The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1884-05-03
HE PULLED HEMP!
VIM. Brooks Publicly Execu-
ted in the Jail Yard for
the Murder of Ma
ry Brooks.
A Large Crowd Witness
the Execution.
Brooks Last Words-He Acknowl-
edges the Crime and Bids
all Friends Fare.
well.
SCENES AND INCIDENTS CONCERN
ING THE HANGING,
ETC, ETC.

around the jail, the place where
the execution was to take place, i,
crowds of fifteen, twenty and more
eager to see, hear and know every.
thing concerning the colored man,
VIM. Brooks, who, in a few hours
would give up his life on the gal.
lows, for the murder committed in
October, 1888. (The scafold used
was the same on which Sam Tray.
ers had been hanged, which had
been placed in one of the upper
rooms OF the Court House, and on
Thursday last was taken to the j all
yard and placed in position.) Many
were the Explanations heard, and
many the questions propounded and
answered yesterday from 9 o'clock
until about l, the time when Depu-
ty Sheriff Smith admitted the crowd
into the Jail yard.
Some thought the rain, which
commenced in torrents early in the
morning, and continued the day
through out (but slackened some
what as the hour approached for
the execution) would defer the
scene so shortly to be enacted in
fall view of so many people; some
argued that the time was too late.
and that it should take place earl
er; whilst others did not care at
what honr the execution would be,
just so they saw it.
We are not straying far from the
path Of truth when we assert that
many who witnessed the hanging
yesterday, had come, and that too,
IN the rain, many miles on horse
back, from distant localities through
out the Parish; some even hailing
from Grant and Avoyelles Parishes.
The same proves conclusively the
morbid and almost unnatural desire
Of poor mortals here below, and
goes far to prove what oftentimes
has been said said of members of
The human family.
Brooks was christened about /
o'clock in the morning, after the
leavy shackles, placed on him
some two or three days ago, had
aeen removed by the blacksmith, /
md he was allowed the privilege Of
'oming into the hall Of the Jail, |
where, he might breathe the pure
'ir. Whether he saw the galIows
n the back yard on which, three
hours later, his lifeless body would
'ang, is a question we are at pres
mt unable to answer let US hope
hat he did not, for, taken together
nth, the thousand and one horrible
thoughts that naturally ran through
is brain since his death sentence;
5as already severe punishment.
After being christened by Rev.
'ather Menard, he received in a
hi'd-like manner the many words
I cheer and consolation uttered by
he most. aeVopt and holy, priest. u
lev. "A. NJ: Newman (colorea) also
listed Brooks, and administered
or'ls of consolation.
At p. m: the crowd. numbering
: least two kindred and fifty were
flowed to come inside the .jailyard,
ON off the street, where they stood
Ike so NARY packed safdines and
le hurried and almost impatient
amer in which they surrounded
lie scaffold,, was truly appalling.
ere they stood IN breathless ST.,
nee until S minutes. past ons, the
me when the rope was placed in I
'sition and the trap door made
ady. Five minutes later Sheriff.
a q assembled the steps, and after ]
little. hesHancy. on reaching theil
P Of the stairway walked. in the
III of the Jail, from which he |
ortly afterwards came out with I
rocks. Sheriff Paul was on the 6
# and Deputy Sheriff james on {