The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-07-08

Declaring his Innocence.
BARDwELl, KY, July 7-seay ]. Mil
ler, the negro charged with the outrage
and murder OF OF Mary and Ruby Ray,
was hanged at 1926 o'clock this after
noon and then burned, after being hor-
ribly mutilated. The negro made a
speech prpClaiming his innocence, but
it is said that he afterwards made a
partial confession.
The steamer Three States, with sever.
al hundred men from Cairo on board,
met the special train from sikeston at
Birds Point. The prisoner was put on
the boat and taken to Wicklile at
o'clock this morning, Frank Gordon,
the fisherman who ierried the murderer
across the Mississippi river Wednesday
night, identified Miller as the same
man.
John Ray, the father of the murdered
girls, made talk in which he said:
"This is the man who killed my chill
dren. but let us keep quiet now and at
the proper time burn him."
The negro was called upon to make
talk and responded promptly and with
wonderful nerve. considering the cir
cumstancos under which he was
placed. His voice was clear and he
seemed almost oblivious to the sur
roundings, His exact words were as
follows:
"My name is seay ]. Miller and am
from Springfield, Ills. My wife lives at
us North Second street. / am here
among you as stranger and looked on
by you us the most brutal man that
ever stood on Gods green earth. l am
standing here an innocent man, among
excited men, who do not propose to let
the law take its course ! have commit
ted no crime to be deprived OF my
liberty or life. / am not guilty"
At $500 o'clock the negro was brought
from the jail to the principal street. A
chain was around his neck and many
men were pulling at 1t, The crowd was
wild aud no one could guess at the fate
of tho negro. He was almost sufocated
when the north end Of the depot was
reached, and here the father relented
to some extent and suggested that he
bo hanged instead OF burned.
AT 1927 the body was swung to tele-
graph pole directly at the north end of
the depot and he was drawn up. He
was heard to say, just as they drew him
up: ~ am an innocent man."
Someone shot him from the front, the
ball passing entirely through his body.
The body was finally taken down aud
carried about 800 yards to the rear Of
Downs & Harlin's mill.
At that place the ears were cut of,
and nearly all the remaining toes and
fingers were severed and the body 9TH
erwise mutilated. The body was then
placed between two kegs and kindling
piled upon it, and then enough wood
to complete the Job Of burning,
THE NEGROES CRIME,
The crime for which this brute pays
tho penalty is one Of the most atrocious
in the history Of the criminal annals OF
the country and the perpetratoE de-
served the vengeance meted out to him
by the outraged citizens Of this section
OF the state.
Wednesday morning about 0 o'clock
Mary and Ruby Ray, aged sixteen and
twelve years respectively, left their
home three miles north OF Bardwell and
started to pick berries in n neighboring
thiCket. Tho first intimation that any
thing was wrong was received by the
mother OF the girls, who became
alarmed by the actions OF q dog that
had accompanied them. Mrs. Ray
followed the dog to the thicket. There
horrible sight met her gaze. Her
daughter Mary was lying in pool Of
blood with her throat cut from ear to
car and her clothing torn into shreds.
The body was yet warm. Though
frantic with horror and grief, Mrs. Ray
summoned help. and her son John
Joined her in search for Ruby. After a
short while the body OF the little girl
was found in similarly mutilated con-
dition, and an examination OF the
bodies showed that both girls had been
outraged before being murdered.
TRAiLED BY A BLOODHOUND.
Tho news Of the terrible crime spread
like wildfire and the whole section was
aroused, Men secured the whole aur.
rounding country, but without success.
| At last a bloody coat was found, 1t
was a slight clew but 1t proved good
one. One OF the Eddyville penitentiury
bloodhounds was taken to the scene oil
the crime Yesterday. He was given q
scent Of tho coat, aud 1t was only q few
moments until tho murderer's trail was
found, and he was followed to the Mis-.
sissippiriver. There a fisherman was
discovered who said he had beor
forced to row burly yellow negro with
molo on his faco, across the river
The dog was taken across the river and
he struck the trail all right, but could
not follow II past Birds Point. There,
however, nows was received that man
had bcen arrested AZ Sikeston, NO., aud
Marshal McCullum loft for that place
immediately
Tho prisoner tnlliod with tho fisher
mans description. His clothes were
worry muddy and presented tho appear.
ance Of having been recently washed
llo had ivo rings In his possession aud
his clothes showed evidence Of the
crime.
A special train was secured at Skies.
ton aud the captors loft imm edialely
for tho sceno OF tho crimo.
Along tho route the party was con
stantly reinforced by men from Illinois
Missouri, Tennessee and Kentucky
towns, aud they were all determined Il
nlolo out 10 tho 6ond n punishment
commensurate with tho Nervousness o.
tho crime. Tho party arrived In Kon
tuckV thiu morning and the story from