Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1885-06-20
BILL MORROW
ExPIATES HIS CRIME UPON THE
GALLONS.
Full Details Of the Execution and an
Account Of the Crime for which
He was Hung.

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(Friday) at 2 O'Clock at the County
Jail for the murder of Dick Overton
colored, in August, 1883.
The gallows was erected to the rea-
of the front portion of the Jail in a
narrow alley between the dining room
of the old Jail and the new portion OF
the building. 1t Was completely shut
off from all external view, the open
space towards the river being walled
up with plank. The platform OF the
gallows was g. feet wide, (the distance
between the walls,) and is feet long.
1t was 16 feet from the ground. The
drop allowed the body of the con-
demned man was 6 feet. An under
platform was erected about feet be-
low the upper one, and the feet of the
party executed were, therefore, about
twofeet from the floor thus formed
when the drop had been made.
The prisoner, who was confined IN
the upper portion of the new Jail, was
brought down the front stairs and
carried through the private apart
ments of the jailor at the rear door Of
which was short stairs of about half
dozen steps leading up on the gallows.
The hole through which the body
fell was about three feet from the end
OF the gallows towards the river, and
large enough to give a perfectly free
passage.
When Morrow received the news
last Friday that the Governor refused
to interfere in his case, and that the
sentence of the court must be carried
out,the stoicism he had hitherto evinced
gave way and he exhibited considera-
bic emotion. He was very much af-
fected when any allusion was made to
his family.
His wife and her mother, Mrs. Ham
brio, returned from Nashville by boat
Wednesday morning, whittier they
had gone on fruItless effort to induce
the Governor to interfere in his behalf
They staid with him in the cell We'd
nesday and left Thursday morning.
The final parting between Morrow and
his wife was very affecting. He fell
on his bed and gave way completely to
the agAy of grief and despair. But
he recovered himself shortly, and dur
ing the day was in better spirits than
he had been since the announcement
that there was no hope OF commuta-
ton of the sentence.
No one had been allowed to see him
during the past week except Rev. DIR.
Sears, his counsel, Michael Savage,
Esq. Mr.. Polk Johnson, who has taken
a very active interest in his behalf, one
or two very intimate friends, and
the members of his immediate family.
The j,il yard had been kept free of
visitors, and no one allowed within
the building without a special permit
from Judge Tyler.
Bill Morrow is Il man OF large frame
and six feet high. Before his confine-
ment in Jail he weighed two hundred
pounds and had no superfuous flesh.
lie is hardly up to the average in in
and it is the general opinion
that in the commission OF the murders
he confessed he was tool OF other par
ties who did the planning.
He didn't rest well Thursday night
not getting to sleep till 2 o'clock, when
he got short nap, and after waking,
slept no more till after day. He ate no
whatever, and for dinner on
ly two small pieces of cherry and mo-
lasses pie and drank a glass of milk.
He bore himself with remarkable for
titude through Friday morning, show
ing little or no trepidation. He bus
led himself between 10 and IL O'clock
in writing the following
LETTER TO HIS WIFE.