The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-01-14
A TOWN TAKES UP ARMS.
oHEsTERTOwN WILDLY FxCITRD
OVER THE HANGING.

Fears That an Attempt Would Be
Made TO Lynch the Prisoners Before
the Law Could Take It's Course.
The Night Passes Without Trouble.
The Four Negroes Swung Off.
CHEsTERTowN. Nd, Jan. 13.-Contrary
10 what has been generally expected by
every one, Chestertown outside Of the
iail precincts passed a quiet and uneventful
night. The streets of the little city were
almost entirely deserted except by posse
summoned a couple OF DAYS ago by Sheriff
Plummer. These guards in twos and threes
armed with guns, rifles and pistols ranging
from flint locks used in the revolution to
the modern self-acting revolver, patrolled
the streets nearly all night long, and until
the execution took place. Business during
the morning was almost entirely suspended,
but the streets we're crowded with sleighs
and other vehicles filed with merry couples
who did not seem to have a thought for the
four miserable wrstches confined 10 the
damp basement cells of the Jail. but never
theless the shadow OF the gallows seemed
hanging over ell, and many sympathetic
expressions were offered.
NO ARRESTS MADE.
Very few n egroes could be seen on the
streets. Not single arrest was made by
the men who walked the streets of town all
night, and not a single disturbance oc-
Cured. The scene in the county court
house, however, was quite different from
that on the streets. The room in which
the eight men were tried, condemned and
sentenced was crowded with young and old
men armed with all kinds OF weapons.
They had been summoned to defend the
jail should an attempt be made to lynch the
four prisoners. But no such attempt was
made and the posse contented itself with
emptying sundry bottles and telling what
it would do if mob should appear.
THE HANGING.
Shortly af ter IL O'Clock this morning the
members of the posse inside the Jail, re-
porters and the twenty witnesses allowed
by law crowded into the corridor, where
they we're told by the sheriff to get ready.
The short march TO the scaffold began with
Brooks first and Comegys next, followed by
William and Moses Brown. On reaching
the scaffold the men were placed in posi-
ton, the n doses arranged about their necks,
the black caps pulled over their faces and
their legs hound at the ankles. At 1890
O'Clock the bar controlling the triggers
slipped easily along the CREASED surface.
There was a light crash, the trap doors fell
20 the ground and the four black bodies
shot through the holes. Four of the mur-
derers Of DR.. Hill had expiatsd their crime
on the gellows.
Fletcher Williams and Moses Brown died
almost without a struggle. Their necks
we're broken.
TWO DIE HARD.
Brooks and Comegys vent through the
most appalling contortions. The latter died
from strangulation and the formers death
was due to dislocation of his neck
Comegys, the youngest of the quartet, was
conscious for at least five minutes
while dangling from the rope. He twisted
his legs, struggled with the handouts
and drew his knees to his neck. Brooks
went through similar movements. He died
hard. bis frame swayed several minutes,
and when tho crowd thought him dead he
started the most desperate contortions. His
body wriggled within the straps about him
and his determined efforts to get the hand
cuffs of pleased the crowd immensely.
MEN LAUGH AT THEIR SUFFERING.
Old farmers who gathered about the dy-
ing men laughed and some even cursed the
negroes. The men died in from ten TO
eighteen minutes. The heart Of Williams
beat for seventeen minutes. although he
acted as though he died first The men
were examined by Drs. w. Frank Hines j.
Horton Kelly, Charles w. Whaland, and
John L. Wethered, the latter OF Philadel-
phla At 2:50 O'Clock the bodies were cut
down, placed In pine coffins at once and
two express wagons conveyed them to the
potter's field, After the execution the peo-
pie quietly dispersed.