The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1891-04-30
LIFE FOR LIFE!
DsLL MILES PkES THE DEArn;
PASSALTH.

| AhO FAfSL ESecutlOn EbiCkenI
| County.
Last Friday the first execution for Pick
chs county, took place, when Bill Miles
colored, paid the extreme penalty of In,
law In eXpiation of the murder of Jake
Grililn, colored, last October. All of ON
readers arc familiar with the history OF
The crime, trial and conviction of Bill
niles AT the recent term of court, a full re.
port OF which appeared in these columns
ana review Is unnecessary. At o'clock
a. M, a representative OF the SENTINEL. and
o'her local reporters visited tho condemned
man in his cell, and found him in rather n
nervous state. Rev. Moses ". Crew, col.
ored, was with him doing all he could to
aliay his fear, and give him spiritual advice
IN his last moments. DR.. Clayton, of Cen
trail, at the request of Miles read some al,
propriaIc passage from the New Testumen,
and gave him the best christian consolation
he could in his last moments. He offered
prayer in behalf of the prisoner in which he
was joined by those present At Il:3o the
sheriff brought IL new suit of clothes for
the prisoner, and lie proceeded to dress him
self for the scaflold. lie had become more
quiet under the influence of the Doctors
Kind words and sincere sympathy, and he
was calm and collected as he dressed him
sell Tor the last time. Three Of his brothers
came in to bid him farewell, and he gave
lhrm few words of warning and told
them TO beware of bad company, whiskey
and pistols, as these were the prime agents
of tic Devil, and had brought him to ths
gallows They promised to heed the warn
ing and babe him goodbye with choked
voices. AT II III. tho s'l, riff asked the pris-
oncr il he was ready. he rcpli ed that he
was. The procession then starttd for the
scaflold which had been erected in the
yard south of the Jail, and enclosed, so as
TO make the execution private as the law
requires. large crowd, mosty white, }
had gathered OH the outside Of the iail yard
to get a look at the prisoner if possible,
whith h was hard to obtain Oh account of the
throng hcjrg kept at distance by the bay
oncts OF the Pickcns Guards who, underline
command Of Capt. p. w. Syic, were on
hand to help the sheriff to carry out the
mandate Of the law, and preserve order.
Miles assembled the scaffold steps with a
firm tread and seemed TO be calm, but his
countenancc showed that Tie fear of death
was strong upon him. When asked if he
wished to make any statement he onlv nd
dressed the same warning to the spectators
that he had given those who visited him in
his cell. He only occupied two minutes. DR..
Clayton then asked those present to ioin in
rcclting tile Lords Prayer. During the reci
taiion the spectators stood with uncovered
heads and solemn attention, realizing that a
fellow being Was listening TO that suplica-
lion Tor the last time this side Of eternity.
At 1908 tie lope was adjusted and the
black cap drawn. The trap was sprung at
-:CG. Iht fall of six feet iui!cd to break
hisincck and he died by strGgulaticn Al the
end OF hft,c en- minutes Ec was pronou, ced
dead by The attending physicians, Drs.
EalIe, Clnyton, liolirgswo:th and Williams
who had been invited Ivy the shvliiT to at
tend the execution. The body was cut
down after il had hung twenty seven min
ulcs, placed in a coffin and turned over to
the dead mans friends, WHO took it in
charge, and was buried the day following
at Cold Springs. Thus ended the first legal
hatSlnE for PicECns county, everything
going Oft smoothly AID withOu. a hitch un-
der lie directions of Sheriff Ri@hey and his
assistants.
Hioliiday SurrenGcrs.
Jas. |. Holiday, who shot and killed
John Crews, cnlorcd, near Central, on the
l4'h inst, came to town last Monday and
surrendered TO Sheriff Richcy.
Ho!lday's statement of tuc unfortunate
affair to the SENTINEL representative, dif-
tcrs materially from tnNt of the witnesses
bclor the coroner. He says that Crews
cursed him at the mill and threatened 10 kill
hlIn on the spot. and sworc roundly that
he would take his (lIolliiuy's) life that
night. lie the proceeded to take tie GOV
errors of of the engine. despite Holidays
obj tctions, who was going to iun tho mil
under the Contract with Stewart, which
vas state in The SENTINEL last week as
the cause OF the difficulty. Crews
took the "govcrnors" and started home with
them. Holiday went to his house, armed
himself with gun and pistol and went
after Crews to make linn give tic piecc of
machinery up, and says he had no irtcn-
t"n of killing Crews until he came at him
with the balls, swearing he would kill him,
and that the Crews boy stuck him on lhc
arm with the wlcEch before he shot the
elder Crews. Holiday says that Crews
did not fall at the first shot but still fought
at him with the balls, and he thought he
had missed him with tie gun and dicw his
pistol and shot twice when Clews fell He
then left and went home and hns been i'm
the ncighborhood ever since. Mr.. j. II.
Walters, who was an eye witness, but not
sworn at the inquest corroboratcs Holiday S
statement
ioliiday was taken to Walhalia by Shcr
III hichey ON Tuesday, where his counsel,
ar; d. =. Carey, made application before
Judge Norton for bail for him.
The PIckcnS Guards.
The Pickens Guards were out Inst FIR;
day III full Uniform under command of
Capt. +. w. Srylc. The company had
been summoned to Pickens, to make as
surapce doubly sue in regard to lhe pres
crvaton of order. When its official du,irs
were over, the the company was formed
on Main street for dress parade. The men