The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1888-05-03
THE WAGES OF CRIME.
JACK PRATER AND JASPER DAVIS
HANGED FOR MURDER.

. .
resting better, he said, than any night since
he had been in Jail. This morning the
prisoner said he was prepared to meet his
fate. His brothers-in.law Abner King and
Leard Smith called on Davis this morning
theirs being the first visit from relatives
since his incarceration. The legal wit
nesses (all being physicians except two)
the military guard, composed OF a detach-
ment of the Palmetto Riflemen, constituted
those present. The Rev. Messrs Marshall,
Frierson, Pack and Wightman mlnistered
to the prisoner.
The death warrant was read by the
sheriff at 1890 shrouded In q black robe
the prisoner assisted the officer after which
his hands were fastened behind his back.
On the scaffold the Rev. Mr.. Marshall read
psalm ninety, and prayer. The Rev. Mr..
Frierson pronounced the benediction.
The prisoner being asked If he had any
thing TO say, replied: You all see what l
have come to-take warning" A heavy
sigh was the only sign of emotion. The
trap was sprung at 1850. The prisoners
neck was not broken, and he struggled con.
sidcrably. He was pronounced dead at
1.27. The body was delivered to his
Drother-in law, Smith, for burial
About three hundred curious people,
mostly negroes, gathered outside the en-
closure, but there was no excitement or
disturbance.
HISTORY OF THE CRIME.
Jasper N. Davis, or Japp Davis, as he
was commonly called, was 3S years old
and his wife was about eight years Young.
er. In the spring of 1886 Davis had an at
tack of sickness which effected his mind
and he was sent to the State Lunatic Asy-
lum where he was treated for six months
and then turned out. He was not consid.
cred insane, but his mind was uneven and
1t was believed that the regular diet of the
Asylum would cure him, and TO all ap-
pearances 1t did. Previous to his going TO
the Asylum Davis had treated his wife in a
very brutal manner, had often beaten her
and turned her out of the house During his
stay in the insane institution Mrs Davis had
10 provide for their five little children. She
worked hard and managed TO provide food
ana clothing Tor her helpless lamily. Up
on the return OF DAVIS he refused to do
any work and continued TO maltreat h,s
wife.
Ihe little woman resolved to stand Il no
longer and proposed TO Davis to take care
of herself and children if he would leave
her. This Davis agreed to do, and he
moved few miles away and lived with a
relative named Owens. Mrs Davis, by
the sweat OF her brow, supported her chill
dren and was getting along very well when
her husband, In the summer Of 1885, pro-
posed TO her that they make friends and
hVe together again. This the plucky and
spirited woman refused to do. he re
memuered her husbands brutality and
knew that 1t wouil be repeated If an op.
portunity was offered. Fluding his efforts
IN this direction futile, DAVIS threatened
to kill his wife.
Knowing the nature of the man. and
feaIlng That he might execute his threat
under cuver of darkness. the determined
woman would lock her house in the even
lnSs, take her five children and 90 TO her
prolhers house, which Was quarter of a
mile distant, spend the night Lhele and re-
TURN 10 her little larm every morning. On
friday, September "a, 1856, Davis stole a
gun from DIR. Owens. concealed it in the
WOODS and that evening called at Mr.
Nluores, the brother Of his wife, ano asked
HIM If he could not induce Mrs. Davis to
return to him Moore told him that it was
no use trying, that he had trea,ed his wife
toe ba :ly, but the he could speak 10 her
himself. Davis Then asked Mrs. Davis TO
let him live with her, but she refused He
remained ut the house all uight and left in
the morning at daylight.
Hait hn hour afterwards the Young
mo- with her five little children around
her started lor her home, little DIR, Aiming of
the terrible fate that awaited her, or the
hendish purpose of the villain who had so
sulenly lett her.
IL was bright September morning. the
sun mad just risen ard peace and happiness
seemed 10 reign thoughout the quiet coun
try.
just as The mother and cbil "en reached
portion OF the road where the woods W ele
thick on both sides the clear report Of a
well loaded gun rang out upon the frosty
air, and the next moment five little mothcT.
less children were standing in the lonely
road crying over the body of the woman
who had been taken from them by The
hand Of an assassin.
Ihe people in the county at once arose
ard gave chase to the murderer. If he had
not escaped TO the swamps and concealed
himself Tor two days he would have been
lyhcheu' Al last Davis was captured and
confessed his crime.
On the 9th OF October he was tried. con.
Victed and sentenced to be hanged on No.
Vember o. be plead insanity and all the
argument was made upon that ground but
IL did not work. His attorneys arpealed
to the Supreme Court and that stayed the
execution. The case was before i..e Su
preme Court for fourteen months before its
decision was rendered, and this decision
sustained the lower court In every particu.
lar. r''' WV"
Davis was on March 1st sentenced to be
hanged on the 23d. He asked for further
time, but 1t was not granted. The Gov.
ernor was petitioned for pardon or commu
tation OF sentence without avail. The iu.
ries in South Carolina are too free to allow
the ordinary murderer TO 90 unpunisned.
The man who shoots down another In a
street row Is seldom convicted, but the iu.
ries draw the line at the murderers of
women.
The only two white men who have been
hanged in this State for a number Of wears
have been executed for the murder of
Women--Jasper Davis for shooting his
wife and six months ago young man for
shooting his stepmother.
Hanging OF Jack Prater.
ORANGEBURa, s. O., April 97.-Special |
Jack Prater was hung here today for the
assassination of Andrew Jackson. The
IL