The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-01-09
MCCOY TWICE HANGED.
The Rope Breaks the
First Time.
An Hour Later He is Swung
Up Again.


on the Ganows and While Waiting
for the Sheriff to End a Second
Rope-He Drops His Own Hsndker-
chief as a Signal for the Ofcers to
Spring the Trsp-His Effort to rs
cape the Night Before the Hanging
by Firing the JsiI-The Story Of Nc
Coy's Crime.
After two attempts William Mccoy wa 8
hanged at Hinesville yesterday for the
murder OF John W. Bowie at Jones Creek
last September.
An account Of the crime and the trial. to-
gether with the circumstances OF McCoy's
respite. has been published in the MORNING
News.
After several delays following the first
attempt the hanging finally took place
at las o'clock. McCoy's neck was
broken and death was almost instantaneous.
There were no relatives TO claim the body
and the county buried it.
Mccoy felt confident that his sentence
would be changed TO life imprisonment,
and up to 10 o'clock he did not fully realize
that be was TO be executed He inquired
of the Jail officials early in the morning II
they thought they would bang him. He
was told night before last OF the governors
refusal to commute bis sentence. He was
in disagreeable humor after that.
sET FIRE TO THE JAIL
During the night the guard, w. NJ. Bax-
ter, was attracted by cries from Mccoy,
and when he went to the cell 10 was on fire.
A large hole was burned in the floor, aud
Mccoy was almost suffooatsd. He con-
fessed that he set fire to the jail, hoping
that he might escape. He soon regretted
his rash act, and suffered considerably from
the effects Of the smoke.
In the morning the prisoner was low
spirited, but spoke freely to every one of
his crime and his coming fate. He had no
appetite and did not eat any breakfast A
MORNING NEWS reporter saw him about IL
o'clock. He was dressed in neat new suit
OF clothes furnished by the county. He
said be was willing to go.
''Me and the Lord have talked it over"
he said. II am going to a better world.
know l got justice from the courts but not
from the witnesses in my case. They did
not tell the truth, and IL John Bowie's mother
had have been at the trial she would have
told what a mean, bad man he was, aud
maybe IL would have not gone so hard with
me. There was more shooting that night
besides me. / confess did shoot John, and
now | will have TO pay the penalty"
None of McCoy's relatives were present
at the hanging, not even a colored minister
Rev. j. 3. Ashmore visited him and helped
prepare him for the ordeal.
THE PREPARATIONS COMPLETE.
By noon preparations for the hanging
were completed. The gallows was in the
yard adjoining the jail. 1t was erected
about two years ago for the hanging of
never used. as Macon was afterwardi sent
to the penitentlary and escaped the gal
lows. The same rope had been kept and
was already fastened to the cross beam,
waiting to drop its victim eight feet into
eternity.
ton, DR.. A. j. Henry, DR.. A. b. Daniel,
Rev. j. 3. Ashmore, DR.. Calder of the
Hinesville Gazette, and MORNING NEWS
reporter were the only persons admitted
besides five or six guards and assistants
There were hardly half a dozen people OUT
side Of the jail yard, and there was no
demonstration of interest among the people
OF the town.
WANTED HALF AN HOUR TO PRAY.
A few minutes after IL o'clock Sheriff
Smith announced to the doomed man that
his time had come. Mccoy asked for half
an hour in which to pray before leaving the
cell. This was granted. He sang and
prayed for about ten minutes, and five min.
utes after he called TO the sheriff: I'm
ready any time"
With firm step Mccoy walked
from she jail to the gallows. about
twenty feet away. He assembled the steps
and stepped upon the platform. The depu-
ties fastened his feet together with a rope
and examined the hand cuffs and rope
which held his arms. Sheriff Smith asked
him if be had anything to say. "Yes, sir"
replied Mccoy; 81 want to say q few
words. Then addressing those present, he
said, with much feeling, though with a
firm, steady voice:
"Gentlemen, you ell see where am. one
and all, white and colored. Well, OF course
it's the Lords will. It's all right. I'm GO
ing to a better place. No doubt ! would not
have got into this il it hadn't been for
whisky. was drinking and got fretful
The boy made an attempt at me and shot
him. Liquor did it. Whisky will carry a
man down to bell. hope you will all try
and be good and let whisky alone and meet
me in glory"
Then speaking directly to the sheriff he
said: "Mr. Smith. you must meet me there.
You have treated me kindly while have
been in your charge; you have treated me
all right; bless you. / thank you. hope
to 60 to my Fathers house. We have all a
debt to pay. am paying mine now"
GAVE THE SIGNAL HIMSELF.
When the condemned man had finished
the deputies placed the black cap over bis
head and be remarked 20 the sheriff: snow.
when throw this handkerchief down let ir
go. Lord, l give myself to thee" The
sheriff added. "And may he have mercy on
your soul" The handkerchief fell from
McCoy's hand, the sheriff pulled the lever
and the stage dropped.
The body of Mccoy descended eight
feet, rebounded and the rope broke.
The body tumbled into the pit, which had
been dug TO give the proper distance. The
spectators saw the masked and fettered form
writing in agony with the moose end of the
rope around his neck. One Of the deputies
quickly removed the rope and assisted Nc
Coy to a sitting posture. He was suffering
from the terrible fall and blood gushed from
bis mouth. His neck was badly cut hv the
rope. but notwithstanding all this he was
able to sit up in a chair. and spoke to the
sheriff and those around him.
MORPHINE ADMINISTERED.
After a few minutes elaboration az In
The lawful right to administer relief under
those peculiar circumstances, the doctor de-
cided that a humane act was above reprosch
from any law and. therefore, gave Mccoy a
hypodermic injection Of quarter Of a
grain Of morphine. In few minutes he
seemed somewhat relieved Of the terrible
pain and asked the minister to read him a
chapter from the Bible. Rev. Mr.. Ashmore