Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-07-08
TIE NgGRO RAPE EIEND HUNG.
seRY j. Miller Taken Back to the Scene oi
His Crime aud Strung Up to Telegraph
Pole by an Angry Mob.

seRY j. Miller Taken Back to the scene OF
His Crime and Strung Up to Telegraph
Pole by an Angry Mob.
BARDwEIL, KY, July 7.-Seay j. Miller,
the negro charged with the outrage ana
murder lof Mary and Ruby Ray, was
hanged at 3:25 O'Clock this afternoon ana
then burned after being horribly mut-
lated.
The negro made speech prociaimiug MS
innocence, but it is said that he afterwards
made partial confession.
The steamer Three States, with several
hundred men from Cairo on board, met
the special train from Siskeston at Bro s
Point.
The prisoner was put on the boat and
taken to Wickliffe at o'clock this morn
ing. Frank Gordan, the fisherman VINO
ferried the murderer across the Mississippi
river Wednesday night, identified Miller
as the same man.
still Miller pleaded his innocence and
John Ray, the father Of the murdered
girls. counseled patience. The moo board
ed a train at Wickliffe and brought the
prisoner to this city, arriving at IL 80.
There were not less than 5000 men at the
depot and the train of eight coaches was
crowded.
Previous to this time an agreement was
made by the people to allow the fatner OF
the children to prescribe the punishment,
but when the train arrived IL seemed tha'
the men forgot their promise Tor the tIme
They rushed to the train, one over an
other and at one time ii was thought oy
great many that the negro was oeing torn
limo from limb AT last quiet was re,
stored. and all went 10 very high scanoid
constructed of bridge timberS.
Sheriff Hudson, the prisoner and the
guards mounted the stand. John hay, tne
father of the murdered girls, made Talk,
in which be said;
'This is the man who killed my children,
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 clrcum-
stances under which he was placed. Ills
voice was clear, and he seemed almost oo-
liyious TO the surroundings. His exact
words were as follows;
"Mv name is Seay J. Miller, and am
from Springfield. Ills. My wife lives at 1l6
North Second street. l am here among
YOU as q stranger, and looked on by you as
the most brutal man that ever stood on
Gods green errth. l am standing here an
innocent man, among excited men, VINO DO
not propose to let the law take its course.
I have committed no crime to De deprived
of INV liberty or life l am not guilty"
AT this time he was disturbed by several
questions and many called on him to go on,
but Sheriff Hudson begged to be permit
ted to put him in Jail aud get some rest Tor
himself which he needed so badly.
At this time Mr.. Ray, the father OF the
children, appeared on the stand ana talked
only few moments, carrying on
rrrffh
sons on the ground. Mr.. Ray repeat
ed the charge against the negro and
said be was willing TO set time and place
for the execution, which was agreed be-
tween him and several bystanders should
be 3 O'Clock. 1t was then few minutes
mast twelve and the negro was placed In
Hail TO await the time when he would be
called forth.
At9:2O 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 it. The crowd was Wllu,
and no one could guess at the fate OF the
negro He was almost suifocated when
tine north end of the depot was reached,
and here the father of the girls relented to
some extent and suggested that ne oe
hanged rather than burned.
At S:27 the body was swung to tele'
graph pole directly at the north end of the
Sepot. and he was drawn up, his clothes
were torn from his body by the maddened
mob. He was heard to say just as they
drew him MP: II am an innocent man,
hut there is fully authentic report that
he made at least partial confession as the
mob took him from the Jail, but the con-
fession duplicates a partner In some way,
and nothing positive can be learned.
The negro was drawn up with his race
10 the pole and when his feet were two or
three feet from the ground some one shot
him from the front the ball passing entire
ly through his body.
In few minutes life was extinct, 1t be-
ing sscertained that he was dead at $40
O'Clock. The body was left hanging until
.25 during which time some Of the toes
and fingers were cut off. The body was fl
nally taken down and carried about 300
yards to the rear Of Downs and Harlan's
mill.
AT that place the ears were cut on, and
nearly all the remaining toes and fingers
were severed aud the body otherwise mutt
lated. The body was then placed between
two logs and kindling piled upon IT. and
then enough wood TO complete the JOB OF
burning.
The crowd remained orderly to the last,
hut very determined. The men who did
the hanging are from Kentucky, Tennessee,
Illinois and Missouri, but the work was
done in such manner and the throng was
so great that no man can name an lndlvld-
ual who participated