Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1894-08-29
WEST VIRGINIA HANGING
The Corpse Hangs three days from
tic ScaffOld.

| ttCcbtIy IetuIucu lrOil d tllp bniouSh
some of the Southern States, told me
of a queer experience which he and
his companions had at Fayetteville,
the county seat of one Of the West
! Virginia counties,
Being delayed in the neighborhood
of the town the young men decided
to visit the place to see what it was
like. Fayetteville is situated on the
top of considerable hill, perhaps
1000 feet above the sea level. 1t is
reached by stage and the numbering
vehicle winds up a very torturous and
dusty road.
Arriving at the top of the eminence
the travellers found themselves sud
denly in the alleged town. About
thirty families comprise the populat-
ion and live in about as many houses.
On the occasion OF the visit, how
ever, the place was thronged with
| people. At least 5000 citizens had
assembled One inquiry was suffi-
| cientlto elicit the information that a
| public hanging had occasioned the
unusual gathering. More than that,
this was the very first legal execution
in that country for more than twenty
! years. Small wonder that there was
| crowd.
Everybody for miles around was
there, Families of men, women and
children had made long pilgrimages
to be present and these brought their
/ lunches. A few enterprisins indi-
viduals had erected stands and set
forth red lemonade and other liquid
refreshments by the barrel full. 1t
was a gala occasion.
1.-The gallows was appropriately
erected in the graveyard, near at
hand, Presently the prisoner APP
peared, in company with the sheriff
and his deputy. The condemned
man refused to ride, prefering to
walk the distance of two hundred
yards separating the rat-trap Jail from
the engine of death. He looked
well and was decidedly calm. He
carried a sun umbrella and chatted
so unconcernedly that many were al
a loss to guess which man was to
meet the terrible punishment.
When the party arrived at The
grave yard, the murderer, for such
was the prisoner, and few officers
mounted the platform of the gallows.
A few words were spoken by the
sheriff. When he had finished a
minister of the gospel talked and
prayed. He prayed very fervently
and included the prisoner and all the
persons of the assemblage in his pc
tition to Heaven.
His prayer was nearly too long and
the people got restless. They
wanted to hear the culprit who signi-
fed desire to say something.
Never was calmer or more un
concerned individual similarly
placed, This man leaned one hand
against the upright of the scaffold
and grasping the very rope, which
was to hang him, in the other hand,
made his speech. He said he had
"done the KILN" and was ready to
e1piate his crime. Also he remarked
that it was a solemn moment. One
of his sentences was: Boys it don't
pay to shoot en- kill men that you
happen to meet up with in fight. l
done it and now you see what a
scrape 1 got myself into" Finish
ing his warning he interrupted him
self to nod Familiarity to right and
left saying, ''Good bye JIM" $50
long Tom;" Good bye Bill' ETC.,
adding Take keer of yourself Char
ley-guess you'll have to call it
square on them 80 cen Is / owe you.
The men addressed all said goodbye.
The prisoner then placed his
hands behind him to have them
tied. He made discovery. saying
"hold on a minat," carefully but
toned his coat aAO arranged himself
more neatly. Just as the black cap
was being placed an old darkey said
Good bye Wash hope I'll see you
in heaven" The condemned man
made no reply. A moment later the
trap was sprung.
| asked the narrator if Wash died
hard.
"No," said he, The didn't move at
all that cosld see. He was per-
fectly well behaved throughout the
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