Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-05-10
20 OZARK. 't.
Mike McRae Pays the Penalty of His Crime
on the Gallows Yesterday. s. BE-.

sr
Mike McRae Pays the Penalty of His Crime
on the Gallows Yesterday. 81
Ozark, May 9.-(Special To-day was q
great day in Ozark. Thousands of people
gathered here to witness the execution
of Mike McRea, one of the McSwean
murderers. which event took place on
time.
On the night of the 18th day of septeni-
Der, 1898, old man Angus McSwean and
his wife, who lived all alone four miles
south of Newton, in this county, were
most foully murdered by being knocked
in the head with sledge hammers. They
were found the next day by their son,
who lived near by, cold IN death
The murder created great excitement
throughout the county, and immediate
steps were taken to apprehend the guilty
parties and punish them. A negro, Mitch
ell Wooten, who lived in the neghbor-
hood, was arrested, tried and hanged
within a few weeks after the commission
of the crime. He protested his innocence
to the last, stating that he had nothing
to do with the murder, but that Jim
Summers and Mike McRea were the
guilty parties. In few months after
wards Jim Summers was arrested In Flor
ida, brought here tried convicted and
hanged. He confessed that he was guilty,
and said that he and Mike McRea did the
work. Last March Mike McRea, the last
of the murderers, was captured at High
Springs, Fla, and given an immediate
trial. He was convicted and sentenced
to be hanged on Saturday, the 9th day
of May.
Your correspondent went to the jail
yesterday afternoon, and found him
dressed and ready for the gallows. He
said that he was in fine condition and
good spirits, and was ready to go, and
believed that he would go straight to
heaven. We succeeded in obtaining from
him the statement below, which he said
was a correct statement of the facts,
made by him in the full realization of
the fact that he was soon to stand In thu
presence of his Maker.
II did not want to kill Mr.. McSwean
and his wife, as they were as good
friends as had on earth. But Jim Sum-
mers did it and 1 was with him, which
makes me guilty. 1 know have got to
die and there is no use In telling lie,
although l did tell lie in the court
house, but then l thought it might do
ma some good.
II knew Mr.. McSwean had some money
and Jim Summers wanted me to go with
him to kill the old folks and get their
money. told him would not do 1t, but
told him If he could find them away from
the house 1 would help rob the safe. Jim
left me and on Sunday night came back
and told me the old folks were gone and
everything was all right. So we went,
getting to the house about daybreak.
went into the blacksmith shop In the COR
ner of the yard and got sledge hammer
and Jim went to the back door and 1 fold
lowed him. He knocked on the door and
Mrs. McSwean opened 1t. Jim had big
hickory walking stick and raised 1t to
hit her and she started to hollow. He
hit her before she could do so. She fell
on the floor. Mr.. McSwean got out of the
bed and started into the shed room and
Jim met him in the door and hit him oH
the head. He fell against the door. but
caught with his elbow. 1 said: Don't
hit him any more; he will open the safe
and he said: Yes, 1 will open the safe.'
He then went to the safe and said 1t
was too dark, and opened the window,
He went down on his knees and caught
hold of the safe with one hand and his
gun with the other. The gun was stand
ing In the corner of the room behind the
safe. AS he brought the gun over in IA
shooting position, Jim had pulled his
pistol and caught the gun in his hand
and told him to turn 1t loose or he would
kill him. Mr.. McSwean turned the gun
loose and Jim set it back in the corner
Mr.. McSwean then told him he would not
open the safe, and Jim hit over the head
with the stick again, and he fell In the
floor. Then Jim started to walk around
me, and took the hammer and hit him
In the head with 1t. ] then took the ham
mer and broke the hinges off of the safe
and could not get the door out, and by
this time Jim was in the back yard. I
then got my Mr.. McSweans gun and fol-
lowed. him. We got over the fence and
went around into the road running to
the plantation. We went down this road
till we came to some woods, where we
got over and went to Shade Yorks Che
Is my Yather-in-law) and got breakfast.
We stayed In the woods till night and
then went to Florida. I went by the
mama Of Frank kirkland there. Jim