The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1891-08-15

The Crime.
The history of the killing of Stephen
Ferguson, by reason of its frequent repe-
tition, has grown familiar to the readers
of the INTELLIGENCEI. 1t was II brutal
crime-one for which the death penalty is
merited punishment.
On the night OF Saturday, December 10,
1887, Young gave n dance mt his house, at
Corder, and invited n lot of his neighbors.
Much beer was drank, and about 10
O'Clock at nis.s the supply gave out and
Young and two companions, Henry Hoppe
and Peter Fuchs, started to Burns's saloon,
a few hundred yards away, across the
tracks of the Chicago and Alton railroad,
to replenish their stock. Burns had no
beer in kegs, so Young bought n case Of
bottled beer, and he and his companions
started home with it, Young leading the
way, Hoppe and Fuchs following with the
package. AT the door they met Ferguson,
who invited the trio in to have n drink.
Two OF them took u water, the other
two taking cigars. Ferguson and Young
parted at the saloon door apparently the
best of friends. At the railroad tracks
Young's party met George Hare with a
lantern. Young asked him to help them
across the track with his light, and Hare
told him to go to hell. The men separated
then, Hare going toward the saloon ana
Young toward home. Presently the man
WITH Ine lantern TtIuFntu, Witch SuElS
again asked him forthe use of the lantern,
as the nightswas inky dark and they We're
making poor Roadway.
FIGHT IN THE DARK.
Hare made some such reply as he had
before, and Young started toward him. A
fight followed the meeting, Hare striking
Young with the lantern, putting cut the
light and breaking the globe. At this
point Ferguson C tme up and took IA hand,
and in u momen Young struck him with
his pocket knife, severing his jugular
vein and almost beheading him. Fergu-
son fell back dead and Young was taken
homo by his friends and put to bed. He
had two or three wounds on his face,
which bled freely and which left scars.
Young was arrested Sunday morning,
and while confined in the calaboose at
Corder is said to have signed a confession
in the presence of a deputy sheriff named
Jackson and other parties, in which he
stated that he had killed Ferguson.
At the March term, 1889, OF Lafayette
county criminal court Young was tried
and convicted of murder in the first de-
gree, and sentenced to be hanged May
9Th. An appeal was taken to the supreme
court, Mr.. Blackwell issuing al abstract
and brief of IA printed pages. The supreme
court, when the case was taken up, re-
versed the verdict and nan the case
for a new trial upon errors by the court
below.
AGAIN CONVICTED.
Ats an adjourned session ofthe the March
term OF the criminal court, held during the
first week in July, 1890, Young was again
found guilty of murder in the first degree
and sentenced to hang September 9Th of
last year. Tit case being again appealed
to the supreme court, division No. 2 OF
that tribunal took the matter up at its
April sitting and, after hearing arguments
, in the case, adjourned until Tuesday, the
18th of May, when the opinion affirming
the verdict was handed down.
THE ECoND SENTENCE.
The supreme court, in its opinion upon
the appeal, handed down in May, fixed
r Thursday, July 2d,as the day of execution
l A day or two before that date Sheriff
E Mitchell M n force of carpenters under
II. j. Bandon begun the erection of the
scaffold upon which to hang Young. The
t engine OF death was to have stood against
4 the north wall of the Jail, the original in
D t%ention of placing it adjoining the clerks
= office, and near the west entrance of the
Co Jail building, having been abandoned at
the request of the wife of Tailor Wade,
who declared that she could not hope to
keep any colored help by reason OF the
superstition attaching to the execution.
Thu gallOws was well under way when
work was suddenly stopped, Deputy
Sheriff Robert Hale appearing upon the
scene and reading a telegram he had but Il
moment before received from Governor
Francis, who had respited Young unit
Thursday, August Il. The telegram was
short but full of Importance, and hardly
had Mr.. Hale's voice died away when the
sound OF hammer and saw ceased on the
gallowS, and the crOwdo of idle ~Onlookers
had d ispersed.
NO SURPRISE o HIM.
\ When Young was appraised OF the actor
of the governor he expressed little sur
prise,as he had all along asserted that tn,
governor would interfere and save hin
from the gallows. The strict attention
paid to his confinement was not allowed
to relax, however, Tailor Wade taking M
risk of escape. Young appeared to settl,
down into the old channel again, believ
ing that the governor would interfere a
the last moment and commute his sen
tence to life imprisonment.
n Father j. j. Lilly, the mans spiritua
adviser, has been kind and attentive l.
his needs and Mr.. Blackwell his attorney
left nothing undone to succor the con
demned man. No man ever had a NOR
earnest lawyer to defend his interests, AN,
no mans attorney ever had a more onerou
task. He took every advantage that open
lie ed before him, spending freely OF his tim
al and talent in Young's interest.
VERDICT OF o
TX The people seem to be satisfied. Tw
as juries OF twelve men had heard fully a
VI the details OF the homicide, and from tn
~ evidence adduced verdicts that Youn
cce had stained his hands with the blood {
az his fellow, and should pay the penalt
ie prescribed by law. Twice had the 81
preme court, that wisest body of tn
1' states interpreters of the law, passe
upon the action of the court below an
VI the twelve, the last time finding no reaso
for undoing the work M by the iur,
As the last resort the governor was aske
az to interfere. The time between his az
az prisal OF the facts and the date set for ii
III execution was short, and he brought t
n bear the power he had in respite, and I'll
IL condemned mans hold upon life wa
eI heightened. He gave no other reason Il
thus delaying the execution than that /
II needed time, and no one was dissatisfie
nu There was no feeling of vengeance again
as Young, only the one honest sentimer
that the law had been violated, the bio
ce of one of Gods creatures had been sh,
u without Just cause, and that the man wi
an had sent his fellow man to meet Il
lrI Creator must himself face the Judge
IN the world to answer for the deed.
~ PITY FOR H MAN
as There was much in Young's life to ca
or fotth sentiments OF pity. At the time
J" the homicide Young had but one chill
~ NORTH WALL. OF JAII..