The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-07-04
WASHINGTON SWUNG OFF
CALM AND COOL, AND DEATH THE
RESULT OF STANDARDIZATION.

The Killing CT Els Victim ccorn-
plished With as Much Goodness as
he Manifested on the G.bbet-I he
Hanging Without Unusual Features
The Usual Services on the Gal
lows.
ATLANTA, GA, July 3.-George Wash
ingUon, the slayer Of Ben Oliver, was exc
cuted at the county Jail this afternoon.
This was the first hanging Atlanta has
known for years. the last being that OF
Alf Orange, about the year 1874. Wash
ington was a very brutal negro with bad
record. While awaiting punishment IN
jail be confessed number Of former
crimes. among them two murders.
His shooting of Oliver seemed so
gratuitously wicked as TO be
unaccountable. He was In the habit OF
carrying Winchester rife and terrorizlnR
the negroes, who, knowing bis desperate
character, were very much AFRAID OF Mn
One night with his gun on bis shoulder ne
stopped on a street corner to converse with
several men. In the party was OLIVER Ihey
had some trifling alteration, 1t seems OUT
apparently no sersous quarrel, but When
Oliver crossed he street Washington tol-
lowed, and raising his rifle shot the former
down He then shouldered his gun again
and deliberately sauntered OIL
SUPPER AT THE RIFLES MUzzLE
Entering a negro cabin few minutes
later he again leveled the weapon at
woman he found there and asked for bite
of supper. She hurried to cook whatever
he wanted. Escapades of this latter char
acter are said to have been common with
him.
After passing a rather comfortable night,
during which he managed to get good
sleep, Washington this morning ate heartily,
and then, after seeing his brothers and
taking leave OF them, he called for dram
and his spiritual advisers. The dram was
given and the preachers came. One or two
other drains followed in the course OF the
morning, and no doubt assisted in the exhl-
bition of nerve afterwaTd so generally re-
marked upon. few days ago he pro-
fessed religion, after talking very wickedly
for months and an hour OF more before his
execution he was baptized with the Meth
odist service By noon the little jail yard
was half filed with spectators and officers.
Fifteen minutes later the jailer began fling
off the prisoners shackles.
LED TO THE GALLONS.
The spectators waited another half hour
before the sheriff, followed by Washington
walking between two deputies, passed from
the interior of the Jail into the open sunlight
and the presence of the gallows. The muir
derer looked less brutal than was usual with
him. 1t seemed as if the sight of the instru-
ment of death filed him for the moment
with some appreciation Of the terrible doom
he was about to suffer. He did not finch,
however, but marched straight through the
crowd and up TO the foot of the
gallows with an air of resolution
80 fixed and quiet as to excite a ripple OF
admiration. The preachers gathered
around him at once and followed him up
the light stairs on the scaflold. Washing
ton walked with firm tread, nor from
that moment did he exhibit a single indica-
ton of fear or feeling. He seemed to
realize that his hour had come, that it
would no do good to struggle and he let
them do with him as they would.
THE SERVICES ON THE GALLows
Upon the platform there was a prayer,
short hymn aud an exhortation delivered to
the condemned man by one of the negro
preachers, the whole not occupying more
than ten minutes. Then the preachers
descended, leaving the sheriff and his Of
fcers alone with the prisoner. After the
adjustment of the cords about Washing
toms hands and feet the sheriff caught the
rope, the condemned mans neck was laid
bare, and the moose was ad-
Justed. All this time, though it
had been expected that Washington
would make a long speech, he had sa i'd
nothing, having evidently made up his
mind to die in silence. At the last moment
be called back one preacher, Rev. Lee, aud
whispered something in his ear. Rev. Lee
having again descended, and two men only
stood upon the scaffold One was Sheriff
Morrow and the other the murderer. Three
light cords ran from the gallows through a
window closely curtAined with blanket,
where stood three men unseen, each with
cord in hand. These communicated with
three triggers. one of them to the live trig-
ger, which was to throw the trap The
black cap concealed the doomed mans feat
ures.
sPRINGING THE TRAP.
The sheriff stood erect. "One!" he called
out "Twom There was visible tremor
in the crowd, but in the murderer none
could be detected. The sheriff cried
out ''Threel" There was a pain
full second Of suspense, then the
black figure shot downward with terrific
force. There was sound like blow ac-
companying the jerk which seemed violent
enough to have torn the head from the
body. The next instant the crowd saw the
living man of a moment before swayins at
the ropes end. his head on one side as he
struggled in the death throes. He drew
himself up three or four times, the hands
clutchsd spasm odically, and then, after a
pause, prolonged shud1ering quivered
through the ghastly object, mud all was
still
THE NECK NOT BROKEN.
The general verdict of the spectators
was that so terrific a plunge must break
any neck in the world, an opinion which
the short struggle of the dying man caused
the physicians present TO coincide in at
first. In spite of Washington's heavy
weight. his full muscles, knotted with
the drawing up Of his shoulders,
seem 70 have prevented dislocation and
be died, according to later announcement
OF the Physicians, Of strangulation. The
drop fell ~ ! :0S O'Clock. At 20 o'clock
the body was cut down. The heart ceased
TO beat thirteen minutes after the fall OF the
trap.
The wife and two other relatives OF
Oliver, Washington's victim, were the only
females to witness the hanging, but the
crowd in front of the jail was largely
made up of negro women excitedly clamor-
ing for the latest news from the horrible
drama being enacted within.
divers father. half Indian, was also g
deeply interested spectator.
Aft Orange, the last man before Wash
ington TO be hanged in this county, was
executed for having waylaid rival at his
sweetheart's door and Drained him with ar
ak as be issued from the house.