very strong guard attended the jail
all day and night and the sheriff's
rooms were an arsenal Of shot-guns
and pistols. Nothing unusual oc-
CURED during the night, but next
morning early the town was excited
to hear that the prisoner had made
ANOTHER ATTEMPT AT SUICIDE.
Jailor Frank Arrowsmith was at
his cell shortly after daylight and
Rea called for a toddy. 1t was
brought him at once, but when the
jailor returned with it he found him
vomiting. DR.. c. ALI Alternately.
the Jail physician, was promptly
ut hand, and it was ascertained
that he had taken morphine in extra
quantity. He said himself that he
had taken large dose about IL
o'clock, but it failed to affect him
and he had slept none, and again
before daylight he repeated the dose,
but in such quantity that it nause-
ated him and he threw it up. He
said he did not get it in Pulaski. 1t
is supposed he got it in small !
quantities from a morphine eating
prisoner in an adjacent cell at Nash !
vile. The morphine left him ex- .
tremely Frustrated, but by admins
tering stimulants he was kept up .
and by the time of the execution he !
was composed and apparently ,
strong. He said be repented of his :
sinful attempt upon his own life and +;
had prayed God not to let him die ;
by his own hands. About 9 O'Clock =,
he told DR.. Alternately that the {
whole thing was the realization of a :
dream he had the spring before
Goodrum was killed. DR.. Aber- +
lathy had him redressed and every .
thing removed from the cell to avoid :,
the possibility of his taking more .
poison. and he was left alone and :
slept about an hour =
He was attended at intervals both =
lays by Revs. J. B. Anderson, y. NJ. :
Ezell and G. II. Shelldrake and ex- q
pressed himself at peace with God h
md with a clear conscience prepared II
o die. He expressed the desire to .
start for the gallows at II
PRECISELY TWO O'CLOCK, =,
md promptly at that time about 81
orty guards armed with shot guns, il
epeating rifles and pistols, filed
rom the Jail and surrounded a bret b.
n waiting, and the prisoner at once W
merged from the front gate, &C ii
by Sheriff and Tailor
Arrowsmith. and took his seat in C,
he carriage. with these gentlemen cl
=