National Republican., 1884-08-02
HANGMAN'S WORK.
"BUG" CEPHAS AND ALEXANDER JEFFER.
son SUFFER THE DEATH PENALTY.
Bungllng work at both ENecutions-The
Black Cap Torn on and the Horrible Con-
tortions of Their Features Exposed to View
Three Men Hung for Arson.

hanged to-day for the murder Of Mrs.
Celia Bush Murphy, on the 9TH of April
last, spent quiet night, sleeping soundly
from . o'clock until o'clock this morn
ing, after which he was coscted with his
spiritual advisers. lie alto hearty
breakfast, aud was apparently quite un.
concerned at his approaching end, saying
to the jailer no was prepared for death.
Tho scaiiod was situated in the rear Of
the jail, surrounded by ahigh board fence,
which prevented the execution being seen
except by those within the inclosure.
At 12l0p. M. Cephas was led from his
cell to the scaflold, passing in view of 300
people. lie assembled TO the scaffJld sing
ing Jesus, Lovor of My Soul" and was
accompanied by tho clergyman through
out. He made few remarks, confessing
the crime, aud, prayer being offered, the
black cap was ad justcd, he bade goodby to
mis- attendants, and professed his rcadi-
ness to die. When the sheriff cut the ropo
the cap, not having been securely fastened
on, flew of, exposing his distorted fea-
lures. Tho scene was sickening. Death
resulted In Il few minutes from strangu-
latiou.
Mrs. Bush Murphy was an aged woman,
and lived on asmall farm which she owned,
and performed the greater part of the
labor herself. On the day of the murder she
harncssed her horse to tho cart and went to
the woods for a load of fuel. Cephss, Us we'll
rs many others of her neghborhood, had
an idea that she kept considerable money
in her house, aud he determined to MUIR
der her and obtain the money. Accord
ingly on the morning of the tragedy he
started for her house, and ON the way
provided himself with heavy pine
bludgeon with which to accomplish his
fiendish work. As he approached her
premises ho discovered that she was in
the woods, aud seCreted himself behind
some bushes until sho started for her
home with her load of wood. Az soon Us
she passed ho left his hiding place and,
approaching stealthily, dealt her blow
on the back of tho head, which stunned
her. She cried out, "Will you kill moi"
and hung to the cart with her hands, but
IA second blow caused her to release her
hold, and she fell to the ground. Cephas
then crushed her skull with the club, and
tho blood from her wounds fell on his
clothing. After she was dead he dragged
the body into the woods and pro-
ceeded to her house. Ho found no
money, but took several articles,
among which were some pieces
of soap the discovery of which at his
house led to his arrest. Her husband
from whom she had long been separated,
was suspected at first, but it was clearly
shown that he was not in the neigh bor-
hood at the time and the officers were
several days at loss whore to look for
the murderer. Some expressions dropped
by the wife of Ccphas directed suspicion
against him, and he WAS taken into Gus
tody. He stoutly denied any knowledge
of the murder, and the testimony against
him was entirely circumstantisl. He
was brought to trial ut the May term of
the circuit court of Dorchester county,
and the jury rendered verdict of guilty
as indicted. The law of the state requires
that in all trials for murder the jury,
upon convicting shall name the degree
Of murder, and an application for new
trial, upon the ground of informslity,
was made by his counsel and granted by
| tho court. Early in June he was again
| placed at the bar for trial, and on tho
same day verdict of guilty of murder
in the first degree was rendered, and he
was sentenced to be hanged. The gov
ernor, su bsequently appointed the LIST day
of August for his execution.
Cephas asSnrtad his Innocence of tho
crime for which he was convicted until
the death warrant was read to him. Feel
ing that all hope of escape was gone he
then confessed and declared that he was
alone when he committed the murder.
Cephas was shiitless negro, and lived
| by working occasionally for the white
| farmers in the neighborhood. Mrs. Bush
Murphy was an eccentric old woman, and
had lived all her life on the farm on
which was murdered, holding but little
communication with her neighbors, and
. Il. To- II 4.
the crime was discovered.
NEW YORK, Aug. alexander Jefler-
son, the negro who in jealous rage
killed Henry Hicks and Emma jackson,
also cOlorod, and nearly killed Anna Jack.
son, and slightly wounded his brother,
| Celestial JeiiersOn at Mrs. Jackson's resi-
| dence on Buffalo avenue, Brooklyn, paid
| the penalty OF his crime upon the scatfold
this morning i'll the presence of 400 spec
tators. lie had become quite resigned to
his terrible fate week ago, knowing that
all efforts of his counsel to save him from
the gal ows were unayailing When
asked if he was prepared he replied that
he was. lie slept Tor five hours last night,
and said when he awokc this morning
that lie felt all right He handed the
undersherif IL list of the names of persons
| to whom he wished his photograph
given. Afterward he was visited by
two clerymen, who prayed with him.
He ate his breakfast with evident
relish and then dressed himself in
u new black suit of clothes
presented to him by the sheriff. lie was
kept in cOnyersatiOn by his spiritual ad-
visers up to the hour when he WAS led
out to the scaflold between the two cler-
| gyInen and the moose was placed around
his neck.
Jefferson has claimed all along that at
the time Of the commission of tho crimes
ho was insane, aud therefore was quite
! willing that the surgeons should examine
his brain. Should they find that he was
insane, he said, it would not benefit him
any, but it would yindicate his 10 gyer in
the fight he made for him.
The murders were committed by JeGer-
son on the 2lst of December, 1852.
Before being taken into custody he
shot himself in the head. and it was
thought for long time that he would
die, but eventually recovered.
Whom Jefferson WAS placed under the
gall0ws one of the elergymen said that he
Jefferson had forgiven all his enemies
and had expressed his gratitude to tho
officers Of tho Jail and his counsel The
two clergymen engaged in reli igious SER
vices. Shortly after tho rope was cut and
JeAerson's body shot up into the air. The
Knot slipped round under his chin, and
his neck was not broken. For moment
he was motionless and then he kicked,
| struggled, and grOaned as he slowly
stranglod. by desperate effort he got
his right hand up to the rope and tore the
black from his face, exposing its contor-
tions and his staring eyes, After he toro
the black cap away his hand fell down by
his side Tho cOntortiOns and convul-
sions of his body continued for about five
minutes. Life was pronounced extinct
eight minutes after. The body was sent
to the morgue.
ScoTTsBoRo', ALA, Aug. 1.-Georgo
Smith, Asberry and George Hughes, all
white and under 20 years Of age, were
| hauuo1 hara nj 1 niplnrk to d., rh.,,