Birmingham age-herald., 1895-02-09

strong power Of Christ as well as the man that is going to be hung. Oh, God! have mercy upon him, as you did upon the poor, sinful woman at the well of Samaris; as you had 1t on the soul of Tarsus, who per secuted the Christians. God have mercy on us all and on this condemned man, who is now to appear before you.''
 BYARs TALKS.
 At the conclusion of Dr. Morris prayer, to which By ars paid the strictest attention, Sheriff Morrow told Byars he could speak if he so desired. rhereupon Byars faced the crowd and said:
 stGENTLEMEN AND FRIENDS: You see before you today man who is to hang for the murder Of Eugene Walker, a murder that wss fouly committed.
 'sI knew 'Gene well. He was a third cousin of mine. He had been a special friend of mine since l first knew him, about five years ago. was with him tn rec weeks before he joined the army. l met him the 9th of last January (1s94), when he came to Birmingham. 1t WIS apout ] o'clock ln the moruing, and was with him off and on until Saturday evening about 6 o'clock, when we separated to meet again later. l never saw him any more until saw him at the undertaker's osta bisnment.
 .sHe bad been murdered. or this crime l am absolutely innocent, and I die today for crime never committed. As sure as there is a God in heaven, and He is ruler of this state, 1 am innocent of the crime. But 1 was tried before an honorable and honest judge of Jefferson county, and be. fore jury of twelve man, whom believe to be good, honest men, who said from the evidence they believed beyond doubt that l was guilty. They condemned me to die for crime did not commit. They were good and honest men aud did their duty, and have no animosity against them for it. - have nothing against Eugene Walkers friends and relatives for working up the case against me. They have done their duty. Eugene was murdered. There is no doubt Of that, and as sure as am to die today for that murder, had been let alone l would not have rested until I brought the murderer here where l am today. l would have looked for him as long as my money lasted or as loug ss could honoraby get money. If any Of Walkers relatives are here l would like 10 see them. l would like 10 shake their hands. have no animosity against them. 'Gene was a good boy aud my friend.
 'Some witnesses swore Walker and my self were at places at times when we were not there, but have no hard feelings towards them, although they did cause my conviction.''
 Byars stopped talking and turned to Sheriff Morrow. Taking his hand he told him goodbye, and again turning to the crowd said Sheriff Morrow was forced 10 execute him. He said the sheriff was a good man, and he had It quested him to do the work himself.
 Some one iu tho crowd called to Byars to say something about some witnesses, and Byars said Smithson and Watkins had sworn the truth on the witness stand.
 Byars called to some man in the crowd and told him to do what he had been re- quested to do, and to see Sheriff Morrow, who could tell him some things.
 He then turned and shook hands with Dr. Morris, Rev. Mir. Lee, Deputy sheriffs A. R. Morrow, Henry Cole and B. A. Thompson. The cap was adjusted, hand cuffs were placed around his wrists and his feet and arms tied with cords.
 THE DROP.
 Byars talked all the time these prepara- tions were being made, and as the hand cuffs were placed on his wrists he said: 'sGentlemen, this is the first time ever had anything like this on.' As Sheriff Morrow turned 10 leave him Byars re- quested him to say when he was ready, and that was the last word the poor, unfortu- nate man ever uttered.
 Sheriff Morrow walked to the side of the gallows and at 12:41h sprang the trap. was broken. Not a muscle qnivered, and just nine minutes after the drop the doctors pronounced him dead.
 As soon as the trap fell Dr. Gillespie, county physician; Drs. W. H. Wilder, J. D. Gibson and Wyatt Hefin went to the body and began feeling Byars' pulse.
 Immediately after the drop Sheriff Nor. row requested the crowd to disperse, which they did.
 When the physicians pronounced Byars dead the rope was cut by Deputy Sheriff Henry Cole and the body placed in lho dead box or Warner & Smiley. A hasty exami- nation was made by the doctors and they discovered that his neck had been dislo- cated. The knot had slipped around to the back of his neck and the rope made an indention in h1s throat, but the skin was not broken.
 The body was immediately taken to the establishment of Warner & Smiley, on Twentieth street, and an anxious crowd of people followed. Police had been stationed at the undertaking rooms to keep the crowd from rushing in when the body was placed there.
 The only lime that Byars showed the least excitability or nervousness was while speaking. He wrought himself up con- siderably, and was gesticulating wildly, but calmed down at word from pr. Nor ris.
 The body was prepared for burial by Warner & Smiley.
 THE CRIME.
 On Sunday morning, January 2, 1894, somesmall children playing in the vicinity of Behrens' park, in the southern part of the city discovered tho dead body of man. They reported the find, and within short time police officers and Coroner Dusenberry went 10 the scene and made an investiga- ton. The body was removed to the un- dertaking establishment of Warner & 0mlley edIiy III tue AItefnOOn anu WAS soon thereafter identified ss that of Eugene Walker.
 Eugene Byars, an ex-policeman of Bir- mingham and 8 weil-known character about the city, visited the undertaking establishment during the afternoon and, after taking look at the body, identified it as that of Eugene Walker, a cousin of his and United States soldier.
 Walkers home was near Eldridge, Ma. iron county, where his father and mother lived, and he had come to Birmingham on the 4th of January, en route there to visit them. He had been absent from home for five years, during which time he had been serving in the army, the greater portion of the time as 8 sergeant. He had been sta tioned at Fort Niobrars, in Nebraska.
 During the five years he had been in the army Walker had saved up considerable sum of money, amounting to several hum dred dollars, which he was taking to his father. When he arrived in Birmingham he is supposed to have had this money n ith him, and the theory of the state was that Byars murdered him to get this money.
 He came to Birmingham on the afternoon of January 1, 1894, and took room at the Matr0p0Iifa hofal whara ha alapt hat l