The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1884-07-12
JUGGLING WITH A ROPE.
\ Thousand Spectators Watch Will
son Saunders Dance a dig
On Nothing.

1
Early Friday morning stream of
people commenced to pour into Colfax,
all eager to witness Wilson Saunders
expiate his horrible crime, and by high
noon the crowd numbered full thou
sand or more.
| Saunders, a negro, as all recollect,
brutally murdered Frank H. Page, O
white man, on the 9TH of last May, the
particulars of which are still fresh in
the minds of all. The ferocions on
slaught with a brick, knocking his un-
armed victim senseless, the deliberate
pounding of his head into jelly, and
the browning act of cutting the man.
gled mans throat from ear TO ear with
penknife taken from Mr. Pages own
pocket, are sickening particulars which
Saunders has related within the hear
| ing of fully hundred witnesses who
heard his confessions before and after
his conviction.
At 1910 the prisoner was brought
out of the Jail, with his arms tied be-
hind him, and helped into wagon
drawn Ivy two mules. He was accom-
panied by Deputy s. NJ. Lacroix and
Rev. Felix Boyd, colored. Sheriff
GOOde walked in front of the mules,
and had several special deputies to
walk ut the sides and behind the wa
gon. The gallows being reached, the
prisoner assembled the steps with
firm tread, and took his seat in a char
upon the trap door at 1920. Sheriff
Goode then read the death warrant to
the doomed man, after which he placed
the moose loosely over his neck, while
Deputy Lacroix measured off the al
lowance for the drop and made fast the
other end to the beam overhead.
Some little confusion occurred just at
this time, owing to a number of per-
SONS having made their way within the
rope enclosure which surrounded the
scaffold on all sides at a distance of
thirty feet. The prompt action of the
guards soon restored order Rev. Felix
Boyd then told the assembled multi
tude that Wilson desired their prayers,
and, kneeling upon the trap with the.
prisoner, offered up prayer in his be-
half, the sheriff, deputies and nearly
every one in the crowd also kneeling.
At the conclusion of the prayer, Saun-
ders asked that the entire multitude
join him in silent prayer. He then
knelt upon the trap, with his head
bowed low, while his lips moved
TREMENDOUSLY in whispered prayer,
and the majority of those present again
knelt with him. At the end of three
minutes he stood erect, when the sher-
iff told him he could address the as
sembly, and every body but Deputy
Lacroix walked from the scaffold.
Turning swift glance over the crowd,
Wilson said:
Father receive my spirit to-day.
Don't expect to have much to say, but
want to leave with all of you the truth
Since have been in jail the officers
have been very kindly to me, and
want to leave my praise for them.' Mr..
Sam Lacroix, the Jail keeper, treated
me as well as could be treated. He
has kept me as a gentleman. May the
Lord bless him in this life and receive
his spirit in the next. / give my body
to the clay for the crime that have
committed and hope Jesus may receive
my spirit to-day. God bless Mr.. La
croix and Mr.. Cunningham. Whisky
has brought me to this, and say to
all young men of my class to lay it
down. would not have done what l
did if it had not been for whisky. This
is an example of what it will do. Fare
we'll, friends, here below, and prepare
to meet poor Wilson Saunders where
there will be no parting of the con-
gregation. Farewell! Farewell
He turned to Deputy Lacroix with q
slight bow, as if to signify that he was
through, whereupon that officer quick
~ threw the black cap over his head.
frightened the knot close under his ear
and signaled that all was in readiness
by dropping his handkerchief. With
| a quick, nervous stroke, Sheriff Goode.