Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-05-05
RI0TING AT A HANGING.
THETRENTON EXECUTIONTRAG.
&c IN THE EXTREME.

Walker Goes to His Death without
Flinching-The Crowd Exhorted to
Lynch His Confederate-George Bird
Shot while stopping a Fight-The
Hanging at Gainesville, Fla.
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn, May 4.-D. T.
Walker was hanged at Trenton, Ga. to-
day for the murder of S. S. Har dberger.
He spent the morning without any Incl
dent. He ate hearty breakfast and
talked freely With his guards. Your cor
respondent interyiewd him and he stated
that he felt very we'll and was not at all
nervous The parting with his wife and
children was very affecting. At noon he
was led from the Jail and placed in a
wagon on his coffin. Fifty guards sur
rounded him. The gallOws was near the
Jail. He mounted ii with a firm tread.
BY permission of the Sheriff he addressed
the crowd, and delivered a long harangue
He spoke very distinctly, and without
tremOr in his voice. He said that he de-
served death not because he killed the
man he denied shooting the fatal shot ].
but because he did not have the manhood
to inform on the man who committed
the deed. He was very calm and de
Hberate, and even after the black cap
was adjusted continued his remarks, beg
ging the crowd TO see that Treece, his
confederate, was hanged. The fall broke
his neck and he died without a culver.
His speech had considerable effect, and it
Is rumored that party is being organ
lied to take Ireece from the coal mines
and hang him.
After the hanging the crowd became
very disorderly and number of serious
fights occurred. Geo. Bird, brother Of the
Sheriff, III attempting to quell one, was
badly wounded.
The murder for which y. +. Walker was
hanged to-day was committed October },
1892 on Sand mountain, in Dade county,
Georgia, near Trenton. Walker was a
labOrer at Trenton. He was a sman of
bad repute, and had evil associations He
had been desperate in Mississippi and
was wanted for many crimes. He formed
an acquaintance with Lee Treece, a Young
man at Trenton of shiftless habits, There
lived on Sand mountain, not far from Tren-
ton, n wealth farmer named Elisha Smith.
walker and Treece formed plot to kill
him, and on Sunday, october >, they
secreted themselves in the road to way
lay him as he passed. While laying in
wait, an old man named 5. 5. Hardberger,
hove in sight. He was travelling from
South Pittsburg, Tenn, to Rising FaWn.
Walker whispered to Treece that this was
he fired, and the traveller fell dead He
ran up and battered the head of the mur-
dered man into jelly. They robbed him
and found only 81 50 on his person. With
this they proceeded to town and began
drinking, and in their drunken orgies,
bOasted of their crime. A party
was organized to search for the
body, and found it at the place described.
The two were arrested. There was great
excitement and they were removed to At
lanta to escape lynching. They were
tried March 29th by the Superior Court.
Treece turned States evidence and was
sentenced for ten years. and Walker was
sentenced to hang. When the sentence
was pronounced, he cOolly arose in his
seat and remarked, "Judge, you've con-
demned an innocent man." He has made
an elaborate confession, which is pub
lished in pamphlet form.
JACKSONVILLE, FLA, May A
special dispatch to the Times UHiOn from
Gainesville, Fla, says: John Lee, ,coiored,
was hanged to-day for the murder of c.
p. Crockett, white, on the 9th of Novem-
Der, 1892. Lee stole a horse from Crockett,
wEo went with a sheriff to arrest him,
and Lee killed Crockett with a shotgun.
The drop fell at 11:15 O'Clock. Lees neck
was broken, and he died without a