The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-05-23
AHANGING AT WAYCR0SS
THE CORPSE CIR PANS AFTER BEING
CUT DOWN.


Negro Women Scream at the conclu-
sion of One of the Pr soner's Speeches
The Prisoner Expresses Repentance
for His Crime - The story of the
Brutal Murder.
WAYCRoss, GA, May %. Benjamin
Chambers was privately executed here TO-
day. After eating a hearty breakfast the
prisoner spent the balance of the time pray
ing and holding interviews with his friends
To bis spiritual advisers be expressed sor
row for his crime He said that he would
not have taken Strother's life had he not
been egged on by person who was with
him in the house at the time. At II sc
O'Clock Chambers was brought to the front
door of the jail on the way to the gallows,
where he was permitted to speak for few
minutes to the crowd outside. At the con-
clusion of his remarks the negro women
commenced screa ming, and he was hurried
into the jail yard.
SERVICES UNDER THE GALLONS.
Services were conducted underneath the
gallows by Revs d. Moore and Ben Green,
(colored), winding up with a pathetic fare
well to the prisoner. Chambers then asked
the sheriff how much more ktime he had.
The sheriff replied: Twenty-Five minutes"
Chambers then gave out the hymn Death
is the Gate of Endless JOY" singing 1t him
self, though very imperfectly. AT the con-
clusion of the singing he again asked the
sheriff how much more time he had. Il
will allow you ten minutes more," said the
sheriff.
A FAREWELL SPEECH.
Chambers then proceeded TO make a
speech, very little OF which could be dis
tinctly understood. He wound up by re-
questing the two colored ministers to preach
his funeral sermon and tell the people TO
meet him in heaven and take warning. At
II :56 O'Clock the prisoner assembled the gall
lows and Sheriff Miller then proceeded to
read the death warrant, after which the
rope was adjusted and the black cap drawn
over his face.
FALL OF THE TRAP.
At exactly forty seconds past 10 o'clock
Sheriff Miller sprung the trap and Cham
bers fell eight feet. After little drawing
up of the legs and contracting OF the
muscles the body swung apparently lIfeless,
but il was fully fifteen minutes before the
heart ceased to beat. At 1917 o'clock the
body was cut down and Drs. Walker
and Folks proceeded to examine the
neck. Several groans were heard as this
was being done, and he was at first thought
to be still alive, but upon further examina-
ton 1t was found that ais neck was broken
aud he z. oans were caused from the press
ure VI the doctors hand upon the chest.
Chambers was pronounced dead The body
will be sent tonight to the Atlanta Medical
college.
THE STORY OF THE KILLING.
Chambers was employed on Bunn's tur-
pentine farm in Ware county. Becoming
dissatisfied in some way, he was making
preparations to move away. With this in
tention he had disposed of his furniture to
Samuel Strother. After this transaction
with Strother he decided to remain, and
when Strother went for the furniture,
Chambers forbade his taking it away. This
Strother did not heed, aud picking up part
of bedstead started out of the door.
When he had gone a short distance from the
house Chambers, who could control his
temper no longer, picked up turpentine ak
which was lying near by and crept stealthilY
up behind Strother and dealt him an I'M
merciful blow, sinking the whole blade of
the ak in his back
a SECOND BLOW.
Strother dropped the bedstead and started
to run toward the commissary of the still,
work he had already wrought followed him
I'D, and, while Strother was gasping for
breath, struck him another time, com
pletely severiDg the shoulder and arm from
the body. Chambers was caught and held
by the colored people in that neighborhood
aud subsequently delivered to the sheriff.
He was tried and convicted at the April
term OF Ware superior court.