The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1883-03-28

CRIMES The grand jury Of Halifax
county indicted Preston Edwards for Kill
ing Harry james; and jesse Clark for
killing Bob EdmundS, says Weldon
Macs The report of the murder b,
Allen Williamson of his wife ard daugh
ter, in Moore county, y, c., is untrue
The woman had left home and gone to
an adjoining county to get work in a fac
tory Al Graham, Alamauce county.
on Friday, jerome Holt, colored, was
hanged Tor outrage upon Mrs. W. Ter
rel, at GibsonvIIie. The execution took
place in the jail yard and Was s~trictl,
private. Sheriff IoIton acted as exccu~
toner. Holt vas resigned to his fate.
lie protessed religion and SAID hat had
he not been under the Influence Of
liquor, he would not have committed
the crime. The drop fell at one o. clock
He spoke only a few words, in tones so
loud and clear as to be easily heard hy
by all the people in the enclosure AS well
rs by a crowd of 200 persons which
stood without. lie said-'Iam errnar>
et for death. am ready. Goodby. :"
Then the black cap was adjusted and tie
drop fell. Twelve minutes later, wher
Drs. williamson and Freeman felt for
the pulse, 1t had ceased to beat. The
neck was broken BY the fail. For the
past two weehs Holt had been receiving
spiritual instruction and proiessed a
change OF heart. He spoke freely Of
his approaching end and old not appear
IN the least gloomy. He declared that
II he had not been drunk he would nevt r
have thought Of committing the erin !.
! he lail was carefully watched nightly.
but Hot showed 10 desire to even at
tempt to escape, lie was hanged lust
thlrty>seven days alter the ,mmission
OF che crime.
One Of his brothers was hanged in
this county n lew ytafs . for "A similar
offence. aud it is believed a third brother
paid tie like forfeit Tor similar guilt in
Rowan county Nr. and Mrs. William
Terrell lived II a humble cottage near
G~lbsonyiIe. Nh. Terrell was In his
sAty-seventh wear, and not at all vigor-
Gus, l!s wis, who was nearly twenty
years younger than he, was a buxom,
comCiy woman. They occupied a room
on the lower floor OF the house, their on
~ child Il bright lad, ten years of age.
sleeping "a an adjoining room. On the
night OF February 10th, this year. soon
after midnight, Mr.. and Mrs. Terrell
were awakened b. tie crash Of falling
glass, and 8 moment later saw the burl,
torn Of Jerome Holt near the foot If
their bed. lie had forced opeo The
shutter Of the window, had dashed in
the eutire lower sash and then sprang IN
to the room through the opening.
With a cry like that of a wild be-; 6
he seized the woman and dragged her to
the floor. MIR. Terrell at once jumped TO
his feet, and. taking a gun from tie
wall, tried to shoot the ~rutfian, but the
p,ece missed fire. lie then attacked
holt with the gun, inficting heavy
blows, but he negro over-powered both
husband and wife, snbjccting the latter
to the most cruel and merci'e-s assault.
The little boy, being reused by the noise
OF the conflict, came to the assistance of
his father and mother, attacking the ne
gro, by whom he was terribly beaten and
lett unconscious on the floor.
Early Saturday morning the news
spread, and II br.ei tine the peouIe
OF the entire section wers in pnrsuit If
the negro. Both Mr.. AMI Mrs Terrell
knew him, and hence the task Of he
800 hHAC {" SotID dIdItVcIf easy
one Ere many hours had ELAPSED Hoit
was found III a cabin no Two miles from
the outrage.
SPEEDY JUSTICE.
The term OF The sller!7r Cont e..
.Aian.ancr began on til M.nd.y a.irr
tie dag o. Itch he crime WIS com.
mit'ei. On ,hat Jay the Grand .Jurv
ioaud a true bill against Holt. On
"Wednesday he wa tried. and withouf
leaving tier seats the jury found a YER.
diet of guii'v a~-ai1,t him. On FRIDAY
February -, Judge John A. Gilner
sentenced hIih ia be hanged on The 2srd
OF March, The State law requires that
between tbs date Of sentence and that OF
execution at least q month shall elapse.
Holt wuuid make no defence. The in
lurles IF Mr.. Terrell were not serious.
though painful. but h's wife wa, foi
some days in a precarious condition
The wounds Of the brave little son Of
lerrelfs will probably leave their effects
Tor life.