The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1893-10-24
CHOKED TO DEATH.
JOHN w. DUTTON, CONVICTED OF
MURDER, PAYS THE PENlLTx.
He Goes to His Death Declaring He IL In
nocent of the Crimo-The story OF HIS
Crime-Other Criminal News.

Gainesville, Ga, October 2O.-(Specal.)
John w. Dutton, the convicted murderer
of Mrs. Sallie Mobbs, was hanged here
today in the presence of over 5000 people.
And the hanging, in many respects, was
one of the most sensational ever recorded III
Georgia.
Button was either an innocent man or
he went before his Maker with lie on
his lips uttered in the coolest calmest man
ner imaginable before Il crowd OF more thin
5000 men and women and children, many
of whom came away from the scene OF exc
cution firmly convinced that the man should
not have been hung.
OF the vast throng which surrounded the
gallows, from which button dropped, there
was no one half so cool as he, neither was
there a man present whose appearance was
heater or more unlike that OF the red-hand-
ed murderer he was proven to have been.
With a steady, firm and almost graceful
step he mounted the scalfoEd and with
composure that WIS remarkable carefully
surveyed the crowd that had gathered to see
him take the drop that was to end ms
earthly career. AT no time was there the
slightest indication of fear about the man,
neither was there any evidence upon when
TO base the assertion that his dying declara-
galloWs were called upon to furnish 1t.
A pleasant smile was upon his face when
the back cap was drawn over It, and alter
death when that cap was removed, the
same pleasant smile was there.
Without Il single sign OF fear and with
every indication chat he was at peace with
God. and man, he met his death, his last
audible words being a denial of guilt.
The Crime tor ~ Inch lie w as Hung.
The crime for which Button was hung
was committed November 26, 1890. Mrs.
Mobbs was found dead by the roadside
and the crime was laid to Dutton. She had
been pounded over the head and stabbed
four or five times in the neck. a few
days after the body was found Dutton was
arrested and given a preliminary trial and
was acquitted. He then went to Alabama
and was absent a year when be was again
arrested and placed in Jail at Gainesville,
the grand jury having found IA true bill
against him. The evidence against him
was purely crcumstantal, but he was con-
yictcd. After his conviction he made a
statement in which he laid the crime to
Mr.. and Mrs. Jim Massey, who lived in
the neighborhood. The Masseys in the
meantime had moved to Putnam county
and were arrested and brought to Carriers
vile. where they were jailed. They were
given a preliminary trial and were turned
loose Massey proving an abb.
Massey and his wife were both at the
execution today. Yesterday Dutton sent
for Solicitor Fite and told him that he had
lied when he swore that Massey had killed
the woman He then told the solicitor
that Mrs. Massey had done the work and
that he had helped her to hide the body,
but the solicitor told Button that he did
not believe one word he said. Dutton
was a hard case all his life, but not as
hard in all probability as he made himself
out to be.
Cothran Acquitted of Murder.
Rome, Ga, October 20-(Special.) THE
Jury in the case of James Il. Cochran,
charged with murder returned verdict this
morn. OF not guilty. The plea of the de-
fnudaur was Sef-dcfenSc. winch was sustained.
Mr.. Cothran is a popular young man belonging
10 one of the most prominent families III the
ing Joseph Weber. tailor, in 1890. The YER
Dict gives satisfaction.
A Sore Throat C"ugh. II suffered to pro-