Birmingham state herald., 1896-01-09

stepped to the window, and after gazing a few minutes on the pretty home scene in the room, which was lighted by rous- ing and cheery fire, raised his gun to his shoulder, and, bearing in mind the part ing injunction of his employer and mas ter, fired. His aim was only too true. The entire charge of buckshot penetrated her right breast and she fell to the floor a bleeding corpse. Her children, fright ened beyond measure and with a grief bordering on insanity at the awfulness of the deed rushed screaming to their fathers room and informed him of their mothers awful fate. Pretending to be greatly surprised Hathorn rushed en deshabille to his wife's chamber and there viewed her mutilated remains. With feigned grief he, only partially dressed, hurried to the stable and saddling horse starts out to arouse the neighbors and in- stitute search for the murderer, think ing by this great display of diligence to divert any suspicious that might be aroused against him.
 In the meantime Wade, with only one glance to assure himself of the effective ness of his work, had gone hastily to the spot where his horse was tethered, and, mounting, rode to his cabin, over half mile distant. God, in his all wise dis pensation, had so decreed that a heavy rain should fall while the murderer stood at his post near the window, thereby furnishing means for his capture, as his footprints leading from the window were readily discerned by his pursuers. A short distance from the house they found where he had mounted his horse, and fol- lowing the route taken by the animal they went direct to Wade's cabin, and having good cause for suspicioning him promptly placed him under arrest. Great 1y surprised at his sudden capture the ne- gro excitedly confessed all and told of -Hathorn's complicity In the crime, .whereupon the latter was also arrested and the pair were manacled and taken to Hattesburg and lodged in jail to await judicial investigation.
 A few weeks after the crime was com 1nitted the grand jury of Perry county returned indictments for murder against Wade and Hathorn and upon trial by jury were promptly convicted of murder in the first degree and sentenced to death, that sentence being executed to- day.
 Hathorn's father was minister of the gospel, as was his oldest son. The lat ter, with the balance of the children, paid him weekly visits during his incar- ceration and impressed upon him the solemnty of his crime. and implored, be- seeched and begged him to seek forgive ness from Him who reigns above, but they, the motherless children could never forgive him for the visitation of the aw- ful crime into their once happy home.
 Augusta the little town in which the execution of today took place, has his tory which is of interest to the public. In ante bellum times it was the county site of Perry county and was noted through out the state on accoalnt of the United States land office beiig located there. Quite number of interesting tales of adventure are now told by the old set tiers who still inhabit the town and county, and especially of the manner in which the land business was conducted, and how in many instances a plat of land was sought for by perhaps two or more citizens from some remote portion of the state who would often start from their homes on the same morning 100 miles or more distant and race for the land office, the winner in the race being rewarded with the privilege of entering his land claim unmolested.
 But the most notoriety that Augusta has ever been the recipient of occurred some forty years ago, when James Cope land, the leader of the celebrated Cope land clan, whose name is familiar to every native citizen of Mississippi and Alabama, was captured, returned to Au- gusta, tried convicted and hanged on the identical spot of earth upon which the scaffold stood with today's con demned, who were snatched into eternity. A portion of the Copeland scaffold still stands. there being the two posts and cross beam, which bears the imprints of decay, and many marks where chips have been taken therefrom by the curi- ously interested and skeptical passers- by. The hanging of James Copeland created. of course, more excitement at that time than did the execution of to- day, because Copeland, in his confession on trial, implicated vast number of in fiuential citizens of that and other com- munities in the state of being members of his thieving and blood-thirsty gang, and at this late day it is not safe for one to comment too strenuously while there upon the Copeland matter, and a large crowd assembled thinking that he, Cope land, would make further disclosures in his last moments of life.
 There were present at today's execu- tion a number of men who were boys when they witnessed the execution of Copeland, and the most conspicuous of them all was the silyer-hair old gentle man, Dr. Pitts, the author of ."The Life of Copeland" who off1ciated as the hangman of Copeland, he being the sheriff of Perry county at that time.
 The operations of this band of outlaws are quite familiar to young and old in Mississippi, as they terrorized the people for many years before they could be cap- tured. Their object principally was to steal slaves and stock, transport them to foreign states and dispose of. same. De- casionally they would commit murder before they would allow any of their plans to be frustrated, and oftentimes would infict the most horrible and ex- cruciating cruelties upon the helpless and unprotected women and children With whom they would come in contact.
 When the news of James Copelands ignominious death was heralded to the outside public the law-abiding citizens and one-time victims of the gang in the state breathed an air of satisfaction and contentment, for well they knew the horrors of the lawless and interruptions operatives, and Copeland, the leading spirit, being out of the. way, were cogni- zant of the fact that the outlawry would cease and the remaining and less coward ly members would disband.
 A member of the medical fraternity and an old citizen of Perry county, now practiclng his profession at Hattiesburg, the present county seat of Perry county, has in his possession the skull of the noted outlaw, which he has well pre- served and retains as relic of those dark and dangerous days.
 The execution today is the first one in which white man and negro were hanged from the same scaffold and at the same time in Mississippi.
 Sanguilly Is Safe.