The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-09-09
FIVE TO HANG At ONCE.
The Peterson MuTdeTeTS and Two 9th
eTS to Pay the Penalty.

Jacobs and Manuel Confess the Part
They Took in the Killing ofPeterson.
The Execution to Take Place Sept.
2e-The other Murderers and Their
Crimes.
Iucian Manuel, Hiram Brewington and
Hiram Jackson, the three murders Of
Alec Peterson of Alley, Ca, who have
been confined in jail here for several
weeks, are to hang at Mt Vernon Friday,
Sept %.
Weldon Gordon and Prince Strickland,
two other negroes. are to hang for muir
der on the same day, making five hang
ings to take place at Mt. Vernon on the
same day.
Great interest has been taken in the
trial this week by the peopleo of Montgom-
cry and adjoining counties, where the
murdered man was well known.
THE MURDERED MAN
Mr.. Peterson was a merchant and eX-
press agent at Alley, on the Savannah,
Americas and Montgomery railroad, and
was one of the wealthiest, as well as one
of the most highly respected citizens of
that section He was attacked in his
store on the night of July 20, and was shot
several times and fatally wounded.
The intention of the murdererS was to
rob the store, but they became alarmed
and fled after the shooting without at
tempting to carry out their purpose of
robbery.
MIR. Peterson lived four days after he
was shot In describing his assailants
he said that they were white men, with
their faces covered with flour. The three
murderers who have just been sentenced
10 death were arrested within few days
after Mr.. Peterson's death and con-
fcsscd their crime. They proved to be
half breeds of the Scufiietown, N. c.,
type, which has become SO notorious in
this section. Their light complexion ex-
planned Mr.. Petersons mistake in
supposing that they were white
men The men when arrested confessed
that they had smeared their faces with
-four in the attempt to disguise them
selves.
IN DANGER OF BEING LYNCHED,
The three murdercrs would have been
lynched had they not been brought to
Savannah for safe keeping. They re
manned in jail here until last Saturday,
when they were taken away by the sher
if, who was accompanied by guard of
twenty armed deputies to prevent any at
tempt at lynching or rescue.
Judge Gober of Marietta presided at the
trial Judge Smith being disqualified by
reason of his relation to Mr.. Peterson, the
victim Of the murderers. There was no
difficulty in proving the prison
ers' guilt, they themselves confess
ing it. Manuel and Jacobs both
gave accounts of the crime on the witness
stand BY the kindness Of Stenographer
Burch the MORNING News is able to give
the statements of the murderers YER
batim.
JACOBS CONFESSION.
Hiram Jacobs gave the following &C
count of the crime:
"Lucian Manuel, Hire Brewington and
! were staying at shanty at the still,
and they came there Tuesday night, and
told me about this money. They first
said they were in trouble. They asked me
to go with them. I did not know
but what they had got into
some sort of a fuss. as they were always
shooting around there. That was the
time we made the agreement. | went off
with them and they told me their plan |
being weak man, and money was hard
10 get l went into the agreement. We
went there Tuesday night and the store
was shut up. l knew that nobody would
know me, for had not been to Alley, and
l didn't know Mr.. Peterson. | had never
seen him, and didn't know him that
night. I was surprised to see the man.
/ didn't think he was the man that
they were talking about.
WANTED TO BACK OUT.
1--WE failed on Tuesday night and on
Thursday night we made plot to try it
again, But while [ was at work in the
woods Wednesday l studied about it
and said l believe / will leave and get out
OF 1t, but l had worked a week and owed
Mr.. Peterson. ! said if ! leave he will 90
after me and bring me back and make me
rat In
go Thursday night. l was studying some
way to get out'of it when Lucian broke
his dipper came after me. Before l
would be called a coward I went
with him out there. We didn't go
intending to hurt the man at all, but Pc
lcrson caught Lucian's pistol and it fred
was scared. He came out. I shot right
IN front Of Mr.. Peterson when he came
OUT, and If hit HIM at all hit him in
Ihe head. That is all have to say"
MANUEL's STATEMENT.
Lucian Manuel made the following
statement: Il and Hiram Jacobs
and Hire Brewington are the ones
That went to do this thing. Brewing
ION and myself had been there, and
hire first saw the money and told
me about it, and asked me would
help him to get it. I told him
wouldn't by myself but l would with two
!llOIV' ne talked on ana talked on about
IT, and | tried to get out of the notion,
put wanted the money and it was pretty
oad to throw away what l was making,
ana this was a good way to get money
had good pistol and
we made up our minds to go. We went
To- try it on Tuesday night and failed, and
thursday night we made another attempt
10 go there. We talked about il, and was
ABOUT to give it up but the devil got into
me and said, L won't stand back, and
we agreed to go ahead.
AT THE STORE.
II stepped into the store, and as I
walked in looked back. thought Hire
was coming in, but he didn't, and as [
turned around Mr.. Peterson says: ''You
Qok IKE fighting man tonight"
thought he knew NC and asked him if he
Ldd any money, and he reached back like
ne was going to shoot, and says, Don't
resist; don't boiler" | had my pistol
ue4nd me and pulled it out
a MIN. In that time he era bbed the PTS
10 10. and the pistol fired off in his hand
t IL BrewingtOn snapped his pistol in
ene door and says Shoot, shoot and l
nj tine p tol again right in his side.
men pointed it out of doors and fired it
VI the ground l fired three
IHheS, once through his hand