Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-06-02
INVOLVES ON ONE GIBBET
BAILEY AND WIMBISH HANGED
BEFORE THOUSANDS.

The Former Comparatively Calm. but
the Latter Hxcited-BOth Confident of
salvatiOn-TwO Harangues on the
seaffOld-Last Hours in Jall-stories
of the Crimes.
MACON, June John Bailey and
Henry Wimbish, both colored. were nuh-
llcly hanged IN this city today at
O'Clock on the same gallOws. The country
Tor miles around has been agog for davs
and days in anticipation of the event, a
puDlc double execution not being an
every day occurrence in Georgia.
Throughout the whole of last night
every road leading from the country
INTO the city was dotted with ex-
pecIaht bands of spectators who had
truuged many weary miles in order TO he
early on hand at the scene of the hideous
tragedy to which they looked forward
WIN such lnhuman morbidity. The un-
toward event seemed to possess an esDe-
clal fascination for the cOlOred community
VINO Hooked to the city from every direc-
ton IN droyes, which numerically doubled
thoSes muse ol the whites. 1t is not surprising,
therefore, that the crowd which
had gathered when the fatal hour
arrived was fully 5000 in number
Many were, indeed, not slow to charac
terlze this estimate as altogether too low.
and assert with indisputable pOsitiveness
that the thrOng did not fall whit short
Of $4,000.
A day or two ago a speculative indi-
Nldual commenced the erection of a grand
stand for the accommodation of some part
Oh the spectators, but upon the city
authorities demanding license fee
Of 500 the speculator, with ineX-
cusa6ly bad business foresight. de-
sisted from his enterprise, and left
the JnrOng to content themselves
as best they could with the accommO-
datlons offered free of cost by the natural
advantages of the field, which was once
the site OF the famous old Fort OglethOrDe
FOr several days past the portals of the
jail IN which the doomed men were con-
fined have been besieged by a heterOgene-
GUS crowd OF negroes, who devOured with
aVldity every word which managed to
creep from the dungeon to their midst.
This morning found those tireless senti
nels still at their posts. but anr-
mented, however, by countless
addition of crackers of every hue and
description.
The last hours of the prisoners were
not particularly full of incident. but the
interest of the crowd was not
whit diverted, Notwithstanding. Yester-
day afternoon the wives of the
NSttoSAAhOO lAlCn NlSllCu lu6lu Ill IielI
cells and took their farewell in an inter-
view which was over three hours in dura-
tlOn. The NEWS correspondent, who was
an eyewitness during the greater part of
the time, was not impressed with the
scene as being particularly affecting
one. Bailey was, it is true, much
aSltated, and his wife appeared all de-
votion to him, but with Wimbish and his
wife it was entirely different. Neither one
gave evidence of much emotion, and it is
more than doubtful whether thev felt anv.
Tie prisoners retired at 8 O'Clock and
slept sOundly until O'clock this morn
ing, when they called to the iailer and
asked permission to sing and pray They
continued at their devOtiOns, without in
terruptiOn, until O'Clock, when Father
Colbert was admitted to the dungeon, and.
after short season of PRAYER
and eXhOrtation, administered the
last rites of the church and sprinkled the
condemned men with holy water.
After partaking lightly of dainty
breakfast the prisoners rearranged their
toilets with the scrupulOus devotion pro-
scaffOld
Father Colbert, who confirmed the men
few days ago, never left their side after
his coming, and tried with every per-
suasive word at his command
to impress upon his proselytes
the solemnity of their impending
doom. In the case of Wimbish he
did not appear to be altogether successful,
| but Bailey proved very much more sus-
ceptible, and was prOfuse in his express
sions of repentance and faith in his future
salvation.
At halEpast ten O'Clock the Floyd Rifles
and Southern Cadets, under command of
Lieut.. Col. Z. NJ. Wiley, marched to the
Jail. whence the prisoners. taller sheriff
fr11ardC and Eafbar ffoIbarf foI
to the gallOws, in the rear of the Central
Railroad shops.
The passing of the final sentence of death
on the two prisoners was made simulta-
neOusly on the 2Sth of last April, and from
that time forth the two men were insepara.
BILE.
The period intervening since that time
they had passed chained to the floor of
the same dungeon, willing away good
part of the time, no doubt, in offering each
other consolation for the common doom
which was impending over them both. In
the eyes of the crowd, therefore, the scene
partOok somewhat of the execution of two
friends, fact which doubtless lent it
double interest.
On the arrival at the ground the
prisoners We're taken by the Sheriff to a
tent in the rear of the gallOWs, where the
priest consumed one hour in religious
services. The white robes were
then placed on the prisoners
by the jailer, and the Sheriff
led them up on the scatfOld. Bailey
exhibited much emotion, but Wimbish
mounted the gibbet with a smile and
/ laughed during the recitation of the
| prayer for the condemned, for which he
/ was rebuked by the priest.
After little Bailey stepped forward
| and with a trembling voice said: II am
before you for a short time. Death is
I 1sNf,. taNtH ffo rfnln NH n
/ and Mr.. Foster and his family and all 9TH
ers for their attentions. l recommend
that you all pray and try to meet in
| Heaven and appear at the great judg
ment throne, where we all shall give an
! account of ourselves, Thank God L hope
/ to meet you all in Heaven. We all have
a way to gO-I have set my stake and
| have held to it,
Wimbish then stepped forward and said;
81 am here before you all in the tleshy
! body; my spirit has gone" His language
was so incOherent that no one could un-
| derstand it; and he shortly commenced
shouting and singing and eXhOrting in
] the old cOrnteld style.
| Father. Colbert told him to look upon
his cross, and that he was to die CathO-
| lie, and not to make any shouting display.
After another short prayer the black
| caps were drawn over their heads, and
! precisely at / o'clock the trap fell. In the
| fall of five feet the necks of both men were
! broken and death must have been instan-
| taneOus. No movement of the muscles
was noticeable after the drop fell, and 1t
| is presumed that their death was painless.
| After swinging 20 minutes in the breeze
| the hideous spectacle was ended by the
| cutting down of the bodies, which were
examined by Drs. Wright, Ferguson and
1 Gewinner and life pronounced extinct
John Bailey's body was given to his
wife. who conveyed it to UniOnyille for
| burial, and Henry Wimbish's remains
were carried to StursOnville, another
| suburban negro village.
When the bodies were first cut down
/ the crowd made a movement as if to rush
| forward and catch a last glimpse of the
murderers, but the intention was frus-
| trated by the militia men, who stood a
/ Gordon around the inclOsure. The best
| of order was maintained throughout the
entire proceedings, and after the de-
parture of the remains the crowd dis
/ persed and the demolition of the gibhet
! commenced.
WIMBISH'S BLOODY DIRK.
| The Story of the Fatal Fight Which Sent