The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-07-29
DEATH AT THE ROPES END.
Jim Courtney Hanged at WayCrOSS for
Killing Another Negro.

4AlC HAASOiCI oltpb oOuuNiN ldob ulHAb
and ate a hearty breakfast this morning
He said that he was resigned to his fate
and that he had nothing to fear. A con
tinual smile lit up his countenance as he
talked through the bars to the crowd
outside.
is your name Jim Courtney or John
Lewis7n he was asked.
'My name is Jim Courtney" he replied,
"but was tried at Sylvania under the
name of John Lewis"
How did you get that's name, Jim7"
'Well just picked it up"
A watermelon was taken into him and
he ate heartily of it.
Several colored preachers remained
with him the greater part of the morning.
The sheriff entered the Jail at 1l:S5
o'clock to prepare Courtney for the gal
lows. Courtney was given a new suit of
clothes. After putting them on, he said:
"Im ready"
The sheriff then read the death war
rant to him and he appeared to be very
much unconcerned The handouts were
put on his hands and he was led TO the
front door when the sheriff gave him per
mission to speak to the crowd outside.
ooURNEY's SPEECH
He said: II have got one thing to say /;
gambling got me into this fix. l quar-
relied over six cents | don't dread
death; l feel safe and ready to go and l
would advise all to stop gambling. / have
been well treated by Mr.. Miller and MIR
Young ever since have been in jail
He was then led to the Jail yard
Rev. Samuel (colored) read the Dist
Psalm and Rev d. w. Moore (colored)
offered prayer. The Rev. Moore then
said to Courtney that 1t was rumored that
this was not his first murder, and in
order that the wrong impression might
not go out, to say whether the rumor was
true or not. Courtney replied that he had
never killed any one before, and that he
killed Smith unintentionallY
He said that he was not particular as
to the disposition Of his body after death.
After the service under the gallows the
sheriff told Courtney that he had fifteen
minutes more.
Courtney said, 81 have nothing more to
say"
AS the prisoner was ascending the scat
fold he looked around and said, lit looks
dangerous, but don't mind it,"
The black cap was then drawn over his
face and the rope was adjusted, As this
was being done he waved his hand TO the
people.
The sheriff then came down, put his
hand on the trigger and said, Good bye
jim" and COurney's body shot through
the trap door
Courtney died hard. He kicked for
three minutes and came near getting his
hands and feet loose He was pro-
nounced dead in twenty minutes by Drs.
G. p. Folks and j. M. Spence, the attend
ing physicians.
THE STORY OF THE CRIME.
The crime for which Courtney paid the
death penalty on the gallows to-day was
the murder of Jake Smith at Braganza,
on April l. Courtney, Jake Smith and
others were playing cards and at the
breaking up Of the game Smith claimed
that Courtney owed him six cents This
Courtney at first denied, but afterward
told Smith that he would pay the siA
cents rather than have fuss. the next
day which was Sunday. Courtney and
Smith met at the shanties about II o'clock
and they began disputing again about the
six cents. Those present told Smith to
kill Courtney and they would stand to his
back Smith said, Jim If you don't pay
me what YOU owe me / will kill You" and
suiting the action of the word, he started
toward Courtney. AS he camo up to Cour-
ney he pulled his razor from his pocket
and cut a cash in Journeys trousers.
About the same time Courtney stabbed
Smith in the breast. Smith fell on his knees
dropping his razor, and Courtney thinking
that Smith was reaching for the razor,
stopped down and picked it up. Smith
said, Jim, my God, you've cut me. ." and
shortly afterward died. After the kill
ing Courtney started down the road, but
was arrested, brought here, and put in
Jail He was tried before Judge @. G.
Smith, the following week after the muir
der, and was convicted Of murder in the
first degree and sentenced to be hanged
on NAV 26. He asked for a new trial and
his request was denied. The case was
thenotal5en 1to the supreme court, which
sustained the decision Of the superior
court.
BORN IN NORTH CAROLINA.
Courtney was born in Warren county, N.
G. He lived at Wilson, n. c., until he
was grown He was 2S years old on May
81. His life was an eyentful one on ac-
count of the many crimes he had com
mitted He left North Carolina three
wears ago and went to Sylvania, Scriyen
county, Ga. He said that he attempted
to murder a white man in a store at Syl-
vania and was arrested tried and con
victed Of assault with intent to murder,
anu was SEllb up lDL lGAi NGdi3 III JliE POM
Tertiary He said the man was a stran-
ger and had been visiting a woman
with whom Courtney was on very inti-
mate terms. The man entered the store
and Courtney shot at him several times
with pistol wounding him, but not Sc
riously. The man left the country and
was never heard from. After serving
eight months in the penitentiary Cour-
ney escaped. He said he heard the guard
say one day that if he was sent uD for ten
years he would certainly escape. The
guard allowed Courtney to go about where
he pleased and the first good opportunity
that came Courtney walked away His
legs were not chained together A ball
and chain was put on one leg only. He
saws the first colOred man he met
gave him pair of trousers. When he
had gone about twenty miles from the
camp he stopped at farm house. Here
he foundian old chisel, with which he cut
the ball and chain of. He then went to
Waynesville, Ga, where he worked for
some time He said that he didn't think
any effort had been made to capture him,
At one time in his life he was accused of
wrecking train in North Carolina, but
he escaped from the sheriff. he aci1nowl-
edged that he was frequently put in Jail
for burglary and other crimes.
To the MORNING NEWS correspondent
this morning the doomed man said: Il
did not intend to kill Jake. He was the
b,- I in, 9 Ef, sssrrsld and / lpyal