The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-06-26
FoURp MEN HUNG.
THREE NEGROES AND ONE
WHITE MURDERER
MOUNT THE GALLows AT MEMPHIS.
Horrible and Dastardly Crimes for Which
They Were Executed-vhe White
Assassins a Wife Murderer.

MEMPHIS, Tenn, June 24.-Parker Har-
! ris, Ed. Carr and Harry Ballard, colored,
and Frank Brenist, white, were hanged
this morning, the colored murderers taking
the plunge into eternity at 11:24, and the
white man dropping alone at 1922. Ar
rangements had been made to swing the
four together but Brenist objected to being
hanged with the negroes and his desire to
die alone was gratified The executions
took place in the rear corridor of the Jail
and were witnessed by about 150 persons,
including relatives and friends of the ac-
cused and the sheriff and members of the
press. The death warrants were read by
the sheriff at 1850, and ten minutes later
the procession started on its way to the
gallows.
The three blacks filed up the stairs
firmly, and exhibited no signs of fear
throughout the trying ordeal. All con-
fessed their crime and said they had made
their peace with God. The drop fell at
II IA and the necks of all three men were
broken. A delay of forty minutes occurred
and then Brenist, supported by two deputy
sheriffs, walked and half staggered up the
steps and on to the drop. When asked if
he had anything to say he attempted to
speak. but found his throat prevented him
speaking above whisper and he soon
gave it up. He was stupefied with whisky
ana eXhlblted no concern, The drop fell
at 1902 and two minutes later life was pro-
nounced extinct. His neck was broken by
the fall
The crime for which Frank Brenist, the
only white man of the quartette of MUIR
derers executed this morning was the kill
ing of his wife, Mary Brenist, on the night
of July 3 last. The couple were married in
1887 and lived together until a short time
before the tragedy, when Mrs Brenist left
her husband, owing to his neglect to pro-
vide for his family. She obtained employ.
ment as chamber maid at hotel, visit
ing her children daily. Brenist waylaid
her at frequent intervals begging her to re-
turn TO him, and finally threatening to kill
her if she did not. About o'clock on the
evening of July Mrs. Brenist left her
home for the, hotel accompanied by her
riage. Brenist intercepted the party
near the corner Of Union and Third
streets, and upon her refusal to go home
with him, drew q long, keeu-bladed knife
and buried it TO the hilt in her neck She
never spoke and death was almost instant
aneous. The murderer, backing himself
against the wall Of the building, drew the
sharp blade of the knife across his own
throat, inticting a wound, the recovery
from which constitutes one of the most re-
markable cases in the annals of surgery.
The wind pipe and @sophagus were severed
and as it was thought by physicians he
would die in half an hour nothing was
done for HIM beyond administering opiates.
His remarkable constitution however pulled
him through.
On Sunday, August 1s, murder and
attempted suicide occurred which so closely
fesembled the Crenish tragedy of six weeks
before that the first might have been taken
as pattern for the second. The facts in
the case, the results and the causes which
led to the second tragedy were exactly the
same as in the first. The victim was Lettie
Harris, an octoroon of more than ordinary
beauty, and the murderer Parker Harris,
her husband, mulatto. The woman was
instantly killed, and although the slayer's
windpipe was partially severed he was out
OF danger in few days On the very day
and at the very hour when the Jury re-
turned verdict OF guilty of murder in the
hrst degree against Harris for the killing
OF mis- wife, another negro was preparing
himself for the gallows by the commission
OF similar crime.
At O'Clock on Saturday afternoon, No
vember 8; Edward Carr, negro, entered the
station house, pistol in hand and an
nounced that he had killed his wife. SaIlie
Carr. He gave as a reason that his wife
was unfaithful to him. He would make
no defense. The trial lasted TWO days and
conviction was the result.
Last Christmas was signalized by COM
mission of Two foul murder. Early in the
morning the body of colored man who
had been murdered for his money was
found under the bayou bridge on Elliott
street. He was never identified nor were
his murQereIa ever "a ntnrpd
The second murder occurred at 8 o'clock
in the evening when E. PiDkston, street
car driver, was stabbed to the heart by
Hardy Ballard, negro Ballard boarded
the main or the street car near the south
Memphis terminus and being requested to
deposit his fare, advanced to the front plat
form and with the words heres your
nickel, stabbed Pinkston in the left breast
with knife. Death resulted in few min