The Hazel Green herald. [volume] (Hazel Green, Wolfe County, Ky.) 1885-19??, 1895-07-04

an instant, and for second Smith
glanced out over the vast assem-
blage. His face bore radiant
smile, as he cried. Beautiful
1t reminds me of the beautiful
scenes of heaven which can see,
right now before my eyes. You
must all pray for me now. Pray
hard to God to have mercy on
poor Tom Smith, the poor orphan
boy, who had nobody To keep him
in the straight path. / hope yon
will all meet me in heaven, where
/ expect to go. 1 know you all
want to know what the reporter
was writing just now. 1t was my
Confession. | told him. about all
the men / have killed I'm dying
just, l killed DIR. RAIDER Kath.-
crime told me be was going to kill
me, and said il j killed him, she
would be responsible for it.
The papers will tell you all about
it. 6ood-by. Oh, good-by, every
body ~ ..@..5
He then turned to Revs. Kelly,
Hudson and Dickey and asked
them to sing Guide Ne Q Great
Jehova.'' The song was started
by the ministers and the crowd
took it up. As he walked around
the scaffold on the arm Of Detec-
tive Drake Smiths clear voice,
weak as he was, could be heard
above the great volume Of song.
The song completed, Smith was
led on the trap, and, kneeling, he
prayed loud and earnestly for
fully ten minutes, during which
time those of the crowd who could
find sufficient space oil the thickly
covered ground, bent their knees
also and silently joined the doomed
man in his pleadings for mercy
from his Redeemer. When he
concluded his prayer, Smith asked
that another song BE sung, and
the hymn, Bear the Gross, was
sung by the ministers. Smith
again prayed for mercy, and as he
arose from his knees he cried
Farewell young men; farewell.
young women. Remember me,
for have told the truth here this
AFTERNOON. Oh, God, lift up my
soul to- heaven, = .=*
| 81 am ready, but i would give
4 the world for just two days more.
/ can't get them, i know, 50 1
guess I'll meet the Lord
/ Detective Drake and Sheriff
ECombs bound lis hands ankles
Tightly, while Jailer Centers gave
him i drink of water. The black
cap was placed over his head and
1.-THE moose adjusted. The curtains
were drawn about the scaffold,
hiding the doomed man from view.
las Sheriff Combs asked, "Ali
ready2 Smith said, "Yes," and
lthen In o voice SO clear and loud
| that his pleading resounded in the
Ihills 4 mile away he cried three
! times: .@ @=~
"Save me, @ Sod, save nae"
i AS the last word left Smiths
Hips Sheriff Combs cat the rope
which held the trap, and the body
Iof the first of the mountaiR des-
\ peradoes to be executed in Breath
lit county shot into eternity. A
i drop Of six feet, q shrug Of the
I shoulders, Il crack of the neck, and
the body OF bad Tom" Smith
I. hung motionlees in the darkness
of the box beneath the scaffold.
In II minutes Or. Cox pronounced
him dead, and the body of the bad
man of the mountains was cut
down, placed in plain but neat
coffin and given over TO his friends.
Five minutes later the coffin Was
placed in rough mountain wagon
and started ON the journey Of I'd
miles to Carr's Fork, on the KEN
tncky River, where the funeral
| will be held at the home of James
, Stacy, Sunday afternoon. More
than 500 people in OK carts, wagS
: ons Of all kinds, on mules ard
afoot made up the quaint process
! sion which followed the corpse
, across the hills People began to
dispense Immediately and when
the Lexington and Eastern sxc:sss
Z sion train, with moro than / 0tN
souls aboard, departed, Che teF'n
: save by the natives, was ptacti4
=. a.. 4 49, ~ /. N