The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1885-05-15
FOR WIFE MURDER.
Moses Cation Suffers the Extreme Penalty
at Morganfield, KY, and Dies Protesting g
His Innocence--His Last Hours.

Moses Cation Suffers the Extreme Penalty
at Morganfield, KY, and Dies Protesting
His Innocence-His Last Hours.
MoRGANFIELD, KY, May 9.-At an
early hour Thursday evening crowds be-
gan to gather from Webster, Union and
Henderson Counties to witness the hang
ing of Moses Cation, the wife-murderer,
and those who could not get lodgings
camped out on vacant lots and wherever
a resting-place could be found. Up to the
time of the execution Yesterday, large
crowds were coming from every direc-
tion, many of them by river, includlnga
large crowd of excursionists from down
the river. Others came in by rail aaa by
every other conceivable conveyance, until
fully 5000 people were blocking the
streets.
1t had been intended to have the execu-
tion private, but the people from this and
adjoining counties declared that it should
be public, and that If wall was built
around the scaffold it would be torn
down. In view of the strong public feel
ing upon the subject, the original plan
was abandoned and the scaffold was
erected on the lot back of and In sight of
the jail where Cation and his sons were
confined.
Up to dark Thursday night the mur-
derer had shown no repentance; on the
contrary, he had been stubbornly
defiant and had fully determined to kill
himself before the fatal day arrived.
For several days he had refused to eat.
Thursday night, about nine O'Clock, he
tod thot he ~ DAfv n
Methodist clergyman of Uniontown, be
to the request, and had lengthy inter.
view with the doomed man. In
his statement he declared himself
| innocent of the murder with
which he is charged, and for which his
life is to be taken. He denied killing his
| wife, and said he swouldn't lie about II
now" He said he felt no malice toward
any one, and was perfectly willing to die
that he felt his sins were forgiven, and
that he had made his peace with God
| that, though perfectly innocent of having
| killed his wife, he was resigned to
his fate, and that 1t was all right
for the future; that he was sure of goine
| to Heaven. He also expressed wist
that he might be buried in his old clothes
so-that. satan might know him when he
came across him.
| At late hour he retired and rested
well until called yesterday morning to
| partake of breakfast and be prepared fol
the execution. When breakfast wa.
brought him, he ate piece of beefsteak
one roll and and drank cup of coffee.
At 12:45 p. m. religious services wert
held in the jail, but during the Who'll,
time Cation remained stolidly quiet ant
took no part In what was going on.
After the services were concluded thu
prisoner was led out of the Jail by thu
| jailer and an armed escort. He walked
to the gallows firmly and mounted to hi
place on the trap without hesitation. H,
was If he had anything to say, when h
replied: "No."
Everything passed off quietly, thougl
the hanging was witnessed with relish b,
an outraged populace. The moose wa
adjusted at three minutes past on
O'Clock, and the trap was sprung tw,
minutes later. The body shot downwar
distance of eight feet, breaking tn
neck instantly. Twenty minutes afte
his body was cut down and given over t.
the charge of his brother, who came her
to receive it. The farewell scene be
tween Cation and his son was yer
touching.