The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-06-27
LENNON ON THE GIBBET.
WIFE MURDER TIE CRIME THAT
BROUGHT him TO THE GIBBET.

His Brother-in-law Goes on the Giooet
to Bid Him Good-by and They EN-
brace-The Prisoner Gives His Child
TO Bis Brother-in-lsw to Rear.
BAINBRIDGE, GA, June 26.-At 1880
O'Clock to day Ezekiel Lemmox was publicly
hanged here in the presence Of l 200 people.
When the trap fell he dropped seven feet
and his death was instantaneous, his neck
being broken. Drs Morgan, Berry and
Chestnut pronounced him dead seventeen
minutes later and the body was turned over
to his relatives, who will bury it at Cold
Spring church in Colquitt county to-mor-
row.
The writer talked to the doomed man
while be was being shaved and dressed and
he gave every assurance of pardon from his
Maker and so stated upon the scaffold. Rev.
J. T. Davis of the Methodist Episcopal
church was present in the morning and
offered the final prayer, Lemmox joining in
it fervently.
THE RIDE TO THE GIBBET
The ride from the Jail to the scaffold was
made upon dray with Lemax sitting upon
his coffin. The sheriff and his deputy we're
in close attendance. Lemmox mounted the
scaffold with a firm step. and after listening
to the reading of the death warrant by the
sheriff, addressed the crowd in clear tone
for fully twenty minutes in disconnected
way. He attributed his end to whisky and
the giving way to his passions, and begged
all who heard MIN to beware OF whisky at
all times. He stated that while he had
killed his wife be did not intend to when
he laid hands upon her, calling God
to witness this statement. A photographer
was seen arranging his camera to take
picture Of the execution while he talked,
and Lemmox, turning toward him, begged
him to save him and his child, sweet
little girl, this humiliation and desist, and
on being assured that it would not be done
ii he objected he thanked the artist heartily,
seeming to shrink from having the notoriety
the notoriety the scene 80 preserved handed
round amouEg the crowd would give.
RAISED HIS STANDING.
The incident at once elevated the man in
the esteem of every one who witnessed it.
He at once improved the opportunity thus
afforded to beg the crowd not to heap
odium upon his child for his crime. He said
that she had lady for mother and also
gentleman for father, but for the accursed
stuff, whisky, and she herself was and
would be reared a lady. The execu-
ton was perfectly conducted and
carried out. The murdered mans
brother in law, Elisha Willis,
went upon the scaffold and babe Lemmox
good-by. Lemmox grasped his hand warmly,
saying: God bless you, Elisha; give you
my child TO rear, and / know you will rear
her like lady" He threw his arms around
Willis neck. and Willis his around his, and
they so separated. The scene was very
affecting.
THE CRIME.
The crime which he was charged with
was one of the most brutal and premeditated
that ever occurred in this county. Both
he and his wife came here during last winter
from Mitchell county, where they were
reared, Mrs. Lemmox having two brothers
here doing business as liquor dealers. On
the morning of the I'd day Of last March
Lemmox went to a livery stable here and
ordered good saddle horse, saying that he
wished to go into the country four or five
miles, and would return with three or four
hours.
After hiring the horse be presented HIM
self to his brother-in-law, G. G. Willis, and
borrowed g. With this he went to a
liquor saloon and purchased two bottles Of
whisky, mounted horse and went to his
home, which was house on the premises
of (. j. Willis, who, with his family, was
on visit TO Mitchell county. Finding his
wife alone in the house this was the suspicious
moment for his devillsh purpose. A negro
woman happened to be on the premises for
the purpose OF getting some clothing Of
Mr.. Willis to be washed. When he dis
covered her presence be concealed himself
behind an clubhouse in the yard, though not
before he had been noticed by her. The
woman left the premises very soon with the
clothes. leaving Mrs. Lemmox alone in the
house. Awaiting himself of the opportu-
nifty, he entered the house, seized his wife,
who at the time was making up her bed,
threw her on it, and smothered or choked
her to death.
THE DAUGHTERS DISCOVERY.
Little Belle Lemmox, their daughter,
about Is years old being absent at school,
returned home at noon, to find the doors and
windows closed. Opening and entering a
window her eyes fell with horror on the
form of her mother lying cold in death
across the bed. With a shrek of despair
she gave the alarm to a neighboring family,
on the opposite side of the street, from
which the alarm soon reached Sheriff L. F.
Patterson, who within a short time was
onitrack of the murderer. After pursuit of
about five hours, and breaking down three
fast horses, he overlook him two miles east
of Camilla. At Camilla Sheriff Patter-
son took the train for cambridge with his
prisoner, and when the train reached the
Ocklockonee river bridge. Lemmox, who
had been complaining of being sick at the
SLOmdcQ, was TAKEN 10 Ju6 rear b0O OF the
car with handouts on in order that he could
vomit without annoyance to the other pas
sengers.
A LEAP FROM THE TRAIN.
No sooner was the western bank of the
stream reached than he gave a spring for
liberty, but the momentum of the running
train caused him to fall on the opposite
bank from where he intended. Some section
hands being at work at this point, the sheriff
ordered them to catch him, which they did
in short order. In the meantime, the
sheriff, not waiting for the train to stop.
spreng from the train and sprained his
ankle severely.
Lemmox was then brought to cambridge
and placed in Jail.
Soon after the sheriff had started in pur-
suit of the murderer the coroner summoned
jury, before whom was educed sufficient
evidence to find that Ezekiel Lemmox
killed his wife Among the various wit
nesses was the daughter. Belle, who swore
that her father had for some time threat
ened to kill her mother, and that he said he
would have done it before If he could have
had the opportunity.
JURORS IN A HUFF.
Judge Meyerhart of Rome Summarily