The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1893-01-17
FOUR WERE HANGED.
Execution of Four of the Eight men SCI
fenced for Murder.


fenced for Murder.
Chestcrtown, Md, January l3.-Contrary
to what was generally expected by every one
Chestertown, outside of the jail precliitT,nis'
passed quiet, uneventful mSht' ne
streets of the little city were almost eli'iIeis
deserted except by the posse Sunllnolleu d
couple of days ago by Sheriff fl'iilinlel'
These guards, in squads of two and three,
armed with guns, rifles and pistols dauhS
from flint-locks used in the revolution 70
modern, self-acting reyOlvers, patroied tlle
streets nearly all night long ana un'l 'ho
execution took place.
Business during the morning was almost
entirely suspended, but the streets We're
crowded with sleighs and other yehlcles
filled with merry couples who did not seem 10
have a thought for the tour mlSeraple
wretchcs confined in the damp basement
cells of the jail.
But nevertheless the shadow of the gallows
seemed to hang over all and the gayety was
of a forced character. Very lew negroes
could be seen on the streets
Not a single arrest was made by the men
who walked the streets of the town all
night, and not d single disturbance occurred
The scene in the county courthouse, now
ever, was quite different from that on the
streets. The room in which the eight men
were tried, condemned and sentenced was
crowded with young and old men armed
with all kinds of weapons They had been
summoned to defend the jail should an at
tempt be made to lynch the four prisoners
But no such attempt was made and the
posse contented itself with emptying sundry
bottles and telling what it would do II the
mob should appear.
Shortly after / o'clock members of the
posse inside the jail, the reporters and the
twenty witnesses allowed by law, crowded
into the corridor where they were told by
the sheriff to get ready. \ short march to
the scaffold began with Brooks first, Come
gys next, followed by William and Moses
Brown.
On reaching the scaffold the men We're
placed in position, the nooses arranged about
their necl;s, the black caps pulled over their
faces and their legs bound at the ankles
At 1870 the bar controlling the triggers
slipped easily along the creased surface
There was u crash as the trap doors fell
to the ground and the four black bodies shot
through the hole. -Four of the murdercrs
of DR.. Hill had eXpiated the crime upon
Fletcher Williams and Moses Brown
died almost without Il struggle. Their necks
We're broken. Brooks and Comegys went
through the most appalling contOrtionS The
latter died from strangulation and the for
mers death was due 10 dislocaton OF his
neck. Comegys, the youngest of the quar-
tct, was conscious for at least five minutes
while dangling from the rope. He twisted
his legs, struggled with the handouts and
drew his knees to his neck Brooks went
through similar movements. He died hard
His frame swayed several minutes. and
when the crowd thought him dead he started
the most desperate contortions. His body
wrggled within the straps about him and
his determined efforts to get the handouts
off. pleased the crowd immensely.
Old farmers. who gathered about the dy-
ing men, laughed, and some even cursed the
negroes. The men died in from ten to eight
cen minutes The heart of Williams beat
for seventeen minutes. although he acted as
though he died first The men were exanlin-
ed by Drs. w. Frank Hines. j. Horton
Kelly, Charles w. Whalaud and John l..
Wethered, the latter of Philadelphia. At
$50 o'clock the bodies We're cut down. placed
in pine collins at once and two express
wagons conveyed them to the potter's field
After the execution the people quietly dis
perSed