St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-01-16
Three Missourians, Louisianian and a
Texan Reach Eternity at the
End of Rope.
Wilson, on the Gallows at st. Louis
Makes Frantic Attempt to
Release Himself.
<cpps, the Indiana Murderer, Has An
Uncomfortably Narrow Escape
From Being Lynched.
Cough Experience of a Chicago Girl
Tramps Beat a Farmer
Insensible.
A Busy GaIIOws Day.
Special to the Globe.

preacher and man of great religious and
political influence among the colored people
of this West CarrolD parish, was hanged
here to-day for the murder Of his paranour,
Peggy Johnson, the leading sister in the
elders congregation. In May, 1882, George
charged Peggy with stealing $50 from him.
She agreed TO return the money, but becom-
ing enraged at the delay he shot her three
times, instantly killing her. George fled to
Arkansas and from there went to Texas,
where he was captured just a year ago.
George assembled the scaffold at 1925 p.
N. BE presented a fine specimen of col
Ored manhood, being six feet in height and
very muscular. He appeared perfectly
possessed and his face bore quiet smile.
After religious services George delivered a
rambling speech for fifteen minutes, the
burden of which was that he was bound
heavenward. He acknowledged that he
1 felgned insanity during the trial, and at the
last moment he cried out: II did kill
! Peggy Johnson" AS the rope was being
adjusted, he laughed aloud as if in defiance
of his doom. The drop fell at 1880, and
in twelve minutes he was dead. his neck
having been broken. From some cause his
throat was gashed and blood was spattered
all around. After the customary inquest
Sc the body was buried in the Jail yard.
George was SO years old. He lived in
Vicksburg from 1866 TO 1870, and took an act
i've part in the political trouble i'm Warren
county, Miss He went to Kansas in 1873
with others as a pioneer emigrants from Lou
isiana, but returned here in 1873. He was
pension agent, and he preached that he would
be a leader of his race.
SEEN BY TEN THOUSAND.
NEVADA, Mo-, Jan. 15.-Henry c. Stair
was visited by his father about O'Clock
. last night. after which he spent most of the
time writing until o'clock this morning.
when he went to sleep. He awoke at S:15
and partook of light repast, after which
he was shaved. Large crowds of people
surged through the streets all the morning,
tramping between the jail and the gallows,
which is erected in a ravne forming a ma
tural amphitheatre, about mile from the
gail. Stair spoke from the scatfold for half
an hour, protesting his innocence and the
innocence of the woman implicated, saying
they were victims of circumstances. The
drop fell at II M, and in fifteen minutes
the body was pronounced lifeleSs and turned
over to his father. who will take it to Mar
shall county, Indiana, tonight for inter
ment Ten thousand people witnessed the
execution.
Stair and Nanette Osborn came to Nevada
last July from Fort Scott. Kan, and opened
a laundry, representing themselves as man
and wife. Shortly after their arrival Jacob
Sewell and his son, 16 years old, with two
wagons, four horses and some other prop
erty, also came here from near Fort Scott and
went into camp near town. Stair and Sewell
were slightly acquainted and Stair made fire.
quent visits to Sewels camp. The elder
Sewell was taken lex and was compelled to
keep his bed i'm a wagon, and he was looked
Osborn
was during these visits that Stair laid the
p!an TO murder the SewelPs, take their teams
and property and start to his former home
somewhere in Indiana. On the night Of
Aug. Stair and the woman went to Sewell's
camp, and after a short visit returned
home about midnight. Stair made
a second visit, and finding both
the Sewells asleep, killed them with an axe,
and placed the bodies in wagon and covered
them with bedclothes. He then went after
the woman and they started for town, Stair
driving the wagon containing the bodies and
the woman the other one. On arriving at
their house they filed the wagons with their
furniture and started to the Marmaton river
bottom about five miles away, where Stair
buried the bodies. They attracted the atten-
ton of some men at work, who next day dis
covered the bodies. Stair and the woman
were captured about twenty miles distant
They were lodged in jail, and at the term of
court were tried and both convicted of muir
hanged together. a stay of execution, how
ever, was granted in the woman's case, and
she was granted new trial.
A SCENE OF HORROR.
ST. LOUIS, Jan. 15.-Charles Wilson,
colored, was hanged at 7:42 o'clock to-day
After the trap had been sprung the body for
a moment remained motionless and there
was enacted a scene of horror which chilled
the blood of all who witnessed it. Two
doctors, one on either side, were each hold
ing wrist, when the violent cOntOrtiOns of
the hanging figure shot them aside, and be-
fore they could regain their hold upon the
man, whose actions showed that he was in
full possession of consciousness of all that
was going on, he made frantic struggles to
release himself. His right hand shot up,
clutched the rope and held it firmly. 1t
seemed as if the man must die by slow de-
greeS from strangulatiOn, but one of the
doctors succeeded in dlSengaging the hand,
and in short time the body hung lifeless
corpse.
On a trip of the steamer Fannie Tatum up
the river. when near Chester, H., Wilson, who
was deck hand, had dispute with w. A.
David, second mate, the latter accusing him
OF Sinking his work. The dispute was
terminated by the mate, who knocked Wilson
down with heavy stick of wood, the blow
leaving scar upon his forehead, which still
remains. The negro then demanded his pay
for two days work, which the mate refused
to give him. When the steamer arrived at
this city Wilson again demanded his paw and
the mate refused it and drove him from the
boat Shortly afterwards while Wilson was
talking 10 some of the boats crew on the
levees David approached and ordered Wilson
to leave and is said to have made a move as if
to draw pistol, whereupon Wilson threw a
rock at him, hitting him and knocking him
down. He then threw another rock. which
hit Daniel on the head, crushing his skull
from the effects of which he died that night
CONFESSED HIS CRIME.
BELLEvILLE, Mo-, Jan. l5-Noah Mer-
ram. the wife murderer, was hanged to-day
at 1925. He confessed the crime. He
also confessed the killing of woman ped
dler in East st. Louis six years ago, whose
name he would not reveal. He walked
with firm step to the gallOws. and after
praying a short time his legs and arms were
pinioned and the black cap put over his
head. This ordeal he stood without finch
ing, but while the moose was being adjusted
about his neck he fell in dead faint and it
required three men to put him in position
over the trap. The trap was then sprung
and the man died in twelve minutes, after
suffering the most terrible agonies.
DONE THROUGH JEALOUSY.
BEAUMONT, Tex, Jan. 15.-William
Madison colored, was hanged here to-day
for the murder of Albert Smith, colored.
last summer. The cause OF the crime was
jealousy.