Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-10-30

mother and her children in consequence.
At the time of the murder he had re-
turned 10 bis fathers house, after
having spen: all the money his father
had given him, frat in farming and then
in running q store in Macon. He was
working on the farm until he could get
something better to do. At that time
Voolfolk was
TWENTY SEVEN YEARS OLD.
He was OF average height, compactly
built, but not stout, with dark hair and
eyes and black mustache. His express
sion was rather boyish than otherwise.
He had ALWAYS been of sulleu disposition.
and made few friends. HIS dislike for
his step-mother and her children was
known, and he had been heard to say
that he ought to have the old man
property and he Intended to have 1t some
day.
Walfolk was charged with the murder
OF nine members Of his fathers house,
hold hy the coroner's jury, aud IN
December, 1857, he was brought to triai
IN Macon before Judge Justin OF the BLU
county superior court.
THE THEORY OF DEFENSE
was that "a crazy negro had committed
the CRIME, out the theory tailed, and
was practically abandoned before the
trial ended. The jury found Voolfolk
guilty, after being out but few min
utrs, and he was sentenced 10 death.
The sulreme court granted Il new trial,
hnwever, and in March, 1889, he was
tried at Perry, Houston county, change
OF venue having been granted because a
jury could not be secured Ia Bibb
county. Again Voolfolk was convicted.
Another appeal was taken, but the SUI
preme court sustained the court below,
and lie wEs finally
SENTENCED TO BE HANGED
AT Perry, Oct. 20. Voolfolk maintained
his innocence throughout his three years
imprisOntaelt and up TO the time of the
execution, but never betrayed emotion
of any kind, and preserved a uniform
suilen air OF Indifference. When he
spoke OF the crime he denied that he did
il, but seldom expressed u regret for the
death OF his relatives.
THE EXECUTION.
PERRY, GA, Oct. 29.-Thomas G.
WolIulk was hanged here to-day for
numbering nine persons, all members OF
his fathers family, on August 10, 1887.
The doomed man slept well last night
from . CLOCK until 4 when he got up.
At 8 he had long inter-
view with party of newspaper
men, with whom he couversed about
half an hour, laughing and exchanging
jokes, and seemingly absolutely undis-
turbed by his approaching death.
After the departure of his visitors be
bnthed and shaved and put on II new suit
of clothes. He was then visited by sew
eral Of his relatives, " HON he bade fare
well without betraying any emotion.
Later Re was clOseted for an hour with
spiritual advisers, 10 whom be
professed his belief in his
salvation and his perfect hopes for future
lie, telling the ministers he hoped
TO MEET THEM IN HEAVEN.
For several hours thereafter Voolfolk
was !sft alone and devoting the time ia
meditation and prayer. About o'clork
he was conveyed under escort of the
local military TO the gallows, which had
been luilt in little valley in the outskirts
of town. Seven or eight thousand people
swarmed around TO watch the execution
on the galloWs. Voolfolk was cool and
composed After the minister had
prayer he himself prayed tervently, de-
clarinG his Innocence in his Invocation.
written statement signed by VOL
folk was read, in which he gave ii
as his dying declaration that he was
innocent OF the crime for which he was
being executed.
At 1881 the drop fell. The fall failed
10 break his neck and death resulted
from strangulation. His pulse continu-
ing to beat for eleven minutes after the
fall twenty-five minutes la.er the body
was Gu. down.