The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-02-09
PcTER DEGRAFF HANGED
TIE EXECUTION WITNESSED D1
SIX THOUSAND PEOPLE.
DoomeI Man Confesscs that He mnr"'ro"
His observation-disclosures HIS D""n-
fali TO Corn whi.ky, Cards and Dice.

WINSTON, ~. u, rev. o.
In the presence Of over six tho"sah'
people Peter DeGraff to-day paia inc
peoalty Of the murder Of his sweetheart
ru,on Smith. Sheriff Macarthur sprung
the trigger at 1855. and In an instant
tho lie Of the condemned man went
ont HIS neck was broken and deatn was
instantaneous. but the hearts action
continued for seven minutes The rope
was around the prisoners neck "heh he
ascended the scanold. He raised MS nut
and bowei TO the crowd. The utAs-
warrant was read by the sheriff. Durlng
the reading DeGraf paid strict atteh-
ton. but exhibited no signs OF nervous,
ness. A religious service was conduc'ed
bv Rev. II. a. Brown. Rev. W. a.
Lutz also made touching remarks.
-. .f,"n.
In his speech DeGrafi made confess
sion of the crime. which he has always
bitterly denied. lie talked rapidly put
was not excited. lie said, That tnihg
you call corn liquor. cards, dee ana
other games Of chance. pistols, ana Dau
women are the things which have brought
mo 10 his Mace. to stand Oh this scanold.
| have kept back for months what am
going TO tell you. God told me to Keep
il back. Yes l shot that woman. was
drunk at the time. l put the plstoi 10
her breast and fired 1t. The only "orus
she said after / shot were. Lore nave
mercy on me. / stand mere to-day 10
receive my just reward
He concluded his remarks Dy tellils
his hearers not 10 do as ne had zone.
When Peter shook hands ana 'olu n,S
two brothers and the officers good
his Bible to his youngest brother me
aged father and mother babe him ldre-
well AT the jail this morning The scene
noved many to tears. Peter requested
his father not to witness his execution
the old man respected the request.
report was current this morning that De
Graft had poisoned himself during last
night. investigation proved he only LOOK
some powders 10 make him sleep Wen
$50 ie me-.
rucn Smith. DcGrans sweetheart, was
murdered between the hours OIL cioch
in the afternoon OF July ~, 1917, ana
o'clock The following morning Her Douy
vas first found by coiored woman III
a lonely piece 81 woods about hall
mile west of winston, with a bullet-hoie
in her left breast. The ball passed
through her BODY ,..
won't 10 show that Peter DeGraff
ana Ellen Smith We're upon IN
innate terms; that the couple had recent
~ mad several quarrels. in one of which
noCrag threatened TO shoot the woman.
In the woman's bosom was found a note
from Peter making an appointment 10
meet her near the place where the body
was found.
Tne evidence so conclusively pointed to
DeGran as the murderer that searching
parties were organized, and for seVerh
davs efforts were made TO effect his ar
rest but he managed to eYade the ON
cers. and finally made his escape from
the community, and his whereabouts re-
NAMED a mystery. and the matter ceas-
ed to excite public interest until the
night Of June %, 1898, when he was ar
rested by Sheriff Macarthur and a police
man at the house Of man named Rus
sell, two miles west of Winston.
Campaign Issue
The case attracted great interest
throughout Western North Carolina one
OF the strongest reasons for this was
that the present sheriff (McArthur), in
his campaign speeches told the voters
that If he was elected he would not al
low any DeGraffs to walk around In his
territory. His opponent Dr Teague),
who was then sheriff, was cersured for
the careless manner in which he handled
The case. This gave the Democrats a
strong weapon to fight him with, ana
hey used it with telling effect, as was
shown by the election returns Sheriff
Macarthur Oem) defeating his man by
the largest majority. probably, ever given
a Forsyth sheriff, Notwithstanding a
Populist candidate was also In the field.
DeGgan was put on trial for his life
before Judge Robt. w. Winston, in For
syth Superior Court, on August II. 1893.
The case was concluded on the morning
of the 18th. by the jury returning YER
diet Of guilty" DeGraff went on the
stand, and his evidence was more damag-
ing than that of any of the witnesses.
His supsrstitions.
On DISCRIMINATION, he was asked
why he went TO the spring where the
woman was murdered the evening OF
his arrest and cried out: Ellen, II you
are in heaven, stay there; II in hell,
rise" the prisoner replied that he had
heard old people say that if a murderer
would go back to the scene of his crime
and speak those words, the party killed
could be SEEN This statement was told
by the prisoner without him realizing
its meaning until after the words fell
from his lips.
Peter says that he worked In Rich
mond and several other places i'm Nir-
gnia. lie also lived and worked for short
periods in several ether States.