Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-12-30
JOE RATHER HANGED. y
Fl
Three Thousand People Witness ghe5
ExecutiOn-His Warming.
He Killed His Wife and Pays the DeatlbPeH
alty-Shelby Countys First Legal HaEsSsgS &
Since Back in 184O 49, ssss
Special to the Gazette.

Special to the Gazette.
CENTER, Tex. Dec. 29.-Joe Rather,
colOred was hanged here yesterday for the
murder of his wife about one year ago.
He met his doom with the utmost COM
posure. While not absolutely declining
to receive spiritual advice, he expressed
no desire for any. He was very black
typical African, about thirty years old
and of average intelligence.
For some weeks previous to the COM
mission of the offense he and his wife had
not been living happily together, al
though what was the cause is unknown.
1t is rumored, however. that it was the
wife S infidelity. On the night of the
murder they attended a dance together
some distance from their residence. At
ter arriving they quarreled about a
trivial affair, and he, after threatening
to kill her, ordered his wife to go home.
She obeyed, and in an hour he followed
also, being accompanied by kinsman
who wished to get some mOlasses.
Joe, after calling for light,
at the door of Mr.. James Armour, on
whose place he lived, went to his own
house, procured his gun, and after COM
planning that some one at the dance had
1lISIIGdLtu ullil Iulltu dIOluu III Iilt
door where he was standing and coolly
leveled his gun at his wife, who was in
bed, and fired, tearing off the top of
her head. He fingered about for few
minutes, then he took his gun and going
back to the dance told several that he
had killed Nelley, his wife. No one
offered to modest him, and he escaped
into Tyler county, where six weeks after
wards he was arrested, brought back,
and at the next term of the court he was
indicted, tried and convicted Having
appealed, the Judgment of conviction
was affirmed. The kinsman was also
indicted, tried and acquitted.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
Special to the Gazette.
CENTER, TEX, Dec 2S.-Joe Rather
was hung here to-day at AS CLOCK p.
NJ, for the murder of his wife, Whey,
on the 9th of January last. He emerged
from the jail hand-cuffed to Sheriff Sims
carelessly smoking cigar and walked to
the scaffold, quarter of mile distant,
with firm tread which he maintained,
and in clear dispassonate voice spoke
to the 5000 people there, advising them to
forsake their ways of wickedness and to
meet him in heaven. He specially ad
vised the colored women to eschew
festivals. 1t was at fes-
val where the quarrel with
his wife commenced which ended
in her death. He stated that if the wo-
men would stay away the men would.
He also told his people to forsake card
playing and horse racing, and expressed
the hope that Joe Rather would be the
last negro hung in Shelby county, that
he did not dread his fate, that his sins
were forgiven and that he was going to
heaven.
The black cap having been placed on
him he bid all farewell, and the
trigger having been sprung, he
fell thirteen feet, breaking his
neck and dying in nine minutes. He
expressed desire to be buried beside his
dead wife. His courage never fOrsook
him. He attributed his crime to whisky.
This is the first legal hanging in Shelby
eaIlnty since 1SAoaand Will prove good
sgesults. Joe pfeffssed religion and was
Mptised by i5saersion on Christmas day.
= s.Tosssz tood Pilhs5aor constellation of the
bl9gsg scgssa ssekals in IN; sssEferms. 1nvesti-
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