The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1893-04-06
AT THE LAST NOM ENT.
WADE HAlNES REsPITeD IN THE FACE
OF DEATH.

He Would Die-IIalf Hour Before the
Time the Governor Acts for SUN oient
Reasons.
COLUMBIA, March 24.-What an aW-
ful strain Wade Haynes went through
to-day no one can ever conceive. AS
the minutes went by he and those near
and dear to him had every reason to
believe that an awful death was fast
approaching. There in a little prison
cell sat the condemned murderer, with
out a ray Of hope, yet brave and reso-
lutte, tc meet death like an innocent
man. Around him were friends and.
what is far more, mother writhing in
the agonies Of distress. That alone
moved him. and 1t was only when he
looked at bis suffering mother that he
Wept. Little did he dream that an
electric message would save his life for
month, If not longer. Sheriff Cath
cart had given up hope. Haynes had
. long abandoned it, and the ministers
were In the midst Of the death prayer
when telegram arrives, no one can
say from where. A message is con-
veyed by telephone to the Jail to stay
the execution. A respite is received at
IL o'clock and a life Is spared. The ex-
eecution was to have taken place at that
hour, and, so far as can be seen, moth
ing short of this mysterious telegram
saved the boys life. 1t was indeed a
touching scene. Neither mother nor
son could say anything for joy, and
there in the prison cell, under the verv
shadow OF death, the two stood in each
others arms, crying for pure Joy. True
there seemed to be something like a
sensational effect in the way in which
the respite came, but | honestly be-
lieve that Governor Tillman had no
such Intentions, and. further, that he
Is trying, as he believes, to do his duty
In doing the boy justice. 1t is indeed
curious case and one that has excited
very general interest. but whatever the
opinion Is no one will or can censure
Governor Tillman for his action, and
the only hope is that the boy will be
ultimately pardoned.
Haynes had been sent to the Peniten-
tiary long time ago for safe-keeping,
and this morning Sheriff Cathcart,
Constable Hartin and Jailer Coleman
went to get the prisoner for execution.
No one then had right to hope tn at
there would be no execution. The
boy, for he is only 16, had nothing to
say before leaving the Penitentiary.
He told His friends that he was limo.
cent. Those who have been watching
him say that he was perfectly calm
during the night. At times he would
offer up prayer. He ate nothing. TO
those who questioned him he said tn at
he was prepared to die.
at the jail the party from the Peni-
tentiary, who came in a landau, was
met by several hundred curious peo-
pie, mostly neRFodt, Gsho Were anxious
tO sea whAL no Slpn TTa uoc
met inside Of vas jail by number of
colored fr.and.s and ministers, among
them being Jhe Revs. Johnson, Wilson,
Baylor, Carter, Daniels and DeaconS
Carol and Black. There was no time
lost, and the ministers under the direc-
tion of the Rev. Mr.. Johnson devoted
themselves to prayer and song. Sad
indeed were the hymns OF that small
party OF colored divines. Perhaps
never before have they been more af-
fected. There were old and pr&cticed
ministers singing praise unto God with
tears trickling down their cheeks
But the saddest sight of all was that
of Haynes's mother. She insisted upon
Most Of the time she sat on a narrow
bench in silent prayer and agony,
wringing her hands. Then all of sud
den she would try and reach Wade, and
on one occasion she fell prostrate upon
the bare floor, and cried and sobbed for
my innocent boy, that they are going
to kill" She had little son with her
and he, too, shed bitter tears. But
what of Haynes? If to show indiffer-
ence Is to manifest bravery, then he
did so. 1t was not until the breaking
down of his mother that he showed
much emotion, but when she fell to the
ground the tears began to trickle down
his cheeks, and from that time on to
the announcement of respite he shed
tears. His nervousness he showed by
twirling and twisting handkerchief
which one of the ministers had given
him.
1t was only few minutes before 1
o'clock when Sheriff Cathcart received
news of the respite. Constable Har-
tin was sent after it, and in the mean
while the Rev. Mr.. Johnson was ad-
vised that he might 60 on with the ser
vices as long as he chose. 1t seemed
that these little whisperings told those
around that something had occurred,
and from that time on there was I,
kind of damper over the whole ,,ro-
ceedings. Soon after the sacra mont
had been adminiSte ed, Sheriff Cath
cart went into the Cell and asked
Haynes to stand up. What a moment
of suspense! GThe Governor has sent a
respite for you until the 21st of April,
said Sheriff Catncart.
eyes, sir" was IIaynes's only an.
swer.
"Thank Godl' said his mother.
Mother and son were allowed to em.
brace. They cried for Joy. In few
moments handouts were put on the
boy, he was reconveyed to the landau
and hurried back to his prison cell in
the Penitentiary.
Every preparation had been made for
the execution. The galloHs was in
readiness for use. The coffin was on
the grounds to take away a corpse, and
well-nigh 90 per cent of those present
expected the execution would take
place. An outburst of applause went
up as the carriage went to the peniten.
tiary. This ends another and exciting
chapter in most remarkable crime
one In which an innocent boy is
thought to be suffering.
fetltlons have been presented to
governor Tillman to commute the SEN
tence, and nine OF the jurynen who