The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-07-04
THREE NEGROES ON THE TRAP
A FOUL MURDER AVENGED IN THE
EXECUTION.

Their Victim the Proprietor of -
Trading boat and the Scene of the
Crime Near MarysvIIIe, sIIss-The
Murdered Mans Wife and Infant
His Only Companions on the Boat
at the Time OF the Crime.
Marysville. Miss. July s.-Never before
In the history Of this village has such a
crowd been assembled as was here to-day.
Every species of vehicles. all classes Of
mules and all grades and pedigree OF
horses were to be seen coming early this
morning until the hour fixed for the ex-
ecution. There had been some talk of a
rescue. but upon investigation it turned
out to be unfounded. 1t may be added,
however. that the negroes Of Issaquena
county are almost a unit in their feeling
in this matter and all Of them agree that
these men are being punished properly.
The only difference Of opinion anywhere
TO be found is over the fact that the hang
ing is public, which appears to some as an
unjust exhibition Of the power OF the law.
At II o'clock under a strong guard these
men were taken from their places in the
Jail, where they have been for some time
and conducted to the place Of execution.
1t will be remembered that d. r. Kings
a hatboat man moored his craft at point
a short distance below Carolina landing
last march and proceeded to carry on the
business Of selling goods to the people
living along the banks Of the great stream.
This population is composed almost ex-
clusively Of colored people, the whites
being about 10 to 10. They remained for
some time making few acquaintances
among the more influential. 1t appeared
that King and his family became pop
ular with this population and remained
longer than is usual with this class OF
tradesmen. In the boat were King, his
wife, the story of whose heroism has
thrilled the continent, and an infant.
On the night of May l3 a man called at
the fiatboat at about . o'clock and was
admitted. A few minutes were spent in
chatting after a purchase OF a few small
articles, when out of the darkness came
a shot. which struck King fun In the
face and neck.
Pandemonium regned. and amid tears
and cries, Bob Purvis and Grant Wilson
were asked to leave. The shot had been
| fired, according to his own statement, by
Grin Hubbard, who said that his inten-
tion had been to frighten the hatboat man
| while his confederates plundered the boat.
Their plan miscarried and they were
pushed out into the darkness, and after
u few hours renewed the attack. which
was repelled by the wife with her hus-
bands weapons.
| King was left alone with his family,
who were without medical attention, for
three or four days and was finally brought
TO Vicksburg, where he died In the hos
pital.
The prisoners were arrested and made
divers and sundry confessions to num-
/ bers of persons. differing in detail but
/ agreeing In the main fact that all three
| Of them and one other had been engaged
| I'm a conspiracy to rob and plunder
| Kings boat but agreeing that murder
was not their purpose when they made
| the attack. 1t will be remembered that
Judge Gillian called a special term Of ths
/ circuit court to try these men and after
trial attended with many dramatic
| incidents, they were convicted and sens
fenced to be hanged to-day.
The galows was built with a drop for
the prisoners instead Of a weight, as Is
| the custom In the country. All three were
| firm and apparently free from the fear
which is sometimes exhibited by men un-
der like conditions. The doomed men
made statements to the vast throng pres-
ent, warning the young against similar,
fates and assuring their hearers that they
were at peace with the great judge who
sits In the court of last resort. There
was a great deal Of sobbing among the.
impf essionables in the crowd. but no IN
cdents occurred to interrupt the pros
| ceedings. At 1:45 o'clock the trap was
sprung and Bob Purvs, Grif Hubbard
and Grant Wilson fell swiftly through
the opening into the great unknown.
They spun around at a most rapid rate
for a minute and finally settled down with
their faces in different directions.s DR..
W. II. Scudder. a prominent physicians
pronounced Grant Wilson and Bob Pur-
Wis dead after six minutes, while signs OF
life were apparent in Griff Hubbard until
after ten minutes. Within few minutes
after the three men were cut down a
violent rain storm came and everybody
ran TO look for shelter.
For some days the more superstitious
among the colored people have been say
ing that the excessive rains which have
rendered a cotton crop Of any size an
impossibility, and damaged The corn crop
greatly, would not cease until this hang
ing was over. The storm to-day but con-
firms their opinion that the heavens are
weeping over the shedding of so much
blood. They say now that fair days and
dewy nights will be the rule and thsc
the cotton will grow and that the grass
Will fade beneath the suns uninterrupted
rays.