Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1883-10-18
Ellis craft, the Ashland Murderer,
Led Forth to Die.

CINCINNATI, Oct. IA special to the
Times star from drayson, Ky says that
Ellis Graft, the Ashland murderer, lis
tened to the reading of the death warrant,
this morning, calmly. He says that hs will
declare his innocence on the scatfold. The
gallows ia in sn inUlOsure 80 teet squere,l IL
feet high and at tue base Of hill from
which the whole interior is visible, except
the lower portion. Several Thousand
people are present. There is no ipdics-
tinn OF u disturbance. Graft mounted the
soHifold at 05 p. m. He spoke of his
innocence OF the crime. The WITNESSES
agaiost hini, he said, had committed per-
jury. AT tue conclusion OF this he sung
the hymn "Did Christ O'er Sinners
Weep 7" ig clear voice, then prayed,
being followed by Tho Rev. j. p. Pinker-
ton, after which the nuose was affixed aud
the drep tell at l 20. His neck was
broken. AT 1.35 he was dead. The
crowd was orderly.
Ellis Graft il the second OF the trio OF
Ash and murderers to die, the first, Ellis,
having been lyuched, and the third, Neal,
is awaiting retrial. Their crime was
one of the most fearful in its immediate
and subsequeDt cons quenoes ever perle-
trated in Kentucky. 1. was commits
at Ashland on the mar,,ing of Saturday,
December "a h, 1881 Ellis Graft, George
Ellis and William N4a| entered tie house
of the Gibbons family and ettacked
Fanny Gibbons and Emma Thomas,
girls OF IA Robert Gibbons, aged
| II, was about to give the alarm when
| Craft struck him on the head with an
axe, killing him instantly. He then
| 4 ft... =.
| cries of the child for mercy, also killed
her instantly by striking her on the
head with the axe. Neal then killed
Emma Thomas in the same manner. They
then saturated the girls clothing with
oil and set fire tn the house, burning it
to the ground ..5.-
On January 81 following the murder,
George Ellis, who was employed in q
rolling mill near by, confessed to being a
participant and Implicated Graft and
Neat On his statemeat on the same
day Neal ani Craft were arrested.
On January 5th the prisoners were
taken to Ca ettshurg, the county seat of
Boyd county. Early in the morning
people began to arrive, and betors noon
there we're nearly 1000 people from the
outlying districts in Town, including sill
the male p pulation Of Ashland. The
prisoners were hurIiadiy removed, under
a militia esocrs to Riysrton, the in
turiated populace seizing another steam
boat and chasing the SheFitf's boat for
miles.
Two weeks aitsrwGrd Nal and Graft
were tried and sentrnGed to bs hanged on
April l4.h, 1882 Ellis, who turned
S:etr's evidence, was sentenced to the
penitentiary for life. But, on June 3D.,
sCvert. hundred Ashland men came to
Gattulsburg OIL on q Sp-c'ai train, took
Ellis from his cell, placed him on tn.
train, t,ok him back to Ashland and
hanged him op tree that shaded the
ruins Of the Gibbons cottage.
Neal and Graft obtained u stay OF pro-
ceedines and change of venue, and, on
October 30tl were placed on the steamer
Granite State, bound for MayeS lille, and
guarded by 220 State militia. Five miles
bsow Cattlesburg ferryhoa!, crowded
With citizens, stood out TO iptercapt the
Granite STATE. Failing il doing this
those on the ferry boat opened fire, which
was returned by the troop, one Of the
mob being killed and several wounded
On the shore the ire of the troops wes
very severe, the shots passing over thu
fsfry boat, killing five apectators and
woun ling 2l others. Among these was
woman with az intsnt III her arms, whos'
: brains were d4shsd out by s stray shot
Last February Graft WAS tiled a s0eNnf
time, convicted and sentenced to b.
hal ged on Nay 25th. II obtained an
other stAY of Proceedings and the cso'
wa. taken 10 the Court OF Appeals, when
the decision ot tho court helcw va
affirmed On September llth he was re-
sentenced to death. Be steadily pra
tpstDd that Ila wss innocent