Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-04-27
FOWLER HANGED.
Union county's Second Execution
Within a Year.

Robert Silas Fowler, the murderer
of Miss Ida Burnett, paid the penal
ty Of his crime on the gsllows in the
county Jail yard at Morganfeld, Fri
day morning. Contrary TO the ex-
pectation of many he met death
bravely, During the last few days
Fowler became very penitent, devot-
ing the greater portion of his time to
prayer and Bible-reading, Thursday
evening the doomed man made full
statement, confessed having commit
ted the crime and gave the parlicu.
lars to Mr.. Curry, the jailor, VIM
Hanger, the marshal, and Mr.. Ches'
ter Long, his attorney, on the condi'
ton that it should not be made pub
lie until tomorrow. AT 8 O'Clock
his wife appeared in the Jail with 8
new suit of clothes for him and as
sisted him to prepare for the execu'
ton.
Promptly at 10 o'clock the town
bell commenced tolling and Sheriff
Blue read the death warrant TO the
prisoner and at 10:l0 the doomed
man under guard assembled the scat
fold which was situated in the south
corner of the jail yard. He took his
position over the trap-door and the
sheriff pinioned his hands and feet
Sheriff Blue then asked him il he had
anything to say. lie replied:
gentleman, l am guilty and de-
serve punishment. have given a
full statement in black and white tC
Mr.. Curry, but want to say thai
there was some men who swOrt
point-blank lies against me at my
trial -.-
At this remark a number Of the
crowd asked who they we're, and he
gave the following names: Jack
Hill, Harry Fellows, Henry Poe
Marion Whitledge and j. w. Taylor
There being no minister present, Mr.
John Kelley read prayer in behalf
of the unfortunate man, according tC
the Catholic rites, following the pray
er by few remarks, and closed by
pinning a small piece of palm branch
OH the lapel of his coat. The sheriff
then adjusted the rope around Fow
ler's neck, placed the black cap ovel
his head and pulled the lever. Tit
trap fell at 1921. The doomed mai
dropped straight down, breaking hi
neck, the rope being stretched to it
fullest extent and snapped in two al
though 1t were a mere cord. The
guards near the gallows Immediately
picked up the body and held 1t in po
sition until the rope was again tiet
to the beam. DIR. langley and DIR
Bell pronounced him dead at 10 :28
At 1851 the body was lowered
placed in its coffin and sent to Fow
ler's father, who lives near Boxvill,
in Union county.
On the 7th of last May, the day be
fore the execution of Moses Cation
Fowler danced jig on the gallow
and said: "Well, within twenty
four hours Cation will be in hell /;
and a short time after the execution
he mounted the gallows and remark
ed, "Wno in the hell will be the mex
one ?" |tt.
The execution was witnessed b.
fully 5000 people. A great many O
the people were Fowler's forme
ncighbors.
Fowler was "a years old and was
very large man weighing 240 pounds
He was a low, brutal fellow. Ii
had proposed marriage to Miss Bun
nett and was rejected. lie afterwar
married her aunt and took up a grea
aversion to Miss Burnett. When
was announced that she was soon t
marry james Hall a young man c
1 the neighborhood, he swore he woul
kill her first, and he overlook her j
the woods on August IL, 1885, drag
ged her from her horse into thickC
and cut her throat. Her body wa
found next day, and he was arrested
lie was convicted in September, bu
the execution was delayed by appea
ing to the Court Of Appeals.