The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1893-09-05
HANGMAN'S DAY.
IN SOUTH OAROLINA THERE WERE
SIX Legal EXECUTIONS.
George Turner, the Wealthy White Man
whose Case a Attracted so NJ UGH Attention,
Hung-Other Criminal Matters.

| Columbia, S. c., September 1.-(Special)
| This is hangmans day in South Carolina
| with vengeance. Five negroes and a
rich and powerful white man constitute the
unusual record of this black Friday.
The crimes and the execution of the
Criminals are told in the following dis
patches to The Constitutions Columbia bu-
reau.
The Hanging of Turner.
Spartanburg, s. c., September l.-(Spe-
al)-GeOrge S. Turner has received the
bitter fruit of his crime. This case has
created d great deal of interest, not only
throughout this state, but in other states,
owing to the prominent position occupied
by the prisoner and the great wealth at his
command. If has long been said that
South Carolina kept rich mans court
house and poor mans jail, but this
charge can be no longer laid to the state.
','he man who but few hours ago suffered
upon the galows had ample wealth at his
command and was backed by influential
and strong friends, but they awaited him
naught and he was melted out the same
justice as the most ignorant negro who
violates the law.
Turner met dea til with wonderful nerve.
Though for two years he was confined III
dark cell and shackled to the floor, never
did he manifest <he slightest penltence Tor
the murder of his brother-in-law. During
his confinement he gave his attention TO
money-making and accumulated upwards
of $1,000 by real estate speculauons.
ON the scaffnId.
Turner marched with firm step through
hard rain to the scaffold. AS he TOOK
his place and the sheriff read the death
warrant his face turned pale and his hanu
twitched nervously, but otherwise ne
showed no tremor When asked if he had
anything to say he shook his head. He
whispered word to Mr. Andrew Moore,
his attorney and calmly stepped on tne
trap door When the drop fell at l2:2I
Turner's neck was broken. There were
a few spasnodic motions and III fifteen
minutes he was dead.
sketch of Turner's Life.
George S. Turner was born on July
26, 1850, in the eastern part or TINS
on Thicketty creek. his parents
We're highly respectable people ana one OIL
the best families in the county. Being born
lust before the war and the conflict break,
ing out Just at the time when he should
have been in school, the boy received no
advantages and it is doubtful
at the close of the war whether he could
either read or write his name. At the
close of the civil war Turner entered into
the kluklux war in this section with all |
the reckless zeal of an ignorant seventeen |
year-old boy. In consequence of his con |
nection with the klukluX, he was forced |
to leave home when about twenty years |
old.
A Wife's Beautiful Devotion. =
Turner married a Miss Finger, sister of |
the man whom he subsequently, killed and |
for whose life he today paid the penalty |
of the law.
Three children We're born to him, two
SONS and a daughter. They are bright
handsome children and were devoted to |
their unfortunate father. Turner married
Miss Finger when she was but girl. He
sent her to school and gave her every pos
sible advantage. Her fidelity to him during
his trouble is a striking illustration of the
beauty and strength of woman's devotion
and faithfulness to the man she loves.
Ut no was her he. erria'g' :" al III
If her children. and through lhlCIN an
thin she remained steadtast IN her ues ot }
to him. and has done every tlili- az 49, a Nc
p W mower to save her husband from ms
fearful fate Verify hers was WOMAN
love that passeth understanding.
Turner's First Crime.
Turner's first crime was the killing OF
= German named Julius Metzkla'
which occurred Sunday ,,o aftepho ,~as
June ID, 1881. Ale'Ah na We We
y Iaborer on Turner's place ana the
men had some dispute in the morning |
about wages. In his testimony turner
stated that the German had attacked Nun
in the morning with an ak, and 1t WAS Win |
great difficulty that he saved his me AL
the afternoon Metzka returned and resum-
ed the quarrel, saying that he was gong
to Kill him. AS he, was com, com
ing in the door with a pistol in his haho |
Turner, who was inside the door, shot MN
in the head with q gum killing him lmine-
dia tely. This is substantially what 1ur-
ner stated at his first trial.
Ed Finger, the man Turner subsequently |
killed. and Clara Finger, whom he seduced,
both testified in his behalf III this case.
Turner's Second Crime
Turner's next offense against the laws of
God and man was the killing of his brother
in-law, Edward I'll. Finger, ON Friday,
March T. 1890.
When Turner slew Julius Metzkla three
years ago, the Fingers came deyotedly TO
his support, even at the expense of losing
much Of the good will and opinion of their
neighbors Ed Finger swore TO story
of a pistol belonging to MetZlia, which was
50 incredible that it was not repeated on
the second trial. Mrs. Finger and Miss
Clara Finger gave testimony IN his ta'or,
which was directly contradicted by some OF
the best men in the county. 1heir , tesli-
monv did mnch to acquit Turner. Their
suffering at his hands seeinS az
most the nemesis of fate.
Some time after this trial, Miss CARA
Finger who was Il beautiful girl OF
aiohteen. was passing through SpartanbufS'
on her way TO school. She met her broth
er-jn-law here. She wanted to buy some
shoes, and Turner told her 1T was NOT
nroner TO try on shoes in the store puI
mar if she would go to the hotel he would
send them to her. She went; turner cur
RED the shoes to her in person, ana mere
% con,n,ishnd her ruin. SO the story OF
shame is fold among her nelghbors.
The girls father was dead. Her orother
did not slay her betrayer, but SUIT WAS
Wrought for $50, 900 damages. ~
Roth I'd Finger and Mrs. Finger nave
s,,oa him also for money which they alleSe
ba horrowed from them and would not re-
turn. ;l rrrrnor wont
20 Wrs Fingers house. Ed Finger met
him 1T the door and told him he couia no not
n ,,rltl The house. When he persisted IN
anr leve]ed his shotgun on HIM and turner
WIN Tha fecIins on both sides was bitter.
In March. 1890, Finger had come 10 t,ls
o;tW and was going home somewhat unuer
the influence of liquor. He was ,,, WaIh.is
Along al,T s"'t the public highway by Turner RS
store, merrily singing as he came down 'ile
I'm Going home. Here Turner met MN
coming from his store, some distance roll
Tho road. for the purpose, ana quaIle t
fnllowed. What words passed nobody put
1rnrner knows, but Finger drew his pistol,
l., o1-ato nd apclUpntQllV