The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-05-11
BUTCHERY ON A GIBBET.
THE HANGING OF TIE BALD KNOB
BEERS HORRIBLY BUNGLED.

Stretching and Breaking of the Ropes
Resulted in the orture of the Ill
Fated Trio-The Last Hours in jail
Spent in Rating, Praying and Sleep
ing.
ST. LOUIS, May 10.-A special from
Ozark, No, to the Post Dispatch says the
carpenters gave the scafTold its h4ishing
touches last evening.
| Will am Walker was baptized at o'clock
last night bv permission in a bath basip
carried into the Jail. The scene was very
affecting. John Matthews made long
prayer, which could be distinctly heard in
the street.
The prisoners ate their supper with as
much relish as usual and appeared very
quiet, except Matthews, who was taking
his fate very hard He passed a restless
! night. praying at short intervals, asking
the Lord to give Lin strength to go through
the ordeal and claiming that he was a mar
! tyr. He did not sleep over two hours dur
ing the night The two Walkers retired
| about II O'clock, went to sleep and did not
wake until after 4 o'clock. They stated
| that they rested we'll. They were up
early and ate their breakfast at the usual
| hour.
ARMED GUARDS.
The jail yard was full of guards armed
| with Winchester, shotguls and revolve s.
a were in charge of Capt G. w.
| Taylor, who was foreman of the grand
| jury which indicted the Bald Knobbers.
| Matthews wife and mot or came in last
| evening and several others of his relatives
| were here.
Divi Q services were opened in the Jail a.
| 1880 o'cl ok this morning, conducted by
| Rsvs. Thomas HAMS, ID. E Graystons ami
T. B. Horne, assisted by few christian
| ladies. Matthews took part in the services
and delivered an earnest prayer in loud
| voice. William Walker als) led in prayer
once At S:53 o'clock the sheriff en- ell
the Jail and read the death war
rant to the doomed men, after
| which Tho mas Delaney, one Of & eli
| attorne s. was admitted o have an inter
view a d bid them farewell. John Matthew
came 10 a window and had conversation
! With the Post Dispatch correspolde It. He
| said: Il have to die, but thank @ d | can
| all along alb ut this ma ter. l have nothin0
to regret. | went out through the hole, not
because l was guilty, but to escape a
shameful dea h. But it is the
VII of God that SHOULD
lie and / ought TO be proud Of it, l was q
| soldier in tue federal army and an proud
| of my record. l am viii ing for the ne )ple
who have known me all my life to say what
| kind of a man l have been"
DRESSING FOR THE sCAFFoLD.
At O. 10 o'clock the pris )ners GO nmenced
dressing the nse YES for the scafPold. They
we're essed with white sdirts, linen col
lars, black cravats, low sli ,Ipels and
| black coat, vest and trousers
| The jury and reporters were admitted
to the inside at 9:20 o'clock. Just before
| leaving his cell JON Matthews Or claimed
| his innoce ce in a loud voice. The sheriff
| helped Matthews W the steps. You 2
| Walker follow ed with firm step, his father
| following closely behind as firm as ever
| At the trap a short prayer was delivered
| ov Rev. II rne, a ter which all join d in
singing Rev. Horne rendered a selection
| from the Book of job Rev. Tn ma
| Hanks delivered a beautiful PRAYER
| The moose was adjusted a. $40 o'clo ock
| John Matthews said he had nothing to say
| He was here, but took no part in the crime
He called on all who were willing to help
his little ones to hold up their hands
Nearly every one in his sight held up their
| hands The black caps were adjusted at
| 9:51 o'clock.
BUNoIIEG BUTCHERY.
At 9:53 o'clock the drop fell John Mat
thews fell praying. The stretch OF the rope
| let all fall to the ground. The rJpe broke
and w lllam Walker fell loose and lay
| struggling n d groaning. He talked for
| three mi .utes when he was take up, b.
| the sheriff and deputies, on the scaffol1.
| Dave walker was drawn up nd died IN
| about 15 minutes. Mat, hews lived about
| l3 minutes and died with his feet on the
| grouid.
The scene was horrible in the extreme
Ma thews and Dave Walker we're cut
| a 10.Tn n..7, e..
| adjusted and William Walker was lifted
ne.pess and groaning ard struggling ID
| almost insan-ibe and the rope wa again
| adjusted and the trap again sprung This
| time the descent ca ne 70 a sudden stop,
| with his feet fully thirty inc les from the
| ground and he died without a struggle.
ALL EXPECTED COMPUTATION.
All three Of ths murderers were firmly ~
| the opini IN, up to within 70 ty-eight nours OF
| the execution that they would never be calle .
| upon to pay the extreme pc ally of lfe
| flr life. All legal methods had been ex-
hausted in their he lalf, but they counted
upon executive clemencY.
A very peculiar feature of the Bald Knob
| berism now do ID, is hat a majority of the
| most prominent members of the band were
| devOut church members. Chief Walker
was an exhorler, temperance a1vocqts and
| general y devOut man Ths Bald Kn bier
| chief clung 10 the belief that the regulators
we're the chanpIo $ Of right, claiming that
the Edens-G Green killing was an unfortunate
but unavoidable mistake.