The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1891-04-29
| AuNcHED INTO ETERNITY.
First Legal Execution in Clarendon Since
lS65-Edmunl Holladay Faces Death
Without a TrcmOr.


The execution of Edmund Holladay, col
ored, convicted at the February term OF
court, for tie murder Of John ". DuboSe,
white, took place in the Jail yard last Fri
day morning.
The acting sheriff used every precauton
to have the courts decree carried out as prl-
vately as possible, and only those that had
special permits were allowed to so into the
iail ward. Among these were Rev. T.. ID.
Wilson, pastor Of the A. NJ. E. church, Rev.
Cohen Whitehead, pastor of the colored
Baptist church, the doctors. representa-
tives of the press, special deputies, and
few others, in all about thirty persons:
At about half past ten o'clock the sheHf,
Rev. E. H. Wilson, and the newspaper rep
resentatives went up stairs to the cell where
the prisoner was confined, and n response
to the question if he desired to make a
statement he replied that he had nothing TO
say, only that be did not rest well last night,
and had not felt like eating any breakfast
this morning. In reply to other questions,
he stated that his wife had not been to see
him since he was brought back from TIE
Sumter Jail, and that his church member
ship was in the Calvary colored Baptist
church. Rev. Wilson asked how he was
feeling spiritually, to which he replied that
he felt "strorg in the spirit. The MINIS,
ter told him to put himself into the hands
of the Lord, and then knelt and offered up
o very feeling and fervent prayer, during
which the prisoner was composed ana
punctuated the minister's sentences with
prayerful responses.
He was then taken out of the cell by the
deputies, who pinioned his hands behind
his back, and the march to the gallows was
begun. On arriving at the steps he ascend
ed without the slightest falter or emotion,
and having mounted the gallo%s, turned
towards those in the yard. The sheriff
asked him if he desired to say anything, to
which he said that he would like Mr.. White
head to pray and have q hymn sung for
him. Rev Wilson raised the hymn Jesus,
nv all, to heaven is gone, which was join
ed in by the prisoner who sang IN stronS
clear voice At the conclusion OF The hymn
Rev. Whitehead knelt and delivered
beautiful and touching prayer. When he nm
ished he bade the prisoner farewell ana eS-
pressed the hope that he would meet hlm at
the great white throne in the presence OF
the Heavenly Father. The sheriff again
asked the doomed man if he wanted to say
ANYTHING now as it was his last chance. He
said, II have written something, but will
say to nv friends and hearers, that I have
made my peace with the Lord, and taken
up Christ and his footsteps. have Heaven
for nv home. The Lord giveth and the
Lord taketh. bid you all adieu." The
rope, which was the same used IN the
hanging of the Maxcey murderers IN
Sumter, was adjusted, and the black
cap drawn over his face. The shec-
if at once began reading the death
warrant. He finished reading at five min
utes past eleven o'clock, and as he read the
last word on the document he sprung the
| trap and Edmund Holiday swung into
eternity, paying the penalty OF his crime.
The drop was about three feet and the
neck was broken instantly. There was
scarcely any struggle, few Slight qmvers'
and all was over. In nine and half MIN,
utes the doctors pronounced that death had
taken place, but suggested to the sheriff to
allow the body to remain hanging little
while longer.
There was a large crowd OF white and
co!ored persons outside Of the yaro, ana
! the sheriff went to the gate, and said that
if any of the relatives of the dead man were
out there they could go in to view the body.
None responded, and then the sheriff ez-
tended the invitation to thecrowd. AS soon
asshe threw the gate open the crowd made a
tremendous rush for the scene of the hang
ING, and in very few minutes at least two
hundred persons congregated around the
| callows with their curious eyes centered on
| the dead man as he swung suspended I'D
the air. a great many of the negroes seemed
| to regard the affair with little solemnlty.
They laughed, cracked jokes, and did not
act es if they were standing in the presence
of death and viewing that which but few
minutes before contained what the Creator
alone could give.
The body was allowed to remain hanging
about thirty minutes when it Was cut down
and placed in the coffin:
! During the entire preliminaries the prs
oner did not exhibit the least fear or tremb-
ling, but displayed 3 composure that was
certainly remarkable.
The sheriff made dilligent inquiries as tc
whether any Of the prisoners friends had
come to take charge of the body, but find
ling no one would have it. he had the body
buried in the Potter's field in this place. :.
/ On account of the illness of the sheriff
Mr.. J. H. Lesesne was the acting sheriff
He deserves credit for the manner he exc
cuted this solemn and responsible mandate
of the court. There was not hitch o.
blunder in the entire proceedings.
The prisoner had written letter to his
relatives and that was what he had reference
to when he said that lie had written some
thing. In the letter he made the reques
that after his execution, that his body b'
taken and buried in the cemetery at tht
church of which he was 9 member.
rI.ast Monday the friends Of Edmund
Holladav came to Manning. and dislnterred
his remains for burial at Calvary coloret
church yard.
The writer asked one Of the ministers i
he proposed 70 administer the sacramen
!, of the Lords supper and was told that th'
prisoner lad not requested it. and rs the
prisoners pastor was accessible and did no
appear, be did not feel warranted in offer
ing it to him.
This was the first legal execution in Clar
endon county since the early part OF 1865
i. and then five negroes were hanged, having
been convicted of insurrection, and sen
fenced by Magistrate Cappell in the Fori
; of Black River. Capt. D. j. Bracham wa
; sheriff at the time, and under the law h
executed the prisoners near the scene O
their crime, which was near where Mr.. W
81. Gaillard now resides. When shor
time after, this county became garrisonee
Capt. Bradham was reported to Gen. Can
bv who issued an order for his arrest. Iwt
United States soldiers went to Capt. Brad
. hams house, arrested him, and brought hin
before an officer by the name of Tremaln'
who was in charge of the garrison st this
place. The few citizens who We're at home
! at the time interested themselves in behal
of Cant Bradham, and laid the matter be
fore Gen. Candy, showing that he was act
ing as sheriff, and had only done his dut.
in carrying out the sentence OF the clvl
court. With this explanation Capt. Brad
ham was released.
pJ-cKT EMS ARNT(,A SAITE.