The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-09
GONE NOW TO MEET HIS GOD.
PERRY DIES DECLARING HIS INNO-
CENCE OF CRIME.


Cause Which God and Man Alike
Excuse-A Day Filled With Pa
thetic Incidents-Thc Father and
brother of the Dead Lnnfer Take
Inhuman satisfaction in Witness
ing the Hanging aud in Securing
Souvenirs of the Occasion.
Atlanta, Ga, Sept Six months to the
day from the time when he shot and kill
ed Belly Lanier H. S. Perry paid the
penalty for his crime on the scaffold to-
day
The execution took place in the jail
yard at Decatur almost within sight of
the spot where the killing of Lanier oc-
CURED. The drop fell at 11:43 a. m, and
death was almost instantaneous. Two
minutes after the trigger was sprung the
body was cut down and delivered to the
undertaken. Perry died with the declara-
ton that he had killed Lanier in defense
of his wife's honor. He had no regrets
for the deed except for the consequences
to his family. He met death with a
certain degree of fortitude, but not with
the bravado which he has displayed in
his Jail life since conviction.
Mrs. Perry, the wife of the condemned
man, was admitted. accompanied by her
oldest son, Blake, aged IA. Then a truly
moving scene was witnessed. The wife,
who has gone through so much and suf-
fered so much, the little one realizing in
a way, unnatural in boy so young. fell
weeping in the arms of the husband and
father.
Perry had all along shown much nerve
in contemplating his end, but the grief of
others proved more than he could endure.
He wept bitterly and his voice, when he.
attempted to speak. was husky and brok-
en-. His father-in-law, Mr.. Cosby, arrived
early at the jeil and was admitted to the
cell and soon after came Rev. r. s. Stew
enson.
Services were held, the minister reading
from the Bible. At intervals, the latter
would stop and ask if the condemned man
could accept the words of the Bible. Per-
RVS answer was invariably hollow yes.
Then the preacher led in prayer in which
Perry Joined.
Duri ng the prayer curious scene was
witnessed.
Murderer Flanagan, himself condemned
to die on the scaffold at Decatur, was pac-
ing nervously up and down in his stock
ing feet the corridor outside of Perry's
cell. During the prayer he pressed his face
against the cell door and with lowered
head remained in that atti-
tude until the prayer was end
ed. When he raised his head tears
were pouring down his cheeks. Perry
xrpd oil CD bax oil
been forgiven. o, God. give me grace 20
bear this awful ordeal. o. God, bless
my wife and children, and all my friends.
who worked for me so faithfully" He
prayed for all the prisoners in Fulton
county Jail and even for his enemies
AS the wife and little son passed up the
street from the Jail, the funeral wagon
containing the coffin forthe man who was
yet alive, drew up. 1t added a CHASTITY en-
phasis to the horror of their thoughts.
The condemned man was taken away
from the Atlanta Jail and started for De-
catur almost before the break of day, in
order to avoid any demonstration or
crowd. Perry was sleeping as peaceful
ly as a child when Sheriff Austin and his
deputies drove up to the Jail in two bug
gies and a hack.
He was soon aroused and In few min
utes had dressed himself and was ready
for the drive to Decatur. Sheriff Austin
handcuffed him and he was then taken
to the hack, the guards took their
places in the wagon and Perry
had started to meet his doom. Before
leaving he shook hands with all the jail
officials and thanked each of them for the
kind treatment he had received at the
Jail. The other prisoners in the Jail were
sleeping and none of them knew that the
man had gone until several hours later.
Perry was tolerably cool and self-con-
| tanned throughout the long ride to Deca-
| tur He talked cheerfully and at times
| even gayly to the guards.
WELL" he remarked, easily, to the sher-
| If, you arc going to perform a duty to-
! day that 1 never looked for"
Il never thought I'd be hung" he add
| ed with some detection.
| yes, 1t looks as If 1t will come off, re-
| sponded Mr.. Austin, and the condemned
man replied that he was ready to go. This
was the only time during the ride that
/ Perry seemed to give away to his feelings
| of his awful fate.
He made several attempts at joking, and
] one incident of the trip served to show
! the depth of the bitter feeling Perry enter
tanned toward the people of DeKalb coun-
| ty.
| As the small procession was passing
| through East End. Perry looked out and
saw store sign Which read Christian
Bros" "Well am glad
to see there is one Christian in
|
| seemed vastly amused at his own sally,
which also drew a broad smile from the
| guards.
| At 11:S5 o'clock Perry was taken from
| the cell in the peKalb JAIL where he
| had been placed when brought from At
| lanta for several hours. Rev. Mr.. Ste
phenson had been with the condemned
man. He preceded Perry to the gallows.
| On the scaffold the murderer was seated
| i'm chair, while the minister knelt beside
| him and offered fervent prayer. When
| he had finished the prayer the condemned
| man stood up to make his statement He
faced the dangling moose and in the be-
| ginning his voice was almost inaudible.
| 1t tremhled, and for a time it looked as
If 1t were breaking down. AS he pro-
crossed, however, his voice grew stronger.
Gentlemen and citizens of DeKalb coun-
| ty," the condemned man began, 81 am
| here to face death. l am glad to say
am ready to go. l have made peace with
| God. | did my duty. ! am going for pro-
tecting my dear wife. ! may have broken
the laws , as they are in Georgia, but L
did my duty 10 protect my wife.