The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1896-04-01
Carr COnfesses.

ATLANTA, March 23.-Alex Carr,
who is to be hanged here on Friday,
confessed to-day that he has been
shaming insanity formore than a year.
He shot and killed James King on the
street in August, 1894. When his
trial came on, Carr pretended to be in
sane. He was twice examined by ex-
perts who pronounced him sane. He
allowed his hair to grow long and never
spoke to any n except his lawyers.
He has had two trials and was con
victed both times and has twice been
sentenced to death. The strain be-
came too great on him as the day Of
his execution approached, and this
afternoon he sent for Sheriff Barnes
and confessed.
The sheriff took a witness with him.
Carr was having his hair cut at the
time the sheriff and his companion
arrived. Mr.. Barnes spoke to him,
and said "Carr, you are looking I'M
usually we'll to-day"
eyes," replied Carr, "pretty well
for a man who has undergone what I
have"
The barber stopped his work and
Carr, almost as straight as he was
when he fired the fatal shot at Captain
King, sat back in his chair, and said !:
IT have been looking forward for a
long time for the coming Friday. I
was not afraid to die, andam not afraid
now. But I want time to prepare to
meet my god"
He then requested the sheriff to send
the Rev. Mr.. Haughan, chaplain of the
Jail, to him.
He then related his experience with
the doctors who recently examined
him.
Looking at the sheriff with a sus-
picion of a smile on his face, Carr
pointed to a hole in the wall, and said /:
''Mr. Barnes, haven't you been watch
ing me through that hole ?"
Sheriff Barnes replied that he had
not-that he did not know that the
hole was there and then the jailor in
formed Carr that the hole did5not 60
through the wall.
"Well," exclaimed Carr, GALL I've
got to say is thatthe hole has given
me much uneasiness."
The condemned man said: "My
father and my lawyers are entirely in
nocent in this matter. They are firm
ly of the belief that I am insane.
When I get to the gallows, J. shall
make a statement that will exonerate
them
Stopping for a moment, Carr passed
his hand over his face and remarked {:
Gentlemen, I can tell you this has
been a terrible strain on me-"
Mr.. Barnes asked him about the
killing and he said that there. was no
malice in. the killing, as he was not
prejudiced against Captain King. He
guessed that it was either whiskey or
an attack of indigestion, as he was
not feeling well on the day that the
killing occurred. Some further ques-
tions were asked Carr, and then he
said: Gentlemen, this secret was
more than I could bear. I might have
remained silent and have been sent to
the asylum. Then I might have re-
covered and have carried this secret
with me. I reflected on the matter
and have decided that I would rather
go to the gallows than to be burdened
altogether with such a terrible strain"
Sheriff Barnes and Mr.. Hannah on
leaving the Jail, stopped by the office
of Governor Atkinson aud gave him
the news. The Governor smiled and
remarked: "There is nothing like
holding a tight rein to the end
Governor atkinson had set tomorrow
for hearing from lawyers as to the
insanity of Carr. Of course the hear
ing will not now take place.
Mr.. Lowry Arnold of the firm of
Arnold & Arnold, said when spoken
to about it: "It is a thunderclap to
US. This is the first we have heard of
it,"