Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-01-26
straneIed to Death.

special to the Gazette.
CAMERON, TEX, Jan. 25.-Charles
McGin, convicted of the murder of VIII
lie Leonard, paid the death penalty to-
day. The scaffold was erected in the Jail
corridor and the execution was private,
as the law directs Rev r. K Mosely
has been with McGin frequently since his
conviction, and was with him some time
time before the final act to-day. McGil
steadfastly denied his guilt and said upon
the scaffold to-day that he did not kin
Willie Leonard and knew nothing about
the murder. McGil was brought from
his cell at l 10 'clock p. m. and placed
upon the seaffold. The reading of the
death warrant reading from the Scrip
lures and prayer occupied ten minutes
The adjusting of the rope and
cap and McGin's farewell words,
which were a denial of
his guilt occupied about five minutes.
At 1:25 p. IN. Sheriff Lewis cut the cords
securing the trap, and McGiH dropped
into the unknown future. Tine fall was
eight feet, and although the rope was
carefully adjusted by Sheriff Lewis, the
fail did no break McGiIl IS neck, as the
rope was turned by the fall. After
hanging fifteen minutes McGill was pro-
nounced dead by the attending physi-
clans, and his remains were cut
down and placed IN a neat coffin for
burial. The execution was conducted in
very steady and business-like manner,
and Sheriff Lewis or his deputies showed
no nervousness or excitement. McGill
was apparently as composed as any actor
or spectator in the trag scene. 1t is about
thirty years since any other legal hanging
has occurred in Milan county. Although
1t was raining, and it had been published
that the execution would be private, a
crowd of about $50 country people came
in and watched the execution through
the -feet-thick walls Of the jail.
Charles McGiIl was rather a brutal
looking negro of about thirty-five years.
The history of his crime is about as fol-
lows: His victim, Willie Leonard, boy
about fifteen years of age, was the son of
James Leonard, who lives near Bryan,
Brazos county. Willie left home June
10, 1887. went to Hearne and remained
two or three days. He was next seen on
the railroad near Cause, in Milan
county, in company with Charles McGill
on June Is, 1887 On June 10 Willie
Leonard was found dead near the railroad
in pool of water, his head crushed.
He had probably left the
railroad to get a drink of water
from the water nOI6S ana Whlle lying
down drinking had been struck in the
head with fish plate and killed McGilI
was arrested in "A day or two and the evil
dence against him was quite conclusive.
McGill had in his possession many arti-
cles known to have belonged to Willie |
Leonard. McGill was tried in this county |
in November, 1897, and the evidence was |
so strong that the jury promptly con- |
vlcted him and assessed the death |
penalty. McGill appealed to the |
court of appeals which affirmed |
the judgment of the lower court |
McGin was sentenced in December, |
1888. He received sentence with great |
Indifference and has been as careless and /
Indifferent as any of the prisoners ever
since until the 23d, since which date he
has been rather restless. He professed |
religion and said he was going straight |
TO heaven. The execution was private,
taking place in the jail. McGilI evil
IDENTIFY meant TO make speech from the
gallows and seemed rather hurt that the
execution was private.