The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-02-17
DRAGGED TO THE GALLGWS.

i
Che could not believe she was to
die. She had literally to be dragged
up the gallows steps. From an eye
witness, Mr.. John Blake White, we
have this vivid pen picture of that aw.
full moment: She called upon the
multitude to rescue her, and stretched
forth her trembling arms, imploring
pity. At one moment she would rant
end blaspheme, and stamp and rave,
with incoherent wildness; and now,
with execraticns the most shocking,
she would imprecate perdition on the
Executive who would consign wo-
man to an end so ignominious. 81.
lence like that of death hung over the
vast assembly, broken only by the
shrieks 6ruly demoniacaD of this
very maniac on the very verge of
eternity. Nothing could be more ap:
palling. She was totally unprepared
to die. It was pitiable, it was pitia-
BILE, it was truly heart-rending to be-
hold the unhappy husband, himself
just about to perish, and needing
every moment for his own souls
sake bending with interest the most
intense toward his frantic wife, and,
in the tenderest accents conjuring her
to make her peace with Heaven"
A MESSAGE TO HELL!
A minister approached, the Rev.
Mr.. Galluchat; he sought to calm her,
to attract her attention, to offer her
words of spiritual hope. She stopped,
and fixing her blazing eyes upon
him, said in accents clearly distin-
guishabIe by many: Cease! I will
have none of it. Save your words
for others that want them. But il
you have a message you want to send
to HI give it to me; I'll carry it,"
The minister drew back, shocked,
overcome with horror.
At that moment the sheriff took a
paper from his pocket to examine it.
It caught Mrs. Fishers eye. Her
every thought centered upon the hope
of pardon, she naturally connected
this with the expected paper. She
made a frantic effort to leap toward
the sheriff and to tear the paper from
his grasp. Only the cords that bound
her prevented. The sheriff recogniz'
ing her mistake, quickly folded the
paper, assuring her in the most sol
emn voice that all hope was ground
less, and that she must die! 1.-The
words" says MIR. White, "were elec-
trio. She seemed to pierce with her
eyes into his very SOUL. For a mo
ment she was mute"
SHE CRIES TO HEAVEN.
Her execrations were hushed, and
now, with frantic gesticulations, she
called upon Heaven to have percy
upon her and save her soul. Brief
exclamations, hurried CALCULATIONS
tions half uttered, but glowing
words, flowed from her lips with rap
idity quicker than thought. All was
terror, hurry, dismay. Tremendous
conflict! The time was brief; she felt
she had delayed too long to make her
account with heaven, and now the
dreadful messenger of death tugged
at her despairing hsart."
It was while she was in this condi-
ton that the cap was adiu.ted. Her
husband called to her again and again
endearingly. He sought to comfort
her, to assure, to sustain her. At q
little past 2 o'clock the drop fell, and
the close of the awful chapter of TRACE
dies at Six-mile house had been written
in explanation. Their bodies were cut
down and inferred in the Potters'
Field. Afterwards I have heard they
were disinterred, and that their skel'
etons now hang in the Museum OF the
Charleston Medical College.
A. M. BARNES.