The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-01-26
A HANGING AT oCALA.
Ben Latimore Strung UP for Killing
Paymaster Chandler.

EayndbLeT Ondnu4eE.
Ocala, Fla, Jan. 25.-Ben Latimore
alias Jake williams (colored), was hanged
| to-day, for the murder Of n. A. Chandler,
| paymaster for the Amber railroad, in
the western part of Marion county.
Quite a crowd convened to see Latimore
| hung but it was not near so large as at
| the execution of Dancy. Fully 120 tickets
were issued by Sheriff Hodge and the
| scaffold enclosure and jail rooms were
crowded TO sufocation. Every place
| available for Sightseeing was occu-
pied. LatimOre devoted nearly an
hour to praying. Revs. Going and Nelson
of his race went with him on the scat
fold. He made statement, confessed
his crime, said he died in hope of an i'm
mortal resurrection and warned those
within his hearing to take heed from his
fate. Ben Mccullough negro deputy,
sprung the trap at II 30 o'clock, and the
man dropped into eternity.
LATIMoRE's CRIME.
The crime for which Latimore was
hanged was a deliberate and cold-blOOded
murder, prompted by a desperate and
evil-minded person The deed was com
mitted on the night of Jan 9, 1872, near
what is known as the Early Bird phOs-
phate mines. The paymaster's instruc-'
tiOns were to keep back a small amount
of the wages due the men constructing
the road, so that their services would be
retained until the completion of the road,
an event only few days distant. In this
case the sum was only 80 cents, and when
Latimore's turn came and his pay was
proffered him, less the 80 cents, the trou-
BILE began.
Mr. Gambler explained why he could not
pay the 50 cents. Latimore insisted on
having it, as he was sick and wanted to
go home. Not receiving it, he told several
bystanders that IF Gambler did not pay
him what he owed him, one or the other
would eat breakfast in hades the next
morning" Mr. Gambler having paid his
men OF, the crowd dispersed. While he
was making up his accounts a shot was
heard in the camp, and " hen the reason
was sought for, it was found that Mr.
Gambler lay dead in his Office. Search was
instituted Immediately. Parties were
sent out to look for the murderer. 1t was
soon known that baltimore made the threat
and was absent from his accustomed
haunts.
The search for Latimore continued for
several days, but the slayer of Gambler
escaped. IL was afterwards learned that
he went to his old home at Quitman. In
June, 1892, he went to Jacksonville, where
he was apprehended and brought TO
Ocala, and tried before j. j. Finley, during
the October term of the court George
more, but the verdict OF the jury was
murder in the first degree and the court
sentenced him TO be hanged
Attorney Badger appealed the case on
technicality, and the supreme court
granted Latimore new trial, which was
held last October, Mr.. Badger again de-
Tending him. The iury's verdict was the
same as in the first trial Judge w. r.
Hooker pronounced sentence of death
by hanging. Gov. Mitchell named the
day, The fact that baltimore secured
second trial greatly aggravated the peo-
pie of this county, as all the facts pointed
70 the criminal and when a new trial
was given him il aroused such a feeling of
resentment that lynchlng was strongly
limited at at one time, but better counsel
prevailed, and now the strength and ma
jesty of the law has been indicated For
a long time LatimOre, who is only 20
years old, was obdurate and insensible to
the appeals made to him by both colored
and white clergymen for his spiritual
welfare. It remained for Father O'Reily to
bring Latimore to realizin sense of his
future state, and Sunday he made a full
confession, and asked absolution, which
was administered