The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-18
DAILY, SO a YEAR.
CENTS A COPY.
| WEEKLY 2-TIMES-A- w EEK 81 A YEAR
TWO PLUNGE FROM ONE TRAP.
GRADY REYNOLDS AND BUD
BROOKS HANGED AT JEFFERSON.

! Crime That Cost Them Their Lives.
Both Men Meet Death Bravely.
Each EnvcIOped In "a Robe of spot
les White and a Black Cap-Rey-
noId's Last Thoughts on His Asses
ciate In Life and Death.
jefferson, Ga, Dec. 17.-Grady Reynolds
and Bud Brooks were hanged here to-day
| for the brutal murder Of NJ. c. Hunt of
Belton. a merchant The drop fell at 1911
o'clock Brooks was dead in thirteen min-.
utes, but Reynolds was not pronounced
| dead until three minutes later.
| The execution was private but among
the few who witnessed IL, were the three
brothers OF the murdered man, who had
come from South Carolina to see justice
done.
Both men died game. Many expected to
see Brooks collapse, but he seemed to have
imbibed some of his partners courage and
did not break down,
The condemned men rode quarter of a
mile TO the gallows, amid a great crowd.
| Standing IN the vehicles on the outside of
1 the gallows enclosure, both made speeches.
They professed regret for their deeds
| though making only slight reference to il.
The gist of their talk was that they were
prepared to die, ond they delivered
warning to the crowd
Just before the caps were adjusted
Brooks asked the sheriff how much of a
drop he was going to get.
"Three feet" he replied
II am afraid that will not be enough"
hn replied. Brooks fears were unfound-
ed, for his neck was unbroken.
spouess white robes were placed around
each man as he stood on the trap ana
the black cap was fitted on his head.
| Thus garbed they presented q CHASTITY APP
pearance
When the sheriff asked If they wers
ready, from under Reynolds mask cama
the query, Are you ready, Bud?a
! Brooks nodded
Il am ready. too" added the man who
was giving his last moments to thoughts
of his associate in life and in death.
The trap was then sprung. Both whites
robed figures shot through the trap.
| Brooks body was nearly stiffened. Rey-
nolds seemed strangling, for his body
writhed for several moments. Both bodies
were allowed to hang thirty minutes. They
were cut down and turned over to their
relatives
Brooks two sisters, who came over yes
| terday from Athens, prayed and sang with
| him in his cell Brooks called to Rey-
nolds, and asked him If he cared to Join
| in the services. Il am all right" re-
piled Reynolds you go ahead and slng'
While the latter refused 70 Join In pray
er, he pretended to feel that he himself
was fixed" so far as his sours saliva
! ton was concerned.
Brooks was deeply affected and wept.
while his sisters grew hysterlcal When
they left the cell Brooks soon recovered
| his spirits.
Reynolds laughed and talked with those
! about his CELL When asked If he cared
to make any statement regarding his
! crime, he replied TN make one for S."
what would YOU do with the money?''
Send 1t to my children"
He had a wife and four children, but
! only saw the woman once during his con-
! fnement. That was on the eve of the
! day first set for his execution. They have
/ been separated for six years Mrs Rey-
! nolds came on then and visited her hus-
band. They became reconcied, but Mrs,
| Reynolds never again saw him.
Brooks was also married, but his wife
never came to see him.
The gallows upon which Reynolds and
Brooks were hanged stood on the side of
| a bin overlooking the town, Something
| over quarter of a mile from the town.
| The instrument Of death was erected about
| three months ago In anticipation of the
| execution, which was then set for Sept
23 At o'clock that morning Brooks at
| torney, Col. Ed Brown of Athens, arrived
| at Jefferson with an order from Judge
| Iutchins, granting a stay of sentence
pending an appeal to the supreme court
| The brothers of MIR. Hunt, the victim of
the assassins, who were here to witness
the administration of justice, nterfered in
| behalf of Reynolds, and secured from the
| governor a respite, in order that both of
| their brothers. murderers might pay the
penalty at the same time. Reynolds had
| dressed for death, and was ready to make
the march to the gallows when the re-
| spite arrived.
Grady Reynolds and Bud Brooks were
| each born about 30 years ago, the former
in Hail. the latter in Oglethorpe county.
| this state. Each was brought up in the
| country by Christian parents, in moderats
| circumstances. Each received a common
| school education in their respective coun-
ties, and upon reaching their majority,
| they left the parental roofs and began "a
| look out for themselves. As boys they
had been known to be rather wild, bur
| not worse than many of their playmates.
AS soon as they left the parental roof
however they began to dissipate, and
| gradually grew worse and worse, until this
murder most foul was planned and execut-
ed by them.
Before they went 10 the bad, they mar
ried two beautiful girls of good families.
who made them most excellent wives.
Gradually Reynolds and Brooks grew
worse and worse in their bad habits and
finally their wives could stand 1t no long,
er and separated from them and have ever
since been living apart.
Thus things continued going from bad
to worse, until finally Brooks and Rey-
nolds began to make moonshine liquor
near Bellton. Not finding as ready a
wholesale market for the product of their
stills as they desired. they began to sell
il by retail, which they continued doing
until they formed the diabolical conspiracy
to murder and rob M. G. Hunt.
Hunt had recently moved to this Sec
ton from South Carolina, and had put
up cash store and was doing good busi-
ness and making money rapidly
For some reason Mr.. Hunt never would
put his money In a safe or deposit il in