Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1884-06-11
CARRIERS EXECUTION.
Singing and Praying on the Scat

Singing ana Praying on the Seal
fold.
From Pittsburgh Com-Gazette, June A.
The execution of Jesse Carter yes
terday in the jail yard was most i'm
pressive He died protesting his inno-
cence of completely in the murder of
John Foster, and demonstrating entire
confidence in his acceptance to AL
mighty God as a Christian. His last
night in Jail he spent very restlessly,
writing letters until midnight and toss
ing about in bed the balance of the
night. He arose at 7 O'Clock in the
morning and ate substantial break
fast. Rev. Lewis was with him most
of the morning praying and singing
with him, and during these services
his legal counsel, Messrs. Davis and
Hunter, were also present. By Car
ter's own request none of his relatives
were permitted to see him. He dreaded
the parting with them.
BIDDING HIS FAREWELL.
In the Jail yard there were not more
than twenty spectators, outside of the
| doctors, officials and reporters. With
out the walls Ross street was throng-
ed with a motley crowd of people.
Sheriff McCallin, with bevy of depu-
ties, brought the condemned man out
at 1875 O'Clock A. NJ. For a mo-
ment Carter stood at the foot of the
scaffold gulping in the free air from
which he had so long been kept, and
gazing on the clear sky. Then, accom-
panied by Rev. Mr.. Lewis, he ascend
ed the stairs firmly.
He had previously asked permission
to sing and pray On the scaffold, and he
was told that his wish should be COM
piled with. After he had taken his
position he repeated his assertion of
his innocence. "If not afraid to die,"
he continued, "but it is hard to think
of being brought here when innocent.
| hope the good God will forgive those
who brought me here as | do now"
His voice was tremulous while giving
utterance to these remarks, but when
he commenced to sing Farewell to the
World" it grew full and strong, and he
seemed to throw his full force into it.
He then delivered an earnest prayer,
committing his soul to God, expressing
hope in the glorious immortality and
earnestly invoking blessings for the
Sheriff, who had an unpleasant duty
to perform, and for his counsel for their
untiring efforts in his behalf He clos
ed by pleading that his soul be receiv-
ed into heaven. He then bade good
bye to those on the scaffold, bowed to
those present, and then whispered to
the Sheriff that he was ready.
THE EXECUTION.
The white cap was drawn over his
head, and he seemed to nerve himself,
but not culver was perceptible. At
two minutes before IL the drop fell At
the end OF one minute the pulse show
ed GA beats; at two minutes, IS; at
three 60, and before the end of the sixth
minute it was imperceptible At the
end of six and one-half minutes the
medical staff, pronounced life extinct.
1t was supposed that the neck was
broken, and the death was not attend
ed with any unusual muscular convuls-
ions.
HIS STATEMENT
During the morning Carter dictated
the following to his counsel:
"Sol Coulson offered rne money if |
would swear that George Jones shot
Foster. Everybody at that time said
that Babe Jones did the shooting
Coulson further told me that | could
60 free and he even went so far as to
get George Waters to come into the
lookup with bottle of gin and black
berry to see if he could make me drink.
| threw the bottle against the cell and
broke it. | would not say it because |
never saw it. Sol Coulson said to me:
Jesse, if you do not say it I'll lay this
murder to you / uttered an oath and
he got mad at me. / had told him that
John Foster and were good friends,
and we were. / had asked to see Fos-
ter and he would not letme. This was
after | was locked up. AS | under
stood it, John Hughes and were com
mitted to Jail in order to hold US as
witnesses against Jones. Mayor Lyon
came to the lookup where | was and
asked me my name, where / lived and
where | worked. | told him that |
lived on Tunnel street, worked in the
Keystone iron works and was going to
work on the following Monday morn
ing The Mayor then said we can let
Carter go, we can find him whenever
we want him. Sol Coulson then call
ed the Mayor aside and | overheard
him say, we had better keep Garter,
he knows q good deal about these
negroes, and l will get it out of him.
| then said / know no more than have
told you, and / then and there told the
Mayor / was present with Jones when
the revolver was purchased, but that /
did not know who shot Foster until
Foster himself told me that Jones did
it. JESSE HENRY CARTER.
REV. A. LEWIS,
Attest II. H. DAVIS,
j. z. HUNTER
The following letter, spelling correct
ed. was also written by him TO his
lawyers.
PITTSBURGH JAIL, June 2, 1884.
II. ii. Davis and J. Hunter, Esqs.
SIRs-I, knowing this to be my
last night upon earth have this to say,
Which are my dying words: am inno-
cent, and although / am to die, feel
sure | am going home to Heaven L
ask you TO please follow me, not to the
scaffold, but to meet me in Heaven.
In my statements to you have told
you the truth. l always said | was
with Jones when he bought the revol-
yer, but did not know what he bought
it for. | doa't believe Jones told any
body knew he was going to shoot
my friend; oh, no, can't believe it.