The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-01-26
A BIG DAY ON THE GIBBET
TWO HANGINGS IN GEORGIA AND
SEVERAL ELSEWHERE.

Blackman Swung OF at ElIaville for
the Murder of S. J. Tondee, Who
Once Lived in savsnnah-Ed Fry
Pays the Penalty for Killing His
Wife.
FLLAvTLLE, GA, Jan. 25.-Sherif Allen
arrived here with Charles Blackman on a
special train at O'Clock this morning and
carried him to the Jail Blackman on his
arrival SAID: II have got no confession to
make. I did not xiii Mr.. Toadee and l
don't know Anything about il. can't com
pose my mind to write aud can't eat any
breakfast will be "A years old in March.
/ was born il Macon county,
Rev. Flanders white offered prayer in
the jail for the CONDEMNED man. Blackman
said: II have made peace with my God. l
feel perfectly willing to meet God. l did
not sleep last night. could not sleep"
READING The DEATH WARRANT.
At - o'clock this noon in the jail the
death warrant was read TO the condemned
man bv Sheriff Allen.
The ORDER of Gov. Gordon was then read,
that the execution should take place on Jau.
25 and also the telegram from the Gov
terfere with the execution OF the death sent
ence.
TO TIE GALLONS.
Blackman seated on his coffin was driven
70 the gallows. On arriving there Black
man assembled the steps assisted by the
sheriff Rev. Charles Spivey (colOred on
the gallows sang And am / born to die
and lay this body down" Blackman joining
in the singing.
BIS LAST SPEECH.
Blackman spoke as follows on the gal
lows!
FELLOW CIrTzESs-This is the last time you
will hear my voice in this foreground Of sor-
row. / die to-day an innocent Iman. / will soon
make nv peace with nv God. Prosecutions are
over within this world My lawyers have done
all they could in my behalf, BY the will Of God
am willing to 60
After prayer by Rev. Spivey the black
cap was pulled over the head of the CON
demned man, and the rope adjusted by the
sheriff. Blackman said: 1T will smother
men
The sheriff said: "You have one minute.
Blackman then said: Farewell TO this
world
The trigger was pulled at ! o'clock, and
Blackman's soul was launched into eternity.
In nineteen and oue-half minutes life was
pronounced extinct by Drs. Clancy and
Smith.
The body was cut down and placed in a
pine coffin.
STORY OF THE CRIME.
The following is history of the crime:
On Sept 5, 1885, S. j. Tondee a young man
about % years old, and a son Of Charlie
Tondee, Sr., one Of the oldest and most re-
spected citizens Of Schley county, was shot
in the back while he was standing at a desk
making an entry of the days sales in the
store of J. T. Carter, for whom he Crondee)
was clerking. There were several parties in
the store at the time s. j. Tondee had his
back toward back door. Blackman slipped
up near the door in the dark and fired.
Three buckshot struck Tondee, and ranged
near his heart. Tondee cried out, "Oh
Lordy Oh Lordyl ! am dead man. and
ran to the front door and fell into the street
and expired in few minutes. Suspicion
pointed to Charles Blackman. He
was arrested and an inquest held
over the body of Tondee, and the
verdict of the coroner's jury was against
Blackman. On Oct. 5, 1885, Blackman was
placed on trial. He was convicted of muir
der without being recommended to mercy
of the court. The case was carried to the
supreme court, and Blackman was granted
a new trial on the ground that counsel
should be allowed time to prepare their case
Blackman was again put on trial in Sep
TENDER, 1886, and was again convicted
without being recommended to murcy of the
court after three days trial. Blackman
moved for continuance of the case on this
trial on the grounds Of absent wit "esSes by
whom he swore he could prove an abb The
court had the witnesses brought into court
and Blackman refused to use them, and the
prosecutor commented on this fact which
comments were objected 10 by defendants
counsel. The court overruled the obiec-
ha "a tn Ia Gil
preme court and new trial granted on the
ground that the court erred in allowing
counsel to comment on the action of the pris-
ouer. Blackman was again put on trial in
July, 1887, and was again convicted without
being recommended to the mercy of the
court, and the supreme court affirmed the
verdict of the jury and Blackman was to
have been hanged last October, but the
governor respited him sixty days and then
respited him again. Blackman was con
victed on circumstantial evidence. The
motive for the killing was Jealousy.
S. j. Tondee was justice of the peace and
held court on the day he was killed at
night. Tondee was favorite with every
body. He was kind and obliging and made
friends. His father, Charlie Tondee, died
last September in the S4th year of his age.
His only wish was that he might live to see
Blackman hanged. He was the father of
twenty-five children. He once lived in Sa-
vannah and kept a hotel, which fact is
mentioned in whites History Of Georgia.