The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-11-22
HEMP ENDS A MURDERER
FIVE THOUSAND PEOPLE AT THE
MOUNT VERNON HANGING.

Blssh Faces the Fatal Plunge With a
Firm Front He Fortihes Himself
With a Big Dinner and a Glass Of
Wine-Death Unmarked by a Strug.
Rie-Story OF the Crime.
MOUNT vRRNos, GA, Nov. william
ence Of 5000 people. He rested fairly last
night and was in good spirits all day.
His last dinner eaten at l O'Clock, OF
which he ate heartily, was composed of ham
and eggs, fried chicken, beef steak and
onions, several glasses Of sweet milk and
glass Of wine
He was dressed in q neat suit OF black
cheviot and a new white shirt.
AT $50 o'clock the march was taken up to
the gallows quarter Of a mile distant, 20
which be walked at bis own request.
THE ADDRESS ON THE aIBBEr.
In clear. strong voice, he addressed the,
crowd. saying he was suffering justly for !
the crime he had committed, and warm
ing his race against the evils Of gambling
and reading bad novels. saying he had read
In the life Of Rube Burrows how Rube held
up trains alone, and that his mind was fixed
10 initiate him.
After a prayer by one of the coIored
ministers present. hymn was given out.
and the vast crowd Joined In the singing.
During the singing he walked round and
round the scaflold. asking the crowd to
meet him in glory.
NO SIGN OF FEAR
Not once during the entire time did Blasii
show the slightest sign of fear; not tremor
OF a muscle no signs Of weakness, when the
sheriff announced that he had half a minuts
left: He stepped on the trap, and said.
without culver In his voice, "I am going
TO meet my God"
Exactly at $3.50 o'clock the trap was
sprung, and he fell eight feet, dying with
hardly a struggle. In fifteen minutes he
was pronounced dead by Drs. Calhoun and
Morrison. After being allowed TO hang
eleven minutes he was cut down.
None OF his relatives claimed his body.
and he will be buried by the county.
STORY OF THE CRIME.
On Saturday evening, Oct. "a, r. J..
Bone and James Ryals were visiting the
home Of j. ]. Mobley, who lives near the
Telfnir line in this county. After supper
the trio were seated beside the fire, when
suddenly they were startled by a cry OF
Hold up your hands N Upon looking
around they found themselves gazing into
the barrels Of two rsvolvers in the
hands OF a negro Mr.. Mobley sue
ceeded In reaching HIS gun, which
stood In the corner, upon which
the negro pockeUed his pistols and despe-
rate struggle for the possession of the gun
ensued. The negro succeeded in wrenching
IL from Mr.. Mobley's hands The struggle
had carried them near the door; when Mr..
Mobiey found the negro more powerful
than he, he reliDquished his hold on the gun
and sprang out OF the door and behind the
door-facing.
MR.. BONE SLAIN.
The negro turned lrapidly and seeing the
fleeing form of Mr.. Bone as he ran through
the back door took deliberate aim and fired.
infliotfHg wound from the effects of which
Mr.. Bone died the next day. The negro
then ransaoked the house, getting no money
aud only few articles Of clothing which
were found in his possession when captured.
After getting what he could the negro
led, taking the gun with him and
throwing IL into the Little Ocmulgee
river near Lumber City, the negro's home.
he was captured Sunday morning at his
home In bed with all the proofs of bis crime
upon him. He was brought here Monday,
and but for the fact that the superior court
was in session at the time no earthly power
could have saved the wretch from the
hands of the people, who gathered from
every direction upon hearing of the
rufhan's fearful crime. Wiser counsels
prevailed, aud as the promise of speedy
trial was held out the county was saved
from the disgrace Of lynching.
THE TRIAL.
On Friday morning the case was called
and r.. r. Norman and Charles d. Lowf
were appointed to defend him They did
ell they could in bis defense, but, seeing the
utter hopelessness of their case, gave up and
1t went 30 the jury without argument from
either side.
The jury was out about ten minutes aud
brought in verdict Of guilty OF murder ia
the first degree and a sigh Of relief rolled
over the crowd, who were climbing over
each other to get a look at the murderer.
Blash seemed perfectly indifferent during
the whole proceeding, and even while Judge
hobart was perusiug the sentence, showed
no sign Of emotion. He was sentenced to be
publicly hanged just three weeks to day
from the time the crime was committed,
Saturday. Nov. 81.
THE MURDERED MAN
Mr.. Bone, the victim, worked with
Council & Grady at HlggstoD, in this
county. He was we'll known and univer-
sally esteemed through the county. He left
wife and several children. who were en-
tirelysdependent on him for their support.
Blash was a light ginger cake colored
negro, "a years of age. His face displayed
little more intelligence than the average,
though he had rather repulsive features.
He had lived around Lumber City for years,
and was well known to the travelling
public as having worked at the Nc
Le0ud house for long time.
In a talk with the NEWS correspondent
the negro said he had read great deal OF
the Rube Burrows and Jesse James htera-
tura, and that he decided to become high-
wayman as much like the illustrious Jesse
as possible, and that IL he had not been
caught in this crime he would have organ
ICED band and held up the East Tennessee,